Black Glove Pirates: Journey Through Paradise
by Sir Gar the Bold
Summary: SEQUEL TO BLACK GLOVE PIRATES. The newly-named captain and her crew have gotten out of West Blue, but the Grand Line is a whole different world. They will put everything on the line to fight to the top. Rated M for graphic violence and other adult themes.
1. A Strong Beginning

Welcome to the second installment of the Black Glove Pirate saga! In case you somehow missed the summary and the fourth word in that first sentence, this is a sequel. Read that first if you haven't already. Much like the first story, this is rated M for a reason. Intense graphic violence, offensive language and alcohol should be a given by now, but other adult situations will arise.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. All rights to the world and the occasional historical figures featured in this fanfiction belong to the illustrious Odacchi-sama. I'm just using his concept. That being said, I do 'own' most of the characters in this series. While I do not have the power to sue anyone who steals them, I will be severely disappointed in people who do so. I've worked hard to create these characters, and ripping them off would be the highest degree of disrespect someone could show me.

On a lighter note, I would like to show my gratitude to those who read my story and especially to those who reviewed it. I'm not upset if you don't leave a review, but I always appreciate them, even the ones to which I can't respond (and I respond to all of the reviews I possibly can). I'd like to thank my unexpected international fanbase as well. I'd like to thank those of you who sent me drawings of my crew, something I regrettably don't have the ability to do myself. Frasya contributed the cover image for this story, so I heartily encourage you to check out her tumblr and deviantart (her alternative name is Kay, if you're having trouble). And last, but most definitely not least, I'd like to thank Draco Oblivion and Meteor, who went above and beyond the call of duty in their reviews. Kudos to all of you.

So, to wrap up when ended up like sounding a damn award acceptance speech: sit back, relax, and enjoy the story.

-Sir Gar the Bold

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><p>The first minute of Cassandra Libera's journey through the Grand Line was cold, wet, and airless. She could feel the water pounding in her ears as it pushed her downwards. Her lungs burned for oxygen, but she refused to inhale. Her limbs were trying to propel her back to fresh air, but her actions were in vain. The sunlight above the surface tauntingly penetrated the water, indicating the direction she was supposed to swim. But no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't escape the feeling that something had grabbed hold of her leg and was dragging her down. The Sea Devil was reclaiming one of its own.<p>

Abruptly, something clamped around her torso and arrested her helpless descent. She was pulled towards the surface in short bursts, the constant starting and stopping beginning to make her nauseous. She thanked the gods of life for getting used to the constant movement of a ship, for she would have felt much worse otherwise. She tried to move around, but her arms were pinned to her side. She had a pretty good idea of who had rescued her from her watery grave, but couldn't turn around enough to check.

The instant her head broke the surface, she inhaled deeply, soothing the fires in her chest. For a few moments, all she could do was greedily suck in the cool evening air and silently vow never to stand so close to the railings again. This was a foolish vow, one that she would undoubtedly break later that day, but it calmed her down. As she tried to move again, her rescuer's grip loosened enough for her to free her arms. She rested them on the arm crossing her chest, which turned out to be a large finger. That narrowed down the possible identity of her rescuer to only one man. "Rescuing a drowning crewmember is a good way to show loyalty to the crew," she commented as she wriggled around. "Especially when that crewmember is the captain."

"The real thanks should go to Lyn," Cain boomed, his dark blue eyes filled with concern. "The instant Raven came back empty-handed, she removed her spirit and located you."

Cassandra gave a light smile. "Of course she would. Anyone else fall overboard?"

"Alexander was the first to go flying, but Raven got him in time," the onetime bandit responded. "That's probably why she didn't see you fly off."

"Well, let's get back to the ship." Cain nodded and brought her out of the water onto his shoulders. Cassandra grabbed his head tightly, ignoring the short, dark blond hairs tickling her arm. He twisted about in the water until their pirate ship came into view and began to swim.

The _Howling Knave_ was bobbing some distance from the mouth of Reverse Mountain, away from the raging current that rushed down the mountainside. The figurehead and namesake, a tortured wooden man chained to the bow, pointed slightly to their right, exposing the side of the galleon. Cassandra winced as she saw the damage to the starboard flank, the gaping fissure momentarily feeling like a hole in her own side. The gap was far enough above water level not to worry her, but almost all of the starboard cannons had been lost. They would definitely have to be replaced as soon as possible.

The imaginary pain subsided as she looked up at the main sail bearing the Jolly Roger of the Black Glove Pirates and a smirk spread across her lips. A creation of her artistic first mate, it had been made in Cassandra's own image: her white cowboy hat perched on the grinning skull, her two original pistols crossed behind it and her left glove behind it all. That Jolly Roger also flew above the crow's nest and was stitched onto the back of the pirate captain's left glove. Cassandra chuckled as she remembered that her first mate had gotten it tattooed onto her back where it would always be seen, assuming she continuously wore her usual skimpy clothing.

The powerful pirate had them back alongside the ship in no time, making sure to swim towards the port side so as to not damage the ship any further. Reaching up to grip a cannonhole tightly, he pulled himself out of the water high enough for him to deposit her safely on the main deck. As soon as her red boots touched the wooden planks, she was knocked head over heels, coming to a rest against the main mast. Her head still spun, but she eventually recovered enough to realize her face was pressed between two large mounds of flesh. "Oh, thank the spirits you're okay, Captain! We were so worried about you! We thought you were going to drown!"

"It looks like you're going to finish the job," a voice said dryly as the pirate captain finally managed to extract herself from her first mate's firm embrace.

"Air!" Cassandra cried dramatically, holding the other woman at arm's length. "I need air!"

Lyn's joyous laughter entered Cassandra's ears and filled her heart with happiness. The first mate truly was prettiest when she was in high spirits and now was no exception. Her orange tank top had been completely soaked, leaving very little to the imagination as it clung to her chest. Her radiant grin brightened up her face and her electric blue eyes were sparkling merrily. "Silly Captain! You're out of the water now."

"And I hear that I have you to thank," the pirate captain replied. "Well done, Lyn." She briefly stiffened in shock as something was draped across her shoulders. Her hands shot up to feel the familiar texture of a dry towel and her fingers clenched it happily. She got to her feet and dried off her face, surprised at the warmth the cloth emanated. "And thank you. I heard you almost had a similar experience."

Alexander bowed his head, his dark brown eyes almost hidden by the sunlight reflecting off his glasses. His customary suit was relatively unruffled, though it would definitely benefit from a session with an iron when he had the chance. His portly frame was resting against the railing, showing his lack of care for his proximity to the sea. He too had consumed a Devil Fruit, but he never let his weakness bother him. Piracy was in his blood and overrode any fears he had about the salty water below him. "Courtesy of me and Damien."

Cassandra's eyebrows rose at this as she shrugged off her black overshirt and pulled off her T-shirt, leaving her torso only clothed in her wet bra and shoulder holsters. "He voluntarily helped out with this?"

The well-dressed pirate rolled his eyes. "As if. I merely threw it on him while Lyn was looking for you. He didn't have to do anything."

"It is not surprising that he did not help," an emotionless drone came from behind her. "He is completely unreliable."

The pirate captain sighed as she turned around to face the crew's doctor, catching the dry shirt tossed in her direction. "I thought you had relinquished such negative views of him."

Raven's empty black eyes stared penetratingly into Cassandra's own. Despite her crouching position on the railing above the galley, she retained her balance perfectly, never wavering in the slightest. Her skintight black suit revealed her curvaceous form, indicating that although she had the height of a child, she was a fully mature woman. Her lengthy ponytail trailed past her feet, swaying in time with the ship. She casually tossed down the pirate captain's white cowboy hat as she explained. "This is not a negative view. This is a fact. Even when combat is necessary, he might simply choose not to participate."

"Yeah, which is weird because he definitely has that whole bloodlust thing," Lyn chimed in. "I thought he'd always be ready to fight."

"Ah am always ready t' fight." The navigator's animalistic snarl was as distinctive as he was. "Jus' don' always feel like it."

He stumped into view and leaned on the railing above the women's quarters, his fierce green eyes focused on them all. His long dreadlocks were flecked with white salt crystals, indicating he had simply burned off the seawater in his hair. Using a clawless fingernail to scratch at one of the countless horrific scars marring his dark brown skin, he gave a mighty yawn, exposing his sharp metal teeth. "'Sides, yer all righ'. I didn' 'ave t' do nothin'."

"No thanks to you," Cassandra snapped at him. "Okay, so we survived getting onto the Grand Line. Is everybody okay?"

"I'm not." The wretched voice drew their attention upwards where a large green humanoid was clutching the topmost yard for dear life. The vines abruptly dropped out of existence, revealing the richly-clad pirate it had contained. "That was not a good way to start an adventure."

Lyn laughed at the elementalist's plight and put her hands on her hips. "That was a great way to start it! Get down here, Morgan!"

The prince grudgingly dropped to the deck, landing relatively lightly considering he had fallen about a hundred feet. He tucked his sandy blond hair back into his golden circlet, causing the aureate bangles around his wrists to jingle lightly. After adjusting his gold-lined purple vest on his semi-transparent shirt, he stood up to his full height, slightly taller than the two female pirates before him. "As I am commanded," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"You're not looking too peachy," Alexander observed, pushing off of the railing as he eyed the newest crewmember. "Is this your first time on a ship?"

Indeed, Morgan's greenish pallor clashed mightily with his smattering of freckles. "It is not," he insisted. "Nevertheless, I am unaccustomed to traveling in such a manner. Remind me who the doctor is aboard this ship?" All eyes turned to the black-clad woman perched above the galley, giving him the answer. Without acknowledging the other pirates, he turned around and continued, "Doctor, make me a remedy for seasickness. I will not remain in this state if I can help it."

Damien flipped over the railing, bringing his flaming right foot around in a devastating axe kick. Before he could strike the arrogant pirate, Cain was between them, blocking the attack with the back of his armored black gauntlet. The unpredictable navigator dodged Cain's retaliatory swipe and landed on the deck, his elongated canines visible in his disdainful sneer. "'Oo're you t' demand somethin', cockwipe?"

Morgan pressed his lips together as he visibly restrained himself from insulting the navigator back. "I am a member of this crew," he managed at last through gritted teeth. "It is the doctor's duty to make sure the crewmembers are feeling well."

"That doesn't mean you can't ask politely," Alexander told him sternly. "Show some reverence to the woman who's going to be caring for you for the foreseeable future. It's no wonder nobody here respects you."

"Respect is my birthright!" Morgan snapped.

"Respect has to be earned," Cassandra said sharply. "You joined me to learn what it means to be a leader. Consider this your first lesson: a good leader proves himself worthy of others' respect. When anyone joins this crew, it is because I believe that they can benefit the rest of us. But before they can truly join, they have to acknowledge me as leader. For some of us, that acknowledgment might take a second, for others a lifetime. But I have to work to earn their respect, to prove that I am worthy of that acknowledgment."

"All you've done so far is complain and do the chores because we ordered you to," Alexander continued. "How are we supposed to respect you that way?"

Storm grey eyes glared about as the elementalist searched for something to say. Cassandra sighed and ran her hand through her brilliant blue hair. "Look, Morgan, we aren't trying to torture you. You just need to learn that there's an order of command aboard this ship. I am the captain, Lyn is the first mate and Alexander is second mate. When it comes to medicine, Raven is in charge. In a storm, any order Damien gives needs to be followed as quickly and efficiently as possible."

"I'm not taking orders from him," Morgan hissed.

The scarred navigator bared his lethal teeth. "Then yeh can fuckin' drown."

"Damien, stay out of this," Cassandra commanded before turning to Morgan. "You're missing the point. If you're feeling ill or you're wounded, go to Raven. Don't order her to do anything; just tell her what's wrong and she'll fix it. As you said, that's her duty."

"Fine." Morgan took a calming breath as he faced the black-clad doctor. "I am feeling seasick. May I please have a remedy?"

Raven darted over the side of the ship in a blur only Cassandra could see. She kicked off of midair and sped through the starboard hole, leaving a small cloud of condensed air in her wake. A moment later, she returned to the main deck and handed the prince a small glass. "This will ease your nausea. I would recommend eating despite your desire not to."

"Dinner does sound like a splendid idea!" Lyn exclaimed in an obvious attempt to diffuse the tension. "C'mon, Captain, let's do this!"

"You can cook," Cassandra assured her, dismissing the first mate with a wave of her hand. She focused her attention back on Morgan and pointed at the railing. "And go over there and stare at the horizon."

The starkness of the order caused the elementalist to blanch, then flush with fury. "And what have I done to merit such a punishment?"

The knuckles in Damien's fists creaked as he showed an unexpected level of self-restraint. "It's not a punishment," Alexander clarified. "It'll help you get over your seasickness."

Morgan lips tightened and he stiffly walked over to the railing. Satisfied that no further conflict was going to arise, the crewmembers began to disperse. Cassandra, however, felt that it wasn't over yet. "Ungrateful pussy," Damien grumbled as he turned away.

"What did you say?" Morgan roared, spinning on his heel, his hand going to his necklace. "I dare you to say that again to my face!"

"Yer an ungrateful pussy, a cowardly assmuncher an' a rimlicker t' boot," Damien snarled, a sadistic grin on his lips.

Any retort from the former bandit was cut off as Cain and Alexander took it upon themselves to calm him down. Cassandra rushed to place herself in front of her navigator, grabbing his face in an effort to gain his attention. He slapped it away with enough force to break her wrist, but she succeeded in drawing away his wrath. Gritting her teeth as she forced herself not to cry out at her injured appendage, she glared up at him and tried not to focus on her bones rearranging themselves under her skin. "Damien, like it or not, and I suspect the latter, Morgan is part of the crew now."

"Th' fuck you let 'im join for?" the powerful fighter growled.

"I know he did some bad things, but you've done worse. His attitude sucks, but yours is more problematic. Why should I turn him away when I decided to keep you?"

"You needed a true figh'er," Damien reasoned. "Wha' good does a cockpouch like 'im do fer us?"

Raven appeared at his side, attracting his concentration. "Cassandra is correct, but too tactful. From a purely rational standpoint, Morgan is more beneficial to the crew than you are."

"Not helping, Raven," Cassandra murmured out of the corner of her mouth.

The petite doctor continued on. "While he has attacked crewmembers in the past, he has promised not to do so again. While there is always the possibility of him turning on us for material wealth, this is at least predictable. We have no warning before you decide to attack one of us. Even at his strongest, he is relatively easy to incapacitate while you are becoming harder and harder to disable. He is, however grudgingly, willing to change his attitude, something that you adamantly refuse to do. To summarize, all logic indicates that he has more right to be a Black Glove Pirate than you do."

"Raven!" the pirate captain objected as Damien sent a lightning-fast jab in Raven's direction. The attack somehow passed through her head, though Cassandra could make out the barest outline of Raven leaning to the side.

"I am not finished," Raven droned. "Your emotional ties to the crew alone are strong enough to validate your presence aboard the ship. Your past history of fighting for Cassandra is only marred by the fights you have had with her. Our journey through the Grand Line is going to require levels of fighting skill only you and I currently possess."

"What about our new friends?" Alexander cut in, indicating that Morgan was sufficiently placated.

Raven shook her head once. "They are likely in the top five hundred fighters in all of West Blue. While impressive, they are nowhere near that level in this sea. The Grand Line is countless times worse. Only the strongest pirates from the Blues can hope to compete here."

Alexander's eyes widened slightly. "Surely Morgan and Cain aren't that weak."

"Cassandra, Damien and I could deal with them with relative ease," Raven stated. "And we three are still only strong enough to face the first few islands. We will need to train if we are to go any farther than that."

"But Captain Neal said this was paradise…" Alexander protested.

Cassandra gave a humorless laugh. "The Grand Line is anything but. But we'll worry about that later. Raven's right about the training, but I wouldn't fret too much about it. We'll progress naturally as we go through. I do think you're underestimating yourself and Damien," she told her present Moon Sister. "Can you imagine what hell you could wreak if you two worked together?"

She expected some nasty comment from her navigator, but realized with surprise that he had departed the conversation. She wasn't surprised that he had gotten bored and wandered off, rather that she hadn't noticed him leaving.

Alexander shuddered at her last statement. "If you were fully healed and working together, I bet you could have dealt with the Albino Panther."

"It is possible," Raven conceded. "However, Damien is not the cooperative type."

"Ain't that the truth," Alexander agreed. "Well, I'm going to make sure Lyn doesn't burn anything. Someone make sure nothing bad happens."

"Yes, captain," Cassandra said sarcastically. Smiling slightly at his eye roll as he disappeared into the galley, the sniper turned to the shorter woman beside her. "He is right, though. Be a dear, Raven, and help distract Damien until dinner time. I can tell he's just itching for a fight right now."

As if summoned by her words, the navigator fell out of the sky, nearly crushing the two female pirates. Cassandra managed to dive out of the way in time, wincing as she heard the deckboards creak in protest under his massive weight. She watched as Raven delivered two painful jabs to his neck before flitting off towards the mountainside. Damien was after her in a heartbeat, his great metal wings snapping out as he leapt overboard.

Satisfied that any crisis had been averted, Cassandra faced her two newest crewmembers. Cain was hovering uncertainly around the fuming elementalist leaning on the railing, but he obediently moved aside when Cassandra waved her hand. The pirate captain walked over and rested her elbows on the wooden rail, her sharp hazel eyes focused on the Jolly Roger flying above the ship.

For a long time, the two Paramecia users simply stood there quietly, lost in their own thoughts. Morgan was the first to break the silence. "Why did you let me join your crew?"

"I like your Devil Fruit," Cassandra replied honestly. "Working together with Alexander, the two of you form a formidable force. You came with Cain, who is already on good terms with the rest of the crew. And I know your loyalty to the crew will grow in time. You just need to be reshaped first."

"You will try to change me?" Morgan asked, bristling slightly.

"Of course." Cassandra turned her attention to where her two best fighters were attempting to subdue the other. "Oh, don't be so offended. You're not the first that needs changing to adapt to life as a pirate."

Morgan glanced at her. "You're referring, I'm assuming, to that monster who calls himself the navigator."

"Believe it or not, he was not the only one," the sniper sighed. "Raven, while a friend to me for far longer than any of you, had some problems adjusting to the crew, Damien in particular. However, she also had problems with Alexander as well, believing he wasn't strong enough to be a Black Glove Pirate."

"Alexander?" the former prince said in astonishment. "Surely she was merely underestimating him."

Cassandra chuckled lightly. "More than a little. But now look at her. She accepts him as second mate and defers to him on occasion. He helped guide her towards finding a dream. They are friends, and Raven doesn't make friends easily."

"What about the other girl, Lyn?" Morgan inquired.

"Ah, Lyn…" Her smile widened at this. "Damien and Alexander may be the only ones with piracy in their blood, but Lyn was born to be one. She's the kind of woman who needs to be free, needs to do whatever she wants. The only change she needs is to grow up, but we'd all like to postpone that for as long as possible. You could say she's the treasure of the Black Glove Pirates."

"But what about you?" Morgan asked. "You're the captain. Surely you are the most important one."

The sniper nodded slowly at this. "I suppose that's true. Whether I want them to or not, all of them would sacrifice themselves for my dream and don't want me to do the same for them. Apparently, I've made that much of an impact on their lives."

"There's no apparently about it," Cain boomed from where he was sitting against the main mast. "You are the one who saved each of them. Lyn has been kind enough to regale me with tales of your appearance in each of their lives. And not just their lives either. You are young, yet you have been responsible for events that have shaped entire islands. I believe that by the time we reach the Red Line again, the entire world will know your name."

Cassandra gave a delighted laugh and bowed her head in the enormous pirate's direction. "And what about you, Cain Alcides? You wish to create the greatest weapon in the world. What exactly might that be?"

If he was surprised at her knowledge of his last name, he hid it remarkably. "That was a slight exaggeration on my part. I was caught up in the moment. But I do want to make weapons that will be famous the world over."

"You have some pretty stiff competition," Cassandra stated. "I assume you're talking about creating legendary close-combat weapons. No offense, but I don't see you as becoming an engineer or a gunmaker."

"That is a valid point," Cain conceded. "I can only make melee weapons with the exception of bows. However, does the greatest swordsman in the world not carry the world's greatest sword? They are both famous. I want to open up new categories of great fighters: great axe-wielders, great bowmen, great lancers and so forth."

"You do realize the best fighter in the world won't be wielding any weapon, right?" the pirate captain said with a grin.

Cain's scarred lips broadened into a wide smile at this. "But of course. We'll see. I might be able to convince him to choose a weapon."

"Good luck with that." Cassandra blinked as an explosion rang out from the mountainside, the shockwave rocking the ship slightly. "He doesn't like getting help."

"That much is obvious," Cain remarked, eyes going to the smoke drifting from the rocky ridge. "Raven is a better fighter, though."

Cassandra nodded, her keen eyes barely making out her two pugnacious nakama. "Not by much and not for long. But now we have you two. Now don't get me wrong; I'm more than happy that we have some extra firepower going into the Grand Line. But you've got to be prepared for what this sea is going to throw at you. At us. Depending on which route we end up taking, the first island is specifically designed as a gauntlet of sorts for pirates too immature to survive this journey."

"But there's no problem," Morgan said arrogantly. "Cain and I have been trained since birth to become superior fighters. Our fathers are among the best in Winter Isle and the best in West Blue. Any fights that come our way-"

He was abruptly cut off as Cassandra lashed out, driving the edge of her palm into his throat. As his hands went to his neck in surprise, she leaned towards him and twisted her torso, her elbow connecting solidly with his temple. To finish her brief attack, she spun around, using her hooked foot to sweep his legs out from beneath him. Standing up straight, she planted a boot on the downed pirate's side and drew a pistol, aiming it at the massive man against the mast. Cain froze as the bullet grazed his ear and embedded itself in the column of wood.

"Lesson one of being a pirate," the captain began calmly. "Get the notion of a fair fight out of your head. There's not going to be any such thing on the ocean. That's not just because we're pirates, either. We're also attached to the world of assassins who laugh at the concept of fairness. If you're a target, you'll get taken out. End of story. Fights aren't going to be coming your way straight on. They are going to be bursting up around you like flowers in spring. And don't go thinking you can just take on anything that comes up either. You always have to think of your crewmates, your nakama. If something threatens them, you have to do whatever you can to help them, even if it means to surrender."

"Get… off me!" Morgan growled.

Cassandra intentionally dug her bootheel deeper into his side. "Lesson two, don't give orders to the captain."

"The musician did it!" Morgan objected.

"He didn't specifically order me to do anything," the sniper countered. "Besides, he's the second mate. His privileges are not yours. But we're still not done with lesson one. Which is what, Cain?"

The bodyguard was remarkably composed with a gun pointed at his face. "Fight to protect and fight to win. There is no honor unless explicitly stated."

"Most excellent," Cassandra praised, pleased that he was adapting so quickly. "But please, don't go starting fights for no reason. I know someone might piss you off, but hold yourself back. Not only is it a fitting quality for a leader, but it's a good way of keeping us from accidentally attracting unwanted attention. In the Grand Line, you just don't know if that person is the underling of a Shichibukai or Gokou. Don't get us into trouble we can't avoid. There are only three crewmembers that are exceptions to this rule: Damien, Raven and myself."

"Why is that?" the enormous pirate inquired.

"I, as Captain, am allowed to do whatever I want," Cassandra explained with a smile, allowing Morgan to climb to his feet. "Raven never acts without knowing as much as she can and with the information-gathering network of two former assassins, we can accumulate quite a bit of information. And Damien just does whatever he wants. If he starts a fight, there's nothing we can do about it but suffer the consequences."

"And why does he get to do that?" Morgan asked, dusting himself off.

The pirate captain shrugged. "Damien… is like a force of nature. He can generally be counted to act in our favor unless he doesn't like you…" Her gaze lingered on the richly-clad man for a moment. "But if he wants to do something, nothing can change his mind. Plus, he can trade blows with outstanding fighters. If he wanted, he could singlehandedly take out all of us if Raven were absent. Even with her here, he might be able to do it."

"But don't you have your Devil Fruit?" Cain asked.

"Wait, you have a Devil Fruit?" Morgan cut in before Cassandra could respond. "How did I not know this?"

Cassandra gave a disinterested shrug. "My initial deduction would be you're unobservant, but that's not the case. It was hidden from you until you joined, but by then there wasn't much of a chance to witness it. I would assume Raven informed Cain while they were fighting the Reichmann Navy." He nodded in confirmation when she glanced at him. "I have the ability to regenerate from almost any wound. That's how I survived Tolstoy Reichmann's last attack. But my regeneration is still relatively new and as such I have trouble healing from more grievous injuries. Decapitation, disembowelment or incineration would likely kill me; Damien can do any of those with ease. You may not know this, but I had to fight him from sundown to sunup. It was the hardest fight of my life and I only survived because of three things."

Cain frowned. "Is one of them him not wanting to kill you?"

The captain laughed loudly at this. "As if. He was after my life. One, I'm not a bad fighter myself. I'm agile, I can improvise quickly and I have many tricks up my sleeve. Two, my Devil Fruit. In the first minute of the fight, he broke a good number of bones and set me on fire. Without the ability to heal that away, I wouldn't have lasted past that. And third, the terrain. We fought in a city, which allowed me to evade him and counterattack in my own way."

"But that doesn't matter to him," Cain pointed out.

"Of course it doesn't," Cassandra agreed. "Even with those advantages, I barely survived. Now I know your basic fighting styles, but you'll need to show me all of what you can do. Oh, don't make that face, Morgan. Everyone had to do it, not just you. But we won't do it right now. Dinner's ready."

Morgan raised his eyebrows. "How do you-"

"Dinner's ready!" Lyn exclaimed, bursting from the galley with her usual energy.

A loud explosion rang out from the mountainside, drawing everyone's attention. Even against the darkening sky, Cassandra could make out a form hurtling through the air. She mentally calculated the navigator's trajectory and gave a small sigh. "Cain, would you slide about ten feet that way and hold up your left hand?"

A puzzled look on his face, the gigantic man did as he was commanded. For a moment, they all looked at her as if she were crazy. Then, unexpectedly, Cain was rocked off his seat, tilting clear over the side of the ship. He reacted remarkably quickly considering the speed with which the smoldering fighter had impacted his hand, redistributing his weight so he wouldn't tumble off the _Howling Knave_. After balancing precariously for a few seconds, he rocked back into his sitting position and deposited his crewmember onto the deck.

"You know, it is really useful to have someone who can actually lift Damien," Alexander commented as he followed in the first mate's footsteps, a large platter of toasted bread on one hand and a bowl of salad tucked beneath his other arm. "Mate, go grab the cauldron in the galley. You're the only one small enough to fit in there, strong enough to lift it and impervious to heat."

Damien stumped by the musician and reappeared a moment later with a large metal vat braced against his chest. He dipped his hand into the stew and withdrew a large chunk of meat, popping it into his mouth. "That's highly unsanitary," Morgan commented, his mouth set in a disapproving line.

"No, it is not." Raven materialized on the railing, a bloody rag that smelled strongly of disinfectant dangling from her fingertips. "However, to do so a second time would be."

Looking the doctor straight in the eyes, Damien reached in again, forcing Raven to intercept him once more. "Where are we going to put it?" Alexander asked. "A hot, heavy metal pot can't be good for deckboards that already need to be replaced."

Cain reached over to the cliff the _Howling Knave_ was floating next to and ripped out a chunk not much larger than his fist. Snapping his vest open, he picked out a few chisels and moved with speed Cassandra had momentarily forgotten the large man possessed. She looked around to see that Lyn's eyes were the only ones filled with wonder. A heartbeat later, he reholstered his tools and placed a perfectly round block of stone on the deck. "Extra weight, but no heat," the enormous man clarified. "Just until it cools down some."

Cassandra nodded approvingly, smiling at the sight before her. Alexander was bringing chairs out of the galley, Lyn was prancing around giving everyone plates and bowls, Damien carelessly dropped the pot onto the rock circle and the former bandits simply sat and waited. Sensing something was missing, the pirate captain gave a few more instructions that were followed instantly. Raven fetched two handfuls of mugs while Morgan went below deck to retrieve a keg of rum saved for such an occasion.

Finally, the seven pirates were seated on the deck and ready to eat. Cassandra raised her glass, attracting the attention of her crewmembers. "We gather here today to celebrate our entry into the Grand Line and to fully welcome our new crewmembers. Cain Alcides, you've been with us since Winter Isle and you've proven to be more than a worthy addition to our crew. Morgan Zematsal, I guess we'll see what we can do with you."

Morgan gave a sarcastic silent laugh, his blue-grey eyes fixed on hers. "Very funny, Cassandra."

He gave a start as Raven landed in front of him, staring up with emotionless onyx eyes. "You do not have the privilege of addressing her by her first name. You must address her as Captain and nothing else."

His mouth fell open in indignation. "Surely you're not serious!"

"I am. Think of it as my condition if you so desire."

The former prince visibly restrained himself. "Fine. I apologize for my insolence… Captain."

"It is weird hearing that come out of your mouth," Lyn stated. "But enough talk, let's drink and eat! Cheers!"

"Aye!" the men shouted, clinking their glasses together. Cassandra and Raven brought their mugs up as well, though the latter declined taking a drink afterwards. Lyn began doling out portions, happily humming to herself as she went. Alexander's remarks on Damien's reopened wounds went completely unheeded as the scarred fighter wolfed down his meal. Cain was contentedly munching away at his salad, towering over them all despite being the only one besides Damien seated on the deck itself. Raven's soup seemed to be emptying on its own, but Cassandra could barely make out the rapid movements the petite woman was making. The sniper couldn't fault her; after all, Raven was trying her best to tolerate eating around the others. That alone made the meal that much better.

"Stop." Everyone continued on, either oblivious to or ignoring the elementalist's command. "I said, stop!"

At this, the six pirates fell silent and turned to face him. Cassandra sincerely hoped that Morgan picked up on the fact that they hadn't obeyed him because he had given the order. They were simply too stunned to continue. Morgan got to his feet and walked around the pot, snatching back the bowls and dumping them back. His actions were met with protests from Alexander, Lyn and Cain, but Cassandra decided to humor him, if only to figure out where he was going with this. Raven also surrendered her bowl, but the look Damien gave the prince was enough to keep him away.

"This soup is good," Morgan began explaining tartly, striding into the galley and out of sight. "The salad is good. The bread is good, though messing up bread is a travesty only complete imbeciles manage. But I will not accept good. I do not eat good food. I eat great food. I eat exquisite cuisine. What you have made is a meal for times of ration and these are anything but." He reemerged with an armful of ingredients Cassandra didn't even know the kitchen had. As he placed them on his empty chair and raised the first addition over the pot, he paused and turned to the first mate. As if realizing what he was doing, he faltered and lowered his arm. "I am… sorry," he managed. "I forgot my place."

Although he spat out this last word as if it were profane, Cassandra did give him credit for belatedly remembering his manners. However, any compliments she was about to say were steamrolled over by Lyn. "No, no, keep going! If you know how to cook, then cook! Mister Proper over here wouldn't diverge from the recipe if it had poison in it and it's so boring!"

"Excuse me?" Alexander sat bolt upright. "I would do what?"

"I am watching you," Raven reminded the elementalist, landing directly beside him. "Any wrong ingredients and your stay aboard this ship will fall greatly below your comfort level."

"Oi, oi," growled Damien, climbing to his feet. "Wha'ever yer doin be'er no' take too fuckin' long. I'm starvin' over 'ere."

Morgan glanced over to him. "Well, if you want to hurry things up, reheat this from the bottom."

The navigator prodded the richly-clad pirate's forehead with a clawless finger. "A'ight, bu' no' cuz yeh said so. I'm fuckin' 'ungry."

"Shut up, count your blessings and do whatever wizardry you want to make it better," Alexander advised the indignant Morgan. "Hothead might have your hide if you take too long."

_You're one of the few who realizes how truthful that statement is_, Cassandra mused. She reached for the salad, only to find that the bowl was empty. Shaking her head at the apologetic bodyguard, she ventured into the galley to get some more. Her jaw almost dropped when she saw the mess in the kitchen; it was as if Lyn had dumped out the contents of every cupboard and drawer in her attempt to make a large enough meal. It was at this point that Cassandra hoped that Morgan would become the crew's official cook. It didn't matter if his food was good or not; the Black Glove Pirates weren't picky eaters. What she cared about was his devotion to cooking and the orderliness he learned as a mountain bandit.

After tossing what lettuce, assorted fruits and vegetables, dressing and rebaked bread she could scrounge up, she exited the galley to find Damien with the large pot over his flaming shoulder while Morgan stood on Cain's hand dramatically adding ingredients to the stew. The former bodyguard's dark blue eyes immediately fell upon the bowl of salad, prompting Cassandra to move it slightly away from him in a clear indication to let the others eat. Lyn helped with this motion by whisking the salad from her captain's hands and serving it to the rest of the crewmembers.

"And… done," Morgan concluded, rolling back the sheer sleeves of his semi-transparent shirt and straightening his vest. "Let this stew for a few minutes and you should notice a drastic improvement in quality."

"It'd fuckin' be'er be, fer th' time yer makin' us wait, cockwad," the scarred navigator growled.

"Why do you talk in such an uncouth manner?" the former prince inquired, trying to edge away without being obvious.

Damien gave a confused look, prompting Alexander to explain. "See, when he rescued me from the Marines, something took part of his mouth. He talked normally before th-"

"That's not what I mean," Morgan interrupted. "Why do you insist on cursing every other word?"

"'A's 'ow I am," Damien snapped. "Gotta problem, shit-fer-brains? Or am I too fuckin' rough for yer tender virgin ears?"

Morgan's eyes began to turn into a dark grey at this. "I am not a virgin!"

"Okay, then!" Cassandra leapt in. "That was way more than most of us needed to know on our first night. Besides, that wasn't what he meant-"

"Yeah, it was," the scarred pirate stated.

The pirate captain glanced over. "No, Damien, virgin ears means…" She cut herself off as she realized she wasn't going to win this argument. "Alexander, try your best to explain. In the meantime, Morgan, you're falling into one of the many traps in the Black Glove Pirate crew dynamics. It's quite easy to get angry with Damien, but remember that he will beat you through stubbornness or with his fists. The same basic logic can be applied to Lyn as well."

"But then… they are no more than adult children!" Morgan protested.

Cassandra nodded in agreement. "Correct. However, one of those children is incredibly powerful and the other is the heart of the crew. Without her, the crew does not function."

"But aren't you the heart of the crew?" Cain asked. "I mean, with you gone, they all basically ceased to effectively function."

"That is only because there was some ambiguity about Cassandra's survival," Raven droned.

The sniper nodded. "So I guess you could say I'm the brain of the crew. Without the brain, the body does not function. Without the heart, the body does not function. If we are to not only survive, but conquer the Grand Line, we will need to work together. That is why I will need to know everything you can do, both in and out of combat. Know that because you are one of my pirates, I will include you in all my plans. It would be potentially harmful if I thought you could do something and you couldn't. It would be similarly harmful if you hid something from me that could have been the difference between life and death. So I ask you this, Cain Alcides and Morgan Zematsal, how can I best use you?"

"And don't let her fool you," Alexander said before the two ex-bandits could answer. "By letting her use us, we use her to achieve our own goals. Now Damien, metal can only take so much before it breaks…"

Cassandra let her gaze linger on the two summoners, briefly wondering how the conversation had strayed so quickly, before focusing on the new crewmembers once more. "So, what don't I know?"

The two men looked at each other, before shrugging in confusion. "I think the only thing you haven't seen me do yet is create weapons," Morgan guessed. "I can do it too, but mostly to augment my elemental forms. Cain's the real genius when it comes to making a weapon."

"Don't say that, Young Master," Cain scolded, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"And you!" Lyn burst in, startling them all. "No! Bad Cain! You have to call him Morgan! Or Cook, I guess. But not Young Master!"

"She's right, you know," Cassandra agreed, trying to keep her face as straight as possible. "You are no longer prince and bodyguard. Someday, in the extremely distant future, if you choose to depart from my crew and reclaim your title as heir to Zematsal's throne, you may resume calling him that. Otherwise, you two are nakama, not above or below the other. Well, I guess by seniority, you're actually above him. But don't worry; it really doesn't work that way."

Lyn leapt to her feet and glomped onto her captain. "Weeeeeeell, if you think about it, Captain, it does. I mean, I joined first and I'm first mate. Alexander and Damien joined at the same time, but Alex is-"

"Alexander," the musician corrected automatically. "And wolves have nothing to do with this…"

"Alexander," she continued without missing a beat, "is second mate and everyone listens to Damien because when he has something to say, it tends to make sense. Sorta. In a weird kinda way."

Cassandra opened her mouth, then frowned and turned to the first mate. "That's eerily correct. Why have I never noticed that Damien is secretly wise?"

"He's a moron," Lyn supposed.

"Yer a harlot," Damien shot back, abruptly ending his conversation with Alexander.

"Stuuuuuupid," the artist drawled, latching onto his free arm.

"'Ooooooore," he retorted.

"Nuuuuuumbskuuuull."

"Biiiiiiint."

"Meeeeeeeeathead."

Cassandra rolled her eyes, knowing full well this exchange might possibly go on until one of them passed out from hunger. "You," she said, flicking Lyn in the head, "know better than to get into an insult contest with Damien. And you…" Trailing off, she turned to contemplate what to say to her foulmouthed navigator. He gave a predatory grin, daring her to berate him. Deciding to meet his challenge head-on, she brought her fist down on his head. "Stop arguing and put the damn food down!"

Fortunately, Damien buckled slightly under the blow, indicating his good mood. Roaring with laughter, he plunked the cauldron back on Cain's stone circle and took a mighty swig of alcohol. "This be'er taste fan-fuckin'-tastic, dipshit."

"Give it a rest, mate," Alexander scolded, holding up his bowl and letting Morgan fill it. "It's not like you starved to death in the short time it took to spice it up."

The musician patiently waited until the rest of the pirates were served before sampling the modified soup. His head snapped up at the same time Lyn's did, admiration in their eyes. "This is good!" they exclaimed synchronously.

"Of course it is," Morgan scoffed, bringing his spoon from his mouth. "I am… I mean, I was a prince. I am used to food of the highest quality. Granted, during a battle or surviving in the forest certain allowances could be made, but not in a situation when there is ample food available. I am taking the position of chef in this crew."

"Oi, oi," Alexander cautioned. "Remember your place, Morgan. You can't just be making demands like that."

The elementalist frowned in confusion. "But isn't the position free?"

"Yes, but you can't just demand things," Cassandra explained. "It's all in the phrasing. You can get what you want much more easily if you say it properly."

"And what would you know of that?" Morgan asked haughtily. Six pairs of eyes focused on him and he visibly clenched his jaw. "What experience have you had with such matters, Captain?"

"Asking such a question is foolish," Raven droned, entering the conversation for the first time. "As heiress to the most powerful assassin family in the world, Cassandra became quite talented in the skill of diplomacy. Furthermore, her senses enable her to pick up on minute cues and behaviors that even I cannot detect."

"That's true," Cassandra agreed. "In fact, since I've become a pirate, there's only been one person I haven't been able to consistently read. But bear in mind that being able to read people has nothing to do with being able to coerce them. Damien and Lyn are good examples of this."

"And what situations have you had to talk your way out of instead of using brute force?" Morgan inquired, an undercurrent of challenge in his voice.

Cassandra couldn't help but smile at this. "Why, almost a month ago, my crew and I were stranded without help on an island. I was brought to meet the person in charge, who had every intention of killing me after the interview. In fact, I nearly tipped him over the edge several times at great personal risk. In the end, I ended up impressing him enough to get my own quarters so I could plan my way out."

"Oh really?" Morgan scoffed. "And who was this person you so cleverly hoodwinked?"

The pirate captain's grin widened sinisterly as she leaned forward. "It was a man who called himself Lord Brian Zematsal. Does that sound familiar?" Cassandra couldn't help but let a feeling of satisfaction fill her chest at Morgan's suddenly pale complexion. "You know, come to think of it, I'm surprised I didn't get a higher bounty for humiliating him like that. And I'm not saying that to rub it in your face; I'm actually surprised. I've shaken up quite a bit of West Blue and all I get is fifty million?"

"You should lodge a complaint," Alexander commented around a mouthful of bread.

"'R fuck up some undeservin' bellends," Damien added.

"The sun and the moon, ladies and gentlemen!" Lyn exclaimed.

The pirate captain rapped her knuckles against the first mate's forehead. "I bet they never expected me to actually go to the Grand Line, so it should rise if I don't die on the first island."

Alexander scoffed at this. "You're not going to die. Your epithet even says you won't."

"While neither as fragrant nor as captivating as the ephemeral rose, the everblooming amaranth remains untouched by decay through eternity." Cassandra could practically feel her jaw impact the floorboards as she faced her petite doctor. She dimly registered the shock and amazement from the other crewmembers, though Morgan looked more confused than stunned. Lyn was pointing at Raven as if the diminutive pirate had grown an extra head, her electric blue eyes as wide as saucers. Even Damien was paying enough attention to adopt an expression of disbelief.

"Wh… where did that come from?" Cassandra asked tentatively, almost fearing the answer.

Raven stared unblinkingly at them all with empty obsidian eyes. "When your epithet was revealed, I did not know what an amaranth was. Upon finding it was a flower with few remarkable qualities, I deduced it had a symbolic meaning. I was forced to resort to reading through a multitude of books before finding a reference. It was in a book of poetry that I found that quote."

"Oh thank the spirits!" Lyn shouted dramatically, a hand at her breast. "For a moment I was wondering if Damien had beaten you into a different person or something."

The doctor's gaze flicked over to Damien, who had grown uninterested and was now wolfing down bowlfuls of the stew, then landed on Cassandra. The two former assassins maintained eye contact just long enough for Cassandra to register it as an oddity before Raven focused on Lyn. "That is a ludicrous statement."

"But not completely unfounded," Alexander commented. "You claim to have no artistic talent, so to say something like that was…"

"Interesting," Cain finished.

"And kinda weird," added Lyn.

"Not to mention mildly terrifying," Alexander supplied.

The sniper couldn't help but add her own adjective. "Unexpected."

"'At was fuckin' weird." The pirates turned to Lyn, who was looking back innocently. "What? He wasn't going to say anything and it seemed like the whole crew needed to react. Which brings us to you, Morgan! What is your reaction to Raven's flowery speech?"

The newly-appointed cook looked nonplussed. "Well, considering I didn't even know she existed until earlier today, I don't have much to go on."

Faster than most could see, Raven moved directly in front of Morgan, her cloth-covered nose a hairsbreadth from his. An aura of incredible killing intent washed over the ship, sending Alexander and Lyn scrambling backwards in reflexive terror. Without thinking, Cassandra activated her sympathetic nervous system, her senses spiraling into overdrive as hormones flooded through her body. She could see Cain's muscles instantly tense in preparation for combat, hear his heartbeat accelerate. Morgan blanched as pale as Lyn, his ice blue eyes widened with fright. His quivering hand went to his necklace, and his breath became ragged and uneven.

After a brief moment, the oppressive feeling suddenly disappeared along with the petite doctor, causing the crew to sag with relief. Cassandra worked to control her heavy breathing and racing heart, willing her body to calm down. While ordinarily she could alter her body's power surge at will, albeit while suffering from exhaustion afterwards, she found it to be much more difficult this time. Evidently, the fact that her body had acted on its own meant it would also calm down on its own once it was sure there wasn't any threat.

The pirate captain stiffened as she heard the faintest of whispers, just barely louder than the waves. "It will not happen again."

Cassandra nodded and leaned against the mast, still taking deep, calming breaths. It was a measure of how agitated her body was that she jumped at the roar of laughter that echoed across the deck. Damien was suddenly the focus of everyone's attention, but he unsurprisingly didn't care. He was simply laughing at them, his metal teeth glittering in the torchlight.

It was then that Cassandra realized that the navigator hadn't reacted whatsoever to Raven's inimical aura. Once again, she marveled at the internal power he possessed; to be unaffected by such strong killing intent was no mean feat. The muddled memory of Raven describing Damien's version drifted into the pirate captain's mind, but she couldn't quite remember what the doctor had said. Resolving to talk to Raven afterwards, Cassandra cleared her throat in an attempt to get the attention of her crewmembers. "And let's just continue on. I must speak with Raven about what just happened. You see, Morgan, as powerful as she is, and she is the deadliest Black Glove Pirate, she is not above the rules."

"Yahahar," Damien laughed, leaning forward slightly, "cocksuckin' Blackie migh' be th' deadlies' and the 'ulkin' beas'fucker migh' be th' stronges', but I'm the bes'."

"That you are. Now, Lyn, if you would be so kind as to take over while I have a little chat with our dearest doctor? And Damien, go to the medical ward and I'll slit your throat."

With that, the captain grabbed the railing and vaulted overboard, pleased that Lyn had chosen that precise moment to distract from Cassandra's daring action by shouting, "And now it's story time! You gotta tell a funny story from when you were younger! Morgie, you start!"

As Cassandra looped around the railing and braced herself against the hull, she couldn't help but chuckle at the unfortunate cook's new nickname. She had a feeling there would be more than one argument over that, not unlike her constant use of Alexander's hypocorism. She did have to hand it to the childish artist; it was a very effective way of letting a person know he was among friends. That would be very useful in the situation on the deck above.

She slipped into a cannonhole and managed to squeeze past the massive gun, reminding herself that she needed to replace the starboard cannons as soon as possible. Adjusting her shirt and hat as she strolled down the corridor, she mentally prepared herself to deal with the black-clad doctor. Upon reaching the door leading to the medical bay, she put her hand on the doorknob and took a final deep breath before entering.

Raven was crouched on a stool, several unlabeled vials on the counter in front of her. "I knew you would come, Cassandra," she droned, not turning away from the chemicals. "You told me on Summer Isle that intimidating anyone aboard the_Howling Knave_ is forbidden. It was clear that you were referring to pirates residing aboard the _Howling Knave_ and Morgan Zematsal is now such a pirate. Thus, I have broken my word. I accept whatever punishment you give me."

Cassandra sighed and sat down on the nearest bed. For a long time, neither of them spoke, only the clink of the doctor's vials and the pulsing of the ocean audible in the silence. "Raven… I can understand why you did it. Even though you don't feel emotions, the fact is that Morgan is an irritating prick who can get under your skin. Hell, I'm surprised Damien didn't actively try to decapitate him in the hour since dinner has started. But you said it yourself: he is willing to change. And you can't blame him for underestimating you. After all, he was completely right about him seeing you for the first time about ten hours ago. You spent most of those ten hours apart from him, so he couldn't see what you could do and what you were capable of." The pirate captain reflected on what she was saying before she continued. "Okay, so most of that didn't have much to do with what happened a few minutes ago. I do ask that you not do it again, however."

The doctor turned around and smoothly dismounted, her inky eyes fixed on Cassandra's. "I will not. What will my punishment be?"

Cassandra glanced around, noting that something was missing. Raven picked up on this and blinked. "What are you looking for?"

"I told Damien not to come down here or else I'd slit his throat," Cassandra explained. "I thought for sure he would come down here after that. Damn that man!"

"Why do you desire Damien's presence?" Raven inquired.

The sniper tilted her hat back and ran her fingers through her hair. "Because he's going to be administering your punishment, obviously. Haven't you noticed? He's the one who delivers punishments. Hell if I know how it turned out that way, but that's how it is."

"His unchecked sadism allows him to hurt anyone including crewmembers without any feeling of guilt," Raven presumed. "He will be overjoyed to hear he has been tasked with my penance."

"Oh, I'm sure the two of you can figure something reasonable out," Cassandra said dismissively. "I'm sure you can even turn it into something positive."

Raven dipped her head. "A spar with severe restrictions would be a suitable punishment."

"Plus, we've got to make an example of you," Cassandra finished. "The best punishment is one that deters any chance anyone else will suffer a similar fate. Well, now that that's taken care of, it's time to see how the others are doing." She got to her feet and began to ascend the stairwell, but paused and turned halfway around. "And thank you for having dinner with us. I know it meant the world to Lyn." _And to me_.

The black-clad doctor returned to her vials without saying a word. Cassandra climbed through the trapdoor and looked around to see that dinner was mostly finished. Morgan and Lyn were placing the dishes in the cauldron, which the pirate captain assumed was empty. It was a safe assumption considering Cain seemed never to sate his hunger and Damien didn't eat that much less. Although the odor of the meal still lingered thickly in the air, she could make out Damien's unique scent coming from the poop deck and Alexander's from the forecastle deck. Cain was probably in the men's quarters, making that her first stop.

She stuck her head inside without knocking, startling the former bandit slightly. His huge frame made the room seem tiny even though it was the largest in the ship. The massive hole in the floor he had created upon arriving on the_Howling Knave_was big enough for him to sit up straight or lie in, but the scaling was just comically wrong. "Yes, Captain Libera?" he asked, setting down his carving.

"Please, you don't have to call me that."

Cain smiled broadly. "I'm new to pirating, but old to soldiering. May I at least have this?"

"Fine. For now. Would you mind taking third watch?" She leaned against the doorway and crossed her arms. "Morgan's gonna need to wake up early to get breakfast ready and he might be in a better mood if someone he's comfortable with is awake too."

"Certainly," Cain accepted instantly. "When does my shift start?"

Cassandra shrugged. "I don't know. Raven always takes second watch because she doesn't sleep, so it's really up to her. Her shift is usually an hour after dusk to an hour before dawn. Of course, she could go longer and has done so more than once, but I am a merciful captain and I bet even she can get bored."

"I see," the giant man boomed. "And what am I to do if a ship is spotted?"

"First, assess if it's a threat. If you think it is, get Raven or me for a second opinion. We'll decide what to do from there. If we ever do get in a naval sortie, however, you, Damien and Raven are the attacking force."

Cain frowned in puzzlement. "Why us three?"

"Mostly because it's pretty easy for you three to cross from one ship to another," Cassandra explained. "If necessary, Lyn or Morgan might go along, but we need some defense as well. But I doubt that'll happen tonight, so don't worry about it. Just get some rest so you can stay sharp tomorrow."

"Aye aye, Captain Libera," he replied with a salute.

Cassandra smiled and gave him a parting wave. It was truly a relief to have someone who so readily accepted her orders, yet also had a mind of his own. Cain was truly a model soldier and crewmember. Lyn and Morgan had cleared the deck and were presumably toiling away in the galley, so the pirate captain ascended to the forecastle deck next. Alexander was resting on the railing, staring out over the Grand Line. She made no effort to silence her footsteps, but he still jumped slightly when she spoke. "So what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing, really."

The pirate captain noticed him hastily tuck something back into his jacket pocket, but decided not to comment. While it was a touch hypocritical for the one who protested against hiding secrets the most to do such a thing, Cassandra knew that if it posed a threat to the rest of them in any way, Alexander would have told her long ago. "Nothing. I see. Well, how do you feel being on the Grand Line?"

"I'm excited," Alexander admitted. "It's pretty intense hearing about this sea and reading about it in books, but it's really something else being here in person."

"Yeah, it's a really crazy place," Cassandra said nostalgically.

Alexander frowned and glanced at her. "Have you been here before?"

There exist appropriate times to delve into the past, but Cassandra didn't believe this was one of those times. "Once or twice. I've never entered via Reverse Mountain, but through other, harder ways. I'll tell you about that sometime."

"Aye, that sounds good." He resumed staring off into the distance, a wistful smile on his face. "But still, I didn't really think we'd make it this far, you know? There were times I swear we were going to have to stop."

"Hey," she said softly. "I'm going to be Pirate Queen. I'm going to the ends of the world. And you're going to be coming with me until the end, right?"

The musician chuckled at this. "Indeed I am. I'd love to chat with you about what our future adventures will be like, but right now, can you give me some peace? I'd like some time alone, if that's okay."

Knowing he wanted to get back to whatever he was doing before she had arrived, Cassandra bowed her head. "Of course, my friend. I still have watch duties to assign." The pirate captain departed, seeking out her next target. When she arrived on the poop deck, Damien was standing by the railing in a position not dissimilar to Alexander's. A little weirded out at the thought of the navigator engaging in an equally reflective activity, Cassandra approached him with a healthy dose of caution. "Damien?" she ventured, not wishing to startle the unpredictable pirate.

"Aaaah," he exhaled, shaking his waist slightly. "Better. Wha'd you want, Cap'n?"

Somehow thankful that he was merely relieving himself over the stern instead of engaging in some unexpected introspective activity, she rested an elbow on the railing and looked at him. "I need you to stay awake for the first watch."

"Ah?" A confused snarl wound across his lips. "Why me?"

"I'm your captain," she reminded him. "I shouldn't have to explain my reasoning."

"Tha' so?" Damien asked, flexing his fingers. "'Owz abou' me tearin' yer fuckin' 'eart out an' askin' then?"

Cassandra sighed. "Relax, Damien. I was only kidding." She waited until he lowered his arm before continuing. "Look, if someone attacks, I'm going to need my best to immediately respond. We're not in West Blue any more. Especially because we're parked so close to Reverse Mountain, we're not going to get a whole ton of warning before someone comes."

"'A's why we're in a fuckin' cove, shiteyes," he said. "We ain' th' firs' things th' stupid bastards 'll see. The ones 'oo'd dare ta try Reverse Mountain at nigh' anyway."

"Look, just do it, all right?" Cassandra knew he would, but the chances of him actually waking the other crewmembers instead of singlehandedly engaging the enemy were better if she asked this way. "I'll even make it worth your while."

Damien crossed his arms, expecting her to elaborate.

"Remember when Raven scared Morgan half to death?"

He gave a bark of amusement at this. "Aye. Th' rest o' yeh looked like fuckin' baby rabbits about ta fuckin' bolt."

Cassandra took a calming breath, knowing any retaliation on her part would backfire tremendously. "Well, that's not really allowed. So if you actually do your watch duties, I'll allow you to administer her punishment." She decided to omit the fact that he was the only one who would or could punish Raven as she wouldn't get what she wanted otherwise.

Sure enough, his lips drew back into a malicious grin. "Now tha's what I like ta hear, Cap'n. You got yerself a deal."

Satisfied, she began to walk off, then paused as she remembered something. "Oh, and you deliver the punishment tomorrow. When she comes to relieve you of your watch, that's not the time for you to attack her. Understand?"

"Yeah, wha'ever," he growled, waving a hand in her direction. "Ruinin' all me fuckin' fun, you know tha'?"

"I just don't want to wake up to all hell breaking loose for no reason," she shot back.

She descended to the main deck just in time for Lyn to flounce out of the galley. "Remember your condition, Morgan!" Upon seeing Cassandra, the first mate's face brightened and she gave her captain a peck on the cheek. "See you soon, Captain!"

"How do you know I'm not going to bed right now too?" Cassandra challenged.

Lyn rolled her eyes expressively, somehow using her whole body to complement the motion. "Well, why would you be here and not there?"

"You win this round," Cassandra told her with a smile. "I'll be right there. I just have to tell Morgan a few things."

"Okay!" the first mate chirped, leaping up the stairs and into the women's quarters.

Shaking her head at the woman's almost inexhaustible energy, Cassandra entered the galley and silently closed the door behind her. Morgan was busily putting the remaining ingredients away, muttering darkly under his breath. He froze when she cleared her throat, which was good considering he could have dropped everything he was carrying. Turning about to see who was behind him, he forced a smile onto his face and bowed his head. "Good evening, Captain."

Sitting in a chair and leaning back, Cassandra fixed an analytical gaze on him. "What was Lyn's condition?"

"I must share a tale of my youth every day until she says otherwise," the elementalist said sourly.

Cassandra chuckled at this, once again marveling at her first mate's unintentionally ingenious curiosity. This way, she and Raven would be able to learn more about the former prince than they would otherwise. She lapsed into silence, thinking fondly of the resident artist. Morgan remained motionless for a moment, then slowly resumed his work. "Do you need something?" he asked over his shoulder after a lengthy silence.

"You have two dreams," Cassandra commented. "Yet the others only know of one. You can't be ashamed to let them know you're greedy; it's far too late to cover that up. So you must not want them to think you're a materialistic fool, though I would have thought the few pounds of gold on your body would have given that away. The true reason is because you don't want Alexander to know, isn't it? After all, I'm sure you're aware of his reluctance in turning anything into gold. That's why your defeat in Reichmann Manor was so difficult. Letting all that gold vanish must have been hard for you."

"And why are you doing this?" Morgan hissed without facing her. "You can obviously read my mind."

"Yes, Morgan, I can." She rested an elbow on the table and began idly playing with a knife. "I can predict every move you make before you even think of it. You have no hope of outsmarting me to get what you want. And I want to make sure you know that."

Morgan finished putting the supplies away, but still refused to turn around. "You've made your point. Leave." After a brief pause, he added belatedly, "Please."

"No," she responded. "This is my ship. I can be wherever I want."

"And why me?" He whirled about, frustration evident in his stormy blue-grey eyes. "Why are you harassing me? Did you do this to any of them?"

Cassandra got to her feet, still spinning her blade. "I'll tell you why. The others were a nun, a priest, a berserker, an assassin and a bodyguard. The only one who resisted me like you do was Damien, but he's loyal now even if he is completely insane."

"I am not resisting you!" Morgan replied, his voice dangerously close to shouting. "How am I resisting you? I-I follow your orders, I accepted your stupid conditions, I haven't laid a _finger_ on any of the others since I've been here. How am I resisting?"

The pirate captain walked right up to him and he took an involuntary half-step backwards. She looked him square in the eyes and poked his forehead. "In here, you are still Prince Morgan Zematsal, heir to the bandit throne. You still expect to be treated like royalty and have things done for you. In your mind, Alexander should make gold for you because you tell him to. Actually, I'd wager you want to trade his skills for something so he would be monopolized by you. In your mind, Damien and Cain are bodyguards to keep people from killing you. Raven and Lyn are simply servants. And I am a visiting lady with a shrewd head for politics. I'm not too far off the mark, am I?"

She could tell by his stunned expression that she wasn't. "Remember this and remember it well, Zematsal. Nobody on this sea outside of us and some high-ranking Marines knows who you were. All those other people, they couldn't give two shits about you. You think they'd want to trek all the way back to Winter Isle to hand you over for ransom? I highly doubt it. They'd rob you blind and leave you for dead, unless they find out about your abilities. I bet that scientist who specializes in Devil Fruits working for the Gorosei would pay top dollar to study you.

"If you stay with us and serve me, however, you will be protected," she continued. "Raven, Damien and I are quite hard to get rid of. I'll teach you more than you'll ever need to know about how the real world works. This sea will harden you into someone stronger than almost anyone in West Blue. Hell, you might even be able to convince Alexander to make some gold for you. He only converts things into pure substances, so there's no worry about it being considered fake. All you need to do is surrender to me, body, mind and spirit."

Morgan looked like he didn't know whether to be humbled, flabbergasted, or infuriated. Cassandra clapped him on the shoulder before striding towards the exit. "Think about it during the night," she recommended, opening the door and pausing for a moment. "Raven will wake you up to start breakfast."

Closing the door behind her, she walked to her final destination: the women's quarters. She ambled inside, removing her hat and expertly tossing it onto a bedpost. Lyn poked her head out of the bathroom, busily brushing her teeth in preparation for bed. Waving at the first mate, Cassandra changed her clothes for a tank top and pajama bottoms before joining Lyn in the bathroom. The artist obligingly moved over to allow Cassandra access to the sink, her cyan eyes beginning to lose their usual luster. Cassandra began her nightly hygienic ritual as well, letting relative silence arrive.

When they were finished and lying in bed in their usual choice of nightwear – or lack thereof in Lyn's case – Cassandra felt a great feeling of contentment permeate her body. Lyn rolled her head around to face the pirate captain and flashed a wide grin. "We made it, Captain. We're at the Grand Line!"

"We are indeed," Cassandra agreed. For a moment, neither of them spoke. "And I wouldn't have made it without you."

"Don't be silly, Captain," Lyn bubbled. "You would have made it here! You're strong and smart and you can go anywhere you want!"

The sniper smiled slightly. "That's not what I meant, Lyn. You know as well as I do that your fighting, while certainly helpful, didn't contribute that much to our arrival in the Grand Line."

"Then what do you mean?" Lyn asked in confusion, ending her question with a wide yawn.

"You're the one who keeps us all human," Cassandra clarified. "I meant it when I said you were the heart of the crew. You're every bit as important as I am. Because of you, I'm not as much like Damien and Raven as I could be. I have a blood sister and six birth sisters, but you've influenced me as much as all of them put together."

"You're like my kickass big sister!" the first mate exclaimed. "And Raven's the still growing younger sister and Damien is the irresponsible younger brother and Alexander is the strict older brother. And Cain is the mature older brother too. Morgan's the bratty younger one. We're all one big happy family!"

"We are indeed," Cassandra repeated. "And you're at the center of it all."

Lyn shook her head. "Nuh-uh! I learned that on Reichmann Island. We're all dependent on each other! I'm not the only one keeping us real; Alexander does his part too! He is to me what I am to you. Well, not really. You're my best friend and he's an overly-stern know-it-all, but he's really focused on unity."

Cassandra laughed as she remembered being on the receiving end of Alexander's firm lectures. "He is the unsung hero in this story, isn't he."

"He is not," Lyn protested. "He got promoted to second mate, didn't he? Morgan and Cain really listen to him. Even Raven talks to him sometimes and you know she barely talks to anyone."

"She is coming out of her shell, though," Cassandra commented. "She actually ate with us for once. Before you know it, she'll be wearing a T-shirt and using contractions."

Lyn giggled at this, rolling onto her side and gazing at her captain. "That would be hilarious! We're still young, Captain, so anything can happen!" Another yawn. "We're gonna keep getting better and better until nothing can stop us!"

"Of course we are, Lyn," Cassandra assured her. "We definitely are. Now get some rest. Tomorrow may be our first day, but the Grand Line will kick our asses if we don't throw everything we have at it."

"Sounds good, Captain," the first mate burbled, her beautiful eyes closing peacefully. "Good night…"

"_Good night_," Cassandra replied in her native tongue. She snuggled deeper into her covers and inhaled deeply. The open portholes let the sea air saturate the room and she let herself truly appreciate the odor of the ocean. It was interesting how she had grown fond of that smell, that indescribable scent filled with life and death. She now associated it with freedom and carefreeness, with unlimited possibilities and dreams yet to be fulfilled. _Cassandra Libera is a true pirate_, she mused as she drifted into the world of sleep. _Cassandra Libera is going to be Queen of the Pirates_.

* * *

><p>Longest chapter and longest continuous flow of time I've ever written. I probably won't be using author's notes as often as before, but I felt like this chapter needed one. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter, because there's much more to come.<p> 


	2. Taking the First Step

Cassandra was woken by a loud crash coming from the deck. She bolted upright, instinctively trying to discern the cause of the noise. She hopped out of her bed and rushed to the door, peering through the porthole in an effort to see what had happened. She was surprised to see Raven staggering to her feet, her knee-length ponytail in disarray. The petite doctor batted out a tongue of fire clinging to her shoulder, her jet black eyes fixed on some distant point. Knowing that whatever was going on demanded her immediate attention, Cassandra bolted outside, modesty be damned.

Her sense of urgency was swiftly replaced by annoyance when Damien landed on the ship, his claws biting into the wood as he pushed off towards the doctor. Raven dodged around his lunge and lashed out with her silver knives, but they barely penetrated the navigator's thick skin and dense muscles. Raven leapt into the air and kicked away, changing direction instantly. Cassandra was surprised by the speed the small pirate used. She was nowhere near her top speed, so she was easily visible to Cassandra's swift eyes. Having fought with Damien before, the sniper knew he would be able to keep up as well.

Sure enough, the berserker's eyes never left the black-clad woman. He bounded after her, launching a fireball at her as he went. Raven changed direction once again to avoid it and spun in midair, sending an air blade towards his neck. He crossed his arms before him and threw them apart as the attack hit him, completely dispersing it. The next two air blades were deflected off to the sides, but Damien was forced to stop defending for a split-second as he landed on the rocky mountainside, allowing Raven to dart in for an attack. However, with her reduced speed, he was able to spit another fireball, forcing her off course.

"Bit nippy outside to be dressed like that, isn't it Captain?"

Cassandra looked up to see Alexander sitting in the crow's nest, munching on something as he watched the two combatants. "What are you doing up there?" she shouted, disregarding his question.

The musician shrugged and gestured with his fork. "Just watching them, I suppose. Raven's moving at the speed most Marines manage with their 'bastardized' version of her family's technique. She still looks like she's moving instantly to me, but Hothead can keep track of her, which is a huge relief. Of course, he can do pretty well against her normal speed, so that isn't surprising."

"How long have they been fighting?" Cassandra asked.

"She got Damien after I took over on watch duties," Cain boomed from somewhere to her right.

Frowning, the pirate captain walked over to the railing to see the vestless bandit treading water mightily, surrounded by bits of wood he was diligently nailing together. He held up a piece to compare it to the hole in the starboard side and his eyes fell upon her form. He lowered his arm and bowed his head in greeting. "Good morning, Captain Libera. Since we had some downtime, I'm making a temporary patch that should hold us until the first island. Alexander mentioned how fierce the storms can be and it would be deeply regrettable if we sunk before we touched land again."

Cassandra gave a wide grin and shook her finger at him. "Now that's what I call productivity. Having you aboard definitely makes Morgan's addition worth it."

The massive man obviously couldn't tell whether she was joking or not and settled for an easy smile. "Young- er, Morgan's a bit rough at first, but he's not so bad once you get to know him."

"Oh, I know he's just as bad as he is once I do get to know him," Cassandra dismissed. "But he'll get better; there's no doubt about that." She paused as she sniffed the air for the smell of cooking food mingled with the usual odor of the ocean. "And he's doing what I asked of him. Good for him. Granted, Raven woke him up and I highly doubt he forgot yesterday's…"

"Incident?" Alexander provided, dropping a few feet onto the deck from the rigging.

"Incident," Cassandra agreed. "You know, I bet that's why Raven's moving at a slower speed right now. Everything is always training for those two, even punishment."

Alexander adjusted his glasses. "That would explain why Raven's getting the everliving daylights beaten out of her. Relatively speaking, of course. I mean, most of her spars with Damien come out with her mostly unscathed."

"Yeah, that reminds me," the sniper thought aloud. "We really need to take a break for Damien to actually heal fully from all of his wounds at one point or another. Ever since I've seen him, he's been fighting with some sort of handicap excluding his arm."

"That'll never happen. Hothead lives to fight and you know that. I don't think a day has gone by where he hasn't gotten into some sort of physical conflict. Except for the ones where he was too injured to move."

"And that's my point," Cassandra emphasized. "This is the Grand Line. We need him at his best. Not to mention Raven lost her waspknives and hasn't replaced them yet."

The musician held up a finger. "I think she was working on a technique that's similar to those. But I do know that with her weapons, she'll be better. However, we're here now. We can't just take a break from fighting. Plus, you'd have to kill Damien before you'd keep him from fighting. We've just got to move forward and do our best."

"And that's why you're the second mate. Still, before we leave, we still need to chart a course with the Log Pose."

Alexander crossed his arms. "And how are we going to do that? All I know about the Log Poses is that you need them to cross the Line."

"That's why the Pose is currently at the top of the lighthouse, locking onto one of the islands," Cassandra told him. "Once we're all fed and ready to go, we'll take it and head out. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

She retreated to the women's quarters to actually put on some clothes. She threw on whatever clothes were in reach, which ended up being one of her rather worn orange T-shirts, a pair of tight jeans and two shoes that matched her outfit more closely than her cowboy boots would. After making sure her shoulder holsters were secure, she started to brush her hair. Once she was done, she donned her usual white cowboy hat and decided to see what her newest crewmember was up to.

"Morgan!" she shouted as she entered the galley. "I hope you made enough food for all of us. Damien eats as much as ten men and Cain a hundred."

Morgan's blue-grey eyes snapped up to hers and he visibly worked to quench his irritation. His sheer long-sleeved shirt was rolled up and his gold bracelets and jeweled rings were absent. His circlet was slightly askew, giving him a less princely appearance than usual. "I am well aware, _Captain_."

"Yes, I suppose it would be too much to expect a full change overnight," Cassandra sighed. "See what Raven's enduring right now? How would you feel going a round against Damien for insubordination?"

The cook's face paled and he nearly dropped the bowl he was whisking. "Wh-what?" he stuttered.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "I'm kidding. Can you imagine the irony, Damien delivering punishments for insubordination? Anyways, what have you got for us this morning?"

Morgan didn't look amused at her joke and still wasn't entirely sure of her seriousness. "I've made kasha, eggs, blini, sausage, buttered bread and mixed fruit with tea and kefir for drinks. Everything necessary for a full meal. And Lyn made sure to inform me of your favorite food before she departed."

Her hand reflexively snatched the apple out of the air and she gave a pleased smile. "Very good, Morgan. Top marks. I'll send Alexander in to help you bring it outside."

"Will we always be dining outside?" the prince inquired, pouring the next batch of eggs onto the sizzling pan.

"We're not excluding Cain from eating with us," Cassandra stated. "That man has done nothing to be left alone while we eat inside and everything to be included."

"He's used to it," Morgan assured her.

Cassandra's hazel eyes narrowed dangerously. "That's how it was when you were bandits. You're Black Glove Pirates now and unity is one of our most important values. When we get to a Winter Island, not Winter Isle, where winter lingers most of the year but a true island whose seasons are merely variations in freezing weather, we'll think of something to do about the eating situation. But until then, we're eating outside as a crew."

"Very well." Morgan didn't look happy about it, but voiced no more complaints.

Accepting this for now, Cassandra strode outside, still contentedly munching on her apple. She heard the door to the women's quarter open and turned around in time to see Lyn poke her head outside, her hair charmingly disheveled from sleep. Her electric blue eyes fell upon her captain and she gave her trademark brilliant grin. "Hiya, Captain! I smelled food!"

"You are directly above the galley," Cassandra reminded her. "Now if I tell you to put on clothes, what would you do?"

"I would say 'okay'!" Lyn chirped.

Cassandra grinned. "And if I told you it's because Alexander'll have a heart attack if you don't?"

The artist genuinely mulled this over, her finger going to her lips in thought. When she arrived at her conclusion, she gave a beaming smile. "Nope!"

"Then do it because it's going to get chilly out and I don't want you to catch a cold," Cassandra laughed.

"Silly Captain!" Lyn bubbled. "I've never caught a cold in my life!"

Alexander, who was leaning on one of the rear railings, gave a low snort. "I guess it's true what they say about colds and idio-"

"Make yourself useful, Alexander," Cassandra cut in, "help Morgan get all the food out here. Lyn, go get dressed anyway. When you're done, would you bring my rifle out here?"

"Sure thing!" The energetic artist bounded back indoors, not bothering to close the door behind her. Cassandra shook her head in amusement, taking a moment to marvel at how much she felt at home. She rested her back and elbows on the railing, staring pensively off into the distance. Her mind ran through all of her memories since starting her pirate crew. She recalled the circumstances when she first met all of her nakama, including her reunion with Raven. She remembered when she had truly depended on each of them for help. She even recalled meeting her newest crewmember for the first time and completely outclassing him there as well. A small smile graced her lips at that.

"A Beli for your thoughts, Captain Libera?" Cain asked as he began lightly tapping his hammer against the nails holding the patch in place.

Cassandra glanced over briefly before resuming gazing at the horizon. "Just thinking of how much I care about you guys. Believe it or not, Cain, you're close to becoming a true nakama as well. You may have officially joined yesterday, but you've been with us for almost a month. In that month, you proved to me exactly how much you care for your companions. Even though you knew you weren't staying with us for long, you made an effort to connect with the crew."

To her surprise, Cain rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, his dark blue eyes off to the side. "It was nothing, Captain Libera. I was just doing my duties."

"You and I know it was both more than that," Cassandra scolded. "Besides, you can't tell me certain members of the crew haven't begun to grow on you."

The massive pirate hung onto the ship to give himself a quick break and his scarred lips spread into a wide grin. "Aye, they have. Even that firebrand navigator's shown he has a good side."

"Don't let him hear you say that. He'll prove you wrong." The pirate captain glanced over to the flaming man. "And he is a true monster, _our_ true monster. You have the misfortune of being able to take a hit from him. I would always be careful of him attacking you. You won't suffer as badly as Raven or I, but you'll definitely come under fire, possibly literally."

Concern flooded across Cain's face. "Then why do you keep him around if he inevitably hurts the crew?"

"I've grown fond of the bastard," she admitted. "And Lyn loves him as she does the rest of us. And of all the bonds that exist on this ship, the strongest and most curious is the one between Damien and Alexander."

"Captain!" Cassandra caught her sniper rifle without looking and checked to make sure there was a round in the chamber. Nodding thankfully to the first mate, she hefted the long weapon and aimed it at her navigator.

"Of course, that doesn't mean we can't have a little payback of our own. Minerva Manica Nigra!"

While Damien had shown the occasional ability to sense an approaching bullet, his focus on the female pirate he was currently fighting prevented him from detecting it this time. The bit of metal slammed into his shoulder, twisting his body around and allowing Raven to dart in. He didn't flinch as the doctor crossed two blades over his throat, instead baring his teeth dangerously. Her body shaking with exertion, Raven reholstered her knives and hopped into the air. Damien bounded down the mountainside on all fours, speeding towards the ship. The two pirates arrived on the _Howling Knave_ simultaneously, watching each other warily.

"Th' fuck you want, Cap'n?" Damien snarled.

Thankful that he hadn't attacked her for the shot but too familiar with him to let her guard down, Cassandra lowered her rifle. "I was just letting you know that breakfast is ready."

Raven pulled her hair back into her customary ponytail as she spoke. "Damien can definitely take out any Marine trained in what they call soru. I cannot determine whether or not he can break their body-hardening technique tekkai as I am not proficient enough in it to fully perform my family's version. However, he still has difficulty with the evasion technique gaath as he often forgets to apply micrododging offensively."

"Damien forgetting to do something offensively?" Cassandra put a hand to her mouth in mock astonishment. "What is this world coming to?"

His fist lashed out with enough speed that she would have been sent flying from the ship had she not been prepared for it. "Yer in no position to be talkin' abou' physical fightin', shitty Cap'n. Your piss poor acroba'ics don' do shit."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "My 'piss poor acrobatics' aren't designed to be useful against armor or, in your case, the biological equivalent. That's what guns are for. Anyway, back to my original point: breakfast!"

All of the chairs were placed around the table with enough room for Damien to stand and Cain to sit. Cassandra steadied the pitchers of liquid as the enormous pirate hauled himself aboard. He made sure to shake most of the water out of his pants away from the dining area before donning his customary brown vest. After waiting for the ship to settle, Cassandra seated herself nearest the bowl of fruit and began helping herself. Lyn was instantly at her side, excitedly pointing at some of the unknown dishes. "What's that? And that? And that?"

Morgan took a calming breath. "These are blini, which are essentially thin pancakes that go quite well with preserves. This is kasha or porridge. These are omelettes filled with a variety of vegetables. This drink, kefir, is fermented goat's milk. It's a staple of Winter Isle."

Lyn eagerly took a sip of the kefir, but swiftly pulled back and grimaced. "It tastes funny!"

Raven snatched the first mate's cup in an instant and flitted some distance away. After tasting it faster than anyone could see, she returned and handed it back to Lyn. "It is not poisoned. It is simply sour because of the fermentation process. It is unsurprising that you do not like it, as you prefer sweet foods."

The artist nodded as she held the cup out to Alexander. He raised an eyebrow and gave an amused half-smile. "And what am I supposed to do with this?"

"Well, you don't like sweet things, so this is obviously right up your alley!" Lyn reasoned.

"I really don't think it works that way," he protested. "And who says I don't like sweet things?"

Lyn grabbed him in a headlock and pushed the glass against his lips. "You're going to try it and like it!"

Cassandra laughed at the struggling pair, sampling the drink herself. It was indeed sourer than she expected, but it wasn't unlikable. It could do with a touch of sweetener, but she supposed that's what the rest of the meal was for. Cain was already wolfing down omelettes and kasha like he was facing a famine, stopping every few mouthfuls to swallow over a liter of kefir. Damien was focusing on the sausages, but made sure to include some of everything in the rapidly growing and shrinking pile of food on his plate.

"This is not an extravagant meal." Cassandra glanced aside to see Raven perched on the railing some distance away. "Last night's boast was empty."

Morgan's eyes darkened. "This is my first breakfast aboard this ship and we are on the Grand Line. I prepared a meal full of nutrients that will give us the energy to survive the day's events. When we reach the next island, I will show you my true culinary prowess."

The doctor's empty gaze remained focused on the prince, eliciting a sigh from Cassandra's lips. "Raven, do me a favor and check the Log Pose on the lighthouse. See if it's locked on an island yet." After waiting for her to zip away, Cassandra turned back to Morgan. "And this is a marvelous meal you've prepared. Thank you for the food."

Morgan looked confused and wary about her sudden compliments, but didn't press his luck. After making sure everyone else was eating, he sat down and loaded his plate with a sample of everything he had prepared. The rest of breakfast was spent in relative peace, save for the usual few disputes between Lyn, Alexander and Damien for a variety of asinine reasons. Cassandra had to only threaten physical violence twice and launch her knife in the navigator's direction once during the course of the meal.

When most of the crew had stopped eating and settled for chatting animatedly, Cassandra knew it was time to step in. "So now that we're rested, fed and ready for anything, let's get ready to go!"

"Aye!" Lyn shouted, bringing her empty cup against Cain's excitedly. "We gotta be prepared!" She paused, then frowned at Cassandra. "What are we getting ready for, Captain?"

"Okay…" Cassandra rushed to think of how to explain the situation to her childish first mate. She grinned as her eyes fell upon the scarred man picking at his teeth with a claw. "So the weather in the Grand Line is like Damien. At any moment, it could turn on you and overwhelm you. Now, unlike our darling navigator, there are certain places where the weather is exceptionally bad. These places are between the first and last islands in a stretch of the Grand Line and the Red Line, where we are now. So for the next few days, we're all going to need to react to the weather instantly."

Lyn pouted uncomprehendingly. "So how do we get ready?"

"You make sure everything's ready like we're about to go into a storm," Cassandra instructed. "The odds are we'll be going through several storms actually. Morgan, as the recently-appointed cook, you will be in charge of making sure everything is secure in the kitchen and providing with the rest of us with sustenance when necessary. You can start by clearing the table, doing the dishes and cleaning the galley."

"I'm not doing-" He cut off his protest as she leveled a cold glare at him. He gritted his teeth and tried to quell his quivers of indignation. "Yes, Captain."

"Good," the sniper said in a cheery voice she knew would irritate him further. The faster he accepted his new lot in life, the faster he would function better as a Black Glove Pirate. "Alexander, I'll leave you to do whatever you feel is necessary."

"I'll help Morgan out for a bit." He leaned in closer and lowered his voice. "Poor bastard looks ready to explode. As I've gotten used to the idea of him being aboard, I don't want to find him with a good number of vital organs missing."

"A fair point," she conceded. "But I won't stop bugging him. He has to learn his place."

Alexander briefly mirrored her cunning grin. "I agree, O wise Captain."

Cuffing him lightly on the back of the head, she faced the next crewmember. "Cain, you're been doing a fantastic job at patching up the ship. Just continue working on her as much as you can. She's probably going to take some damage over the next few days, so keeping her patched up is your ongoing assignment."

"Yes, ma'am," he boomed. "I will see to getting her properly fixed on the next island, but I will do my best to keep her afloat in the meantime."

She smiled appreciatively "I know you will. Damien! Come with me to the helm."

Having recently fought and eaten, the navigator complied without any hesitation. As they approached the wheel, Raven landed on the steering column and lobbed the Log Pose over to Cassandra. Yanking on a dreadlock to distract him from the curvaceous doctor, Cassandra showed him the glass sphere. "This is a Log Pose. It's the only way we can get through the Grand Line without being lost at sea. It is extremely important that this doesn't break, okay?"

"Th' fuck're you tellin' me not ta break it?" he asked.

"As navigator, you should be in charge of it. However, because of your… tendency to take damage during fights, it would be better if Raven held onto it. So from now on, you have to be mindful of whether or not she has the Log Pose when you randomly attack her."

"That will not stop him," Raven murmured.

The pirate captain shrugged. "I know. It's just something to keep in mind. Anyway, that's for when we're on an island. At sea, the Log Pose is yours to protect. When we're sailing, you _have_ to keep an eye on the needle. Space out for a split second and we'll be sailing in some godforsaken direction. You pay attention to this whenever we're moving. Clear?"

Damien snatched the device from her fingers and stared at it analytically. His lips drew back in distaste, his green eyes flicking over to the sniper. "I don' need no fuckin' compass."

"You're going to need one now," she pressed on. "There's no possible way of sailing the Grand Line without it."

She managed to dodge the claws thrust in her direction, giving Raven the opportunity to stab two knives into the gaps between his clavicles and scapulae. Even with the enhanced speed she used, the black-clad pirate wasn't able to drive the knives up to their hilts. Damien's wings snapped open, forcing her to release her knives and withdraw two more. He gave a guttural growl as he saw Cassandra draw her own throwing knives and ready herself to fight. "I don' need a fuckin' thing ta navigate. Y' ain' gonna make me use it an' tha's tha."

"Enough of your pigheadedness," Raven droned. "This is not a matter of ability or pride. It is literally impossible to-"

He yanked the knives out of his shoulders and hurled them at her. She flitted forwards then backwards in a complicated movement, allowing her to grab the knives and slow them down enough to halt their momentum. Now brandishing four blades, Raven seemed prepared to fight him until he gave in. Knowing how long such a duel would take, Cassandra holstered her weapons and tried a new tactic.

"The Grand Line isn't like the rest of the world, Damien. I don't know yet how the slight magnetism in your bones is going to respond, but I bet after a few days, you're not going to be able to tell where north is any more." She took a step back as he let out a malevolent growl. "I know you don't like it, but that's the truth. You ordinarily don't need a compass, but the Grand Line is far from ordinary. Remember our trip from Autumn Isle to Winter Isle?"

"Aye. Tha' was fun."

"A little rough water compared to what we could face here." Cassandra felt relief seep through her body as he donned a pleased expression. "You're going to need everything you have at your disposal to get us to…"

"Fyuchrzend," Raven provided.

"There. And you're going to need the Log Pose. It's simply not possible without one." She looked him straight in the eyes. "Are we clear?"

Flames began streaming from inside his lips and eyelids. "I got it, Cap'n. Raise the cuntin' anchor an' le's be off. I find out ya fuckin' lied ta me an' I'll turn yer next day into 'ell. 'T won' be from fuckin' sundown to sunup either, rim-licker. Are we fuckin' clear, Cap'n?"

"We're fucking clear, Damien," she shot right back. The only aspect of the Grand Line's weather one could count on was its unpredictability. There was no way it would remain perfectly calm until the oddly-named island they were sailing to. She felt perfectly safe about her promise of challenging weather. She descended to the main deck, forcing her heart to slow down.

Raven landed on the railing beside her, her four knives still clenched in her small fists. "It should not be necessary for the captain of a crew to have to bargain with her crewmembers."

"I'm not going to argue with one of the most powerful fighters from West Blue," Cassandra countered as she grabbed the anchor winch. "Simply the fact that he listens to me is enough. Besides, killing him ourselves is becoming less and less of a possibility as time goes on. There will come a time when he can react to even your fastest speed, Raven."

With one fluid motion, the doctor somehow managed to balance all of her knives in a single vertical line on the tip of her finger. "He has much room for improvement, but I do as well. Although I have only trained with my family on the six basic techniques and have continued to work on them as a pirate, there are still three advanced ones. I have heard rumors of an expert tenth technique, but I cannot be sure of its existence. There will come a time when I must find some of my family to teach me the advanced techniques."

Cassandra looked unhappily at her long-time friend. "I'm doing my best to leave everything that has to do with assassins behind, Raven. I mean, my father interfered with the Marine bounty assignment committee to have my name changed even though I've had a few moments where my pride has revealed it to the world."

"I am not the only one who left before all of her family's skills were taught," Raven said softly.

The pirate captain briefly entertained the notion of lying, but she knew Raven already knew the truth. "Look, I know I haven't gotten amazingly good at my charged blood, but I'll do fine without it. As you mentioned before, because of my Devil Fruit, I can keep that state activated for far longer than most other Negras in history! That counts for something, right?"

Raven kept her balance as the ship lurched into motion, indicating their first true step into the terrible sea that lay before them. "There will come a time when you have reached the limit to what you can learn on your own. We all reach that point eventually; it is the nature of all living beings. Alexander once said you were the smartest person in West Blue. Whether his praise was exaggeration or fact will be apparent when you face a choice: to press on with what you have or to accept help from those you hate to climb higher than you could ever hope to climb alone."

"Now you're beginning to sound like me," Cassandra said jokingly, trying to ignore the seriousness in her nakama's words.

"Nobody reaches their full potential alone. Those who have tried are dead. The fastest regeneration in the world cannot give life to the deceased." With that, Raven kicked off into the air and alighted on the tip of the main mast's flagpole.

Cassandra sat down on the steps and put her face in her hands. _Don't you think I know that?_ she mentally inquired. _I know I'll have to face them someday. I just need to grow until I'm ready to_. Feeling the need to dwell on this further, she retreated to the vacant women's quarters and lay back on her bed. She was the captain, but the pirates ran themselves pretty well on their own, based on their directions. She could afford some time to herself.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

The next several days passed by not unlike Cassandra had expected. There were lengthy periods of time where all that was necessary was someone on the helm making sure the _Howling Knave_ was aimed in the correct direction. Times like this were more or less appreciated by the crew. Alexander and Cain enjoyed chatting with each other on the forecastle deck with the other pirates occasionally entering and exiting their conversations. Lyn was either painting anything that came to mind or making sure her nakama were happy. The only ones who weren't thrilled with the lack of activity were Morgan, who only interacted with the others when forced to and spent most of his time holed up in the galley, and Damien. The navigator increased his already unbelievable training routine, snapped at anyone who tried talking to him and attacked Cassandra whenever she approached him.

When the weather abruptly changed as it was wont to do, everything improved. Everyone scattered to do their respective tasks and concentrated on riding out the danger. At first, nothing caught them off guard. A thunderstorm appeared literally out of nowhere, and Cain had to construct some sort of lightning rod to keep the _Knave_ intact. When the rain turned to snow, nobody expressed the slightest bit of surprise. The only one more fascinated than annoyed was Lyn, who promptly began chucking snowballs with gusto at everyone she could find.

The pirates were relieved when the weather settled for a refreshing warmth, which seemed only to augment the suffering they were about to endure. It was after a mysteriously F-shaped water spout lifted the galleon out of the water and hurled it across the ocean like a skipping stone that the weather truly turned bad. All of the clouds in the sky vanished, leaving behind a scorching hot sun. All of the pirates had to take cover to endure the incredible heat with the exception of the temperature-resistant navigator. The former bandits were particularly affected by the heat wave, having grown up in a much cooler climate. Having not prepared the correct clothing for such weather, they were confined indoors, which was particularly torturous for Cain as he only fit inside the men's quarters.

Following the heat were a few long hours of relentless squalls. Cassandra couldn't decide which was more intolerable: the searing winds that desiccated everything they touched or the frigid winds that penetrated clothing and wood and numbed flesh. The constant shifts in direction, temperature and intensity of the gusts forced them to raise the sails and wait for the weather to change. Even Raven and Damien, who usually ignored all weather occurrences, expressed their discomfort with the ever shifting winds.

Once that passed, they were treated to a brief period of pleasant spring weather. From there, it just turned truly bizarre. When liquid soap began dripping from the clouds, causing the seas to churn the surface into a thick froth, the pirates simply stared around in shock. The slick substance coated every surface, and the pirates began sliding all over the place as they tried to get their bearings. Morgan attempted to get rid of some of the soap by wrapping it around his body then dispelling it, but the patch he managed to clear was covered again by the soapy rain before long. The occasional wave that swept over the deck covered everything in foam so thick that Alexander once fell overboard and came very close to drowning before Raven noticed his disappearance.

By the end of the week, there wasn't a single pirate who didn't yearn for landfall. They had seen some interesting and harmless sights, such as rainbows that snaked through the air in undulating curves and one time when drops of seawater ascended skywards, but mostly they were tired of the more exhausting and dangerous weather that had repeatedly almost killed them. Between the multiple water spouts that had launched the ship around, the current that had directed the ship on a roller-coaster like series of twists, loops and corkscrews, the various sea monsters that had almost consumed the relatively smaller _Knave_ and the many materials coming from the heavens, the pirates badly needed a rest.

Cassandra had rarely seen her crew as happy as they were then Alexander spotted the island during the eighth evening since their departure from Reverse Mountain. Lyn was jumping for joy and hugging everyone excitedly. Cain wiped the sweat from his brow and flashed a grin broader than any he had shown before. Morgan looked incredibly relieved, slumping onto the stairs and withdrawing a flask of alcohol from a pocket. Alexander blasted out a triumphant tune on his trumpet. Even Raven expressed a form of eagerness, crouching on the wooden figurehead with her gaze fixed on the rapidly approaching island. Damien was the only one who expressed mixed feelings, obviously having enjoyed the challenge of the week's atrocious weather. Still, he did bare his teeth in a wild grin as the landmass crept over the horizon.

As for the pirate captain, she felt both nervous and excited about the island. She was setting foot on a Grand Line island for the first time since her banishment from the world of assassins. Instead of having the security of the world's most powerful assassin family, however, all she had were four people she trusted with her life and two others who had yet to fully prove themselves.

Somehow, she felt more prepared than ever before.

* * *

><p>Just in case I wasn't clear last chapter, know that just because I didn't or couldn't respond to your reviews doesn't mean they weren't appreciated. I hope that doesn't sound like the review whoring I think it sounds like. Anyway, until next time!<p> 


	3. Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

"All right!" Cassandra shot her pistol in the air to ensure she had everyone's attention. "We're close enough to the Fyuchrzend to shoot that ship docking over there. I say we grab a drink and celebrate our arrival in the Grand Line."

"Agreed!" Lyn shouted. "Time to party!"

Raven flitted over to the pirate captain, alighting noiselessly in front of her. "I will do the preliminary investigation for potential threats and disturbances. If you decide to follow Lyn's decision and consume more than a recommended amount of alcohol, I strongly advise eating a meal first."

Cassandra placed her hand on her friend's shoulder, indicating her approval of the decision. As the doctor vanished from beneath her fingers, she holstered her pistols and faced her crew. "I think most of us are sick of being stuck on this ship." Her lips drew back into a slight smile as she glanced at the cook seated on the stairs. "Some of us literally."

Morgan gave a brief mock laugh. "Hilarious, Captain."

"Because of that, I propose we all go to the bar together tonight."

Alexander frowned at this. "So who's on watch?"

"Silly Alexander," bubbled the first mate. "We're all going to the bar, so there's no watch!"

"Is that such a good idea, Captain?" Alexander scanned the dock they were approaching. "There are an awful lot of pirate ships nearby. Should we leave the _Knave_ undefended?"

Cassandra waited until he looked back at her. "Now now, Alexander. Haven't you learned anything? I only rarely do something risky without a backup plan."

The musician crossed his arms, skepticism evident on his face. "Really. What do you have this time?"

She held up a device that he should have recognized by now. "Alexander, meet Chief. Chief, Alexander."

He stared evenly at the little mechanized snail in front of him. "This Baby Den-Den Mushi is called Chief? Who on earth named it…" He paused as he caught sight of Lyn, who was just waiting for him to finish his question. Slowly nodding his head, he changed his words slightly. "and why?"

"Because Chief hangs out with Captain all the time," Lyn explained as if it were completely obvious. "And Raven has Pupil because she learns everything and tells it everything and she wears black and it's black!"

The second mate sighed. "So we have Chief and Pupil. What about the others?"

Lyn sucked on her top lip as she contemplated the question. "Well, there's Fraidy, the one that won't talk when Damien's around. Then… MD is the one that Raven always puts in sickbays and hospitals and such to monitor us when we're patients. Which leaves Omni, the one who gets all of that."

Alexander turned to face his captain. "And do you really expect me to remember those names?"

"Of course not," Cassandra assured him. "I don't expect you to remember them. But these five snails are how we're making sure the ship is secure. While normally there should be someone here, we should always be able to have a crew activity off of the ship. There's one snail in the women's quarters-"

"Fraidy," Lyn interrupted.

"One in the medical ward-"

"MD."

"And one tucked in that crack in the mast."

"Omni."

Cassandra waved her hand dismissively. "Anyway, the three snails on the ship are going to be broadcasting to Raven's, Pupil!" she said before Lyn could interrupt her. "They will be in touch with Pupil when we leave the ship. If something arises, she'll be there to find out what. If necessary, she'll contact me."

"With…" the artist said, trailing off with the obvious expectation that Cassandra would finish the thought.

"Chief." Cassandra couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Our funds are separated into two monitored areas, and we don't really have much else that can be stolen. It doesn't really matter if the ship is sabotaged as Cain will be going over everything in the next few days. The only real problem would be damage to the keel, but I hope it won't come to that. The hull, mast, spars and various cosmetic things will need to be repaired anyway."

Both bandits had paid extra close attention to her words for very different reasons. Cain was taking notes for his future tasks while Morgan was undoubtedly going to investigate the women's quarters and sickbay in the future. Realizing the problem with one of these locations, Cassandra continued speaking. "And anybody caught rifling through our underwear drawers will be branded shameless perverts and punished accordingly."

The prince pressed his lips together. Having obviously understood the true meaning of her words, Cain leaned forward. "Morgan loves money, but he would not stoop to stealing from his own crew. Isn't that right, Morgan?"

"Of course not," he spat.

Cassandra briefly considered challenging what she suspected was a lie, but decided to let it slide. "Then how will you amass the riches you so zealously desire?"

"By stealing from others. I am a pirate by profession and a bandit by blood. I take what I want."

Lyn threw an arm around his shoulders, causing him to stiffen. "Remember, Morgie, whatever you steal goes to the crew. You get a share."

"My name is Morgan," he said, throwing her arm off. "And why should I share? What do you all need lots of money for? Aside from supplies and such, what would you buy?"

"Raise th' sails an' lower th' anchor, shitpails!" Damien bellowed as they pulled alongside the docks. "We're at the island!"

Morgan encased himself in vines and shot a cluster of tendrils towards the distant yard. As he grabbed on, Lyn seized a handful of green coils, cheering as she shot upwards with the elementalist. Alexander quickly began twisting the crank, nodding thankfully as Cassandra went to help him. Cain leapt onto the docks and put his hand against the hull, using his astounding strength to guide the ship into place. As soon as the crew finished their various actions, they congregated on the deck once more.

"As I was saying," Morgan said, "I'm the only one who really wants money. I mean, half of you don't pay for anything and the other half don't really shop, do you?"

"Aye, yer righ'." Without warning, Damien slugged the cook in the gut, causing him to double over. The navigator drove his elbow into the back of Morgan's exposed neck, sending the other pirate to the floor. Bending over, he grabbed the flask of alcohol and downed it in one gulp. He crumpled it in his fist and tossed the wrecked container onto Morgan's prone body. "We take what we wan' from 'ooever we wan'."

The elementalist staggered to his feet, his hands clutching his injured stomach. As he fought for breath, his dark grey eyes focused on the navigator. "Why… do you insist on constantly attacking me?"

"I don' like you, fuckwit." None of Damien's usual animosity was present. Cassandra had only seen him like this when confronting someone he considered completely beneath him. "Simple as tha'."

"And why not? What have I done to deserve your dislike?" Morgan looked around as if remembering the rest of the crew existed. "And you? Why did none of you stop him?"

"It seems you've forgotten a few things," Cassandra stated. "First of all, you're an arrogant prick. The only one who can act like that is me. Second, you attacked Alexander, and we won't forgive you for that for quite some time. Third, Damien is not just some whimsical beast. He acts worse towards enemies of the crew than the crewmembers themselves."

"I am a crewmember!" Morgan shouted. "I am a Black Glove Pirate!"

"That doesn't matter when it comes to this," Cassandra told him. "When you attacked Alexander, you broke one of our rules before you even knew it existed. Harm one of us and Damien will punish you. It probably doesn't help that of all of us, Damien is closest to Alexander. Think of this as an ongoing punishment or hazing; it doesn't matter which."

Morgan looked livid. "And am I the only one who has dealt with this?"

Alexander gave a dry laugh at this. "You're not that special, mate. Twice, Damien has almost killed Captain for lying to us. Because she's the one who's supposed to keep us safe, her punishments were a hundred times worse than what you're enduring now. You're just lucky I wasn't permanently injured. I doubt Hothead would be so lenient to you then."

"What about that mockery of a punishment that blackhearted wench went through?"

Cassandra saw this as a fair point. Compared to his previous punishments and factoring in the navigator's hostility towards the doctor, Damien had been surprisingly lenient. When Damien didn't speak up for himself, Cassandra ventured a guess. "He probably thought scaring us to death was hilarious enough to not merit a true punishment."

"I can't believe you people!" Morgan yelled. "You're keeping this bastard even though he abuses the rest of you, and you don't even care!"

"Enough!" Everyone turned in surprise to the ordinarily cheerful first mate, who was visibly upset by the arguing. "Enough. We're a crew now. We have to be unified! Damien, for the rest of the night, can you please hold back hitting Morgan? We're supposed to be celebrating! Let's not be sad or angry tonight!"

Damien considered this, staring quizzically at the pale woman. "All righ'."

"Yay!" Lyn glomped onto him and pressed her cheek against his. However, she knew he was about to throw her off and wrapped her arm around his neck. Instead of flying into the air as he twisted about, she merely spun around his body. Then, much to Cassandra's surprise, he decided against attempting to rid himself of her a second time and settled for ignoring her.

"I hate you!" the pirate captain exclaimed. "You… I… Can't you act in a way I can expect just once, Damien?"

"Aah, but who would keep things int'restin'?" he asked with a wolfish grin. "C'mon, whore, le's find a bar."

Alexander choked as his friend grabbed him by the back of the collar and began easily dragging him towards the edge of the ship. "D-Damien! Can't breathe! Let go!"

The navigator responded by tossing him over to the docks. Alexander grunted as he landed on his back, the wind driven from his body. Lyn loosened her grip for a fraction of a second as she leaned to the side to get a better look at the recovering musician. This period of time was all Damien needed to grab her arm and spin around, flinging her over the stern. Her loud cheers were audible until she hit the water, which didn't surprise Cassandra in the least.

"Now that's more like it," the sniper said, leaping over to the docks before she was moved there by another crewmember. "So Damien, before you end up wandering off as I know you like to do, I have a little challenge for you."

"Ah?" His brows drew down over his wild eyes. "Wha' kinda challenge?"

The captain's grin widened. "See, my Devil Fruit counteracts any kind of chemical imbalance in my system to a degree, giving me relative immunity to drugs and poisons. Following that train of thought, it should counteract the harmful effects ethanol has on my body."

"Th' fuck is ethanol?"

"As our dearest doctor has informed me, it is what gives alcoholic drinks that invigorating quality. Another thing she has informed me is she has finally figured out why you can drink enough to kill several people."

Damien's lips drew back in displeasure. "Get to th' cuntin' point, bawd."

Cassandra decided to reveal that information at a later time. "Anyway, I challenge you to a drinking contest!"

"Ah'll make it fair," he said immediately. At this point, Cassandra was just going to assume Damien expressed his excitement by acting even more strangely. "Th' res' o' you agains' me. We'll settle th' terms later."

Having recovered enough to breathe properly again, Alexander caught Cassandra's sleeve as the navigator began striding towards the city. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Alcohol is like water to him. Even with your fruit…"

"You're right, actually. If you want to know how, I'd suggest you talk to Raven." She leaned in closer to reduce the chance of the berserker overhearing. "But we're pirates, Alexander. It's not often Damien has a chance of losing something, but now is one of those times. Of course, we're going to have to cheat a bit if we want to win."

"Cheat, Captain?"

Cassandra gave her best impression of Damien's demonic smile. "Between my body burning off the alcohol, you turning it into water and Cain being the size of ten men, I'm sure we'll be able to win. Plus, this way, we can keep him here as we take turns matching his drinks. It's important that we keep him here."

"And why's that?" the alchemist inquired. "Hothead can take care of himself, even if we're on the Grand Line."

"It's not the people I'm worried about," Cassandra explained. "It's the island itself. Damien's bones are just magnetic enough to detect the earth's magnetic field, turning him into a human compass. You know this; it's one of the reasons he's a fine navigator. The problem is, the Grand Line has its own rules in regards to magnetism. That's why Log Poses are needed to cross it. My concern is the island's magnetic field will disorient him at some point. As you well know, if Damien gets disoriented, he might…" she paused to search for the right words, "throw a tantrum."

Alexander nodded sagely. "Yes, that makes sense. Hothead's tantrums are truly legendary. Second only to Lyn's, I'd say."

"Yes, well, because of potential property damage and the loss of others' lives, Damien's tantrums are the ones we need to currently worry about. Actually, that could be our prize for winning: keeping him in sight." Cassandra blanched as she realized what she was saying. "Keeping him in one place, yeah that's a thrilling concept. Still, Damien does accept his defeats well. His non-combat defeats."

"Truth," Alexander agreed. He looked a bit embarrassed as he realized something. "Forgive me if I sounded a bit rude earlier. When I ask for reasoning, I'm not doubting you. I'm just curious about your thought process."

"Of course," she said. "Now, let's not forget about the others. Cain, did you fish Lyn out of the water yet?"

"Yes, Captain Libera," the massive man boomed. "Several times."

"Several ti-" Cassandra fixed her sternest gaze on the sopping wet artist. "Lyn, you just said you wanted to have fun with the rest of us. You were playing in the water alone?"

Lyn looked unconvincingly to the side, her cheeks puffed out. "Wasn't."

Cassandra nodded slowly. "Right. Well, let's get going. Cain, I expect you to get raging drunk tonight. If you don't, Damien's going to win."

The former bandit looked puzzled. "What do you mean, going to win?"

"Captain challenged him to a drinking contest, all of us against him," Alexander supplied. "It's really important that we win."

"Very well. Is Youn- Morgan taking part in this as well?"

"Of course," Cassandra said. "Damien's a fearsome opponent. I've never seen him completely drunk, but we have to do it if we want to keep a low profile."

It was Morgan's turn to look confused. "How will getting that monster drunk count as keeping a low profile?"

"Wha's keeping you cumstains?" Damien hollered back at them. "Be'er not be thinkin' 'bout backin' out!"

"I'm not explaining this again," Cassandra stated. "Now get going. I'm going to change really quickly."

"Change, Captain Libera?" Cain asked.

"I don't want to be hassled on my first night here. Tomorrow, everyone will know Cassandra Libera has begun her journey to become Pirate Queen. But tonight, it's just the Black Glove Pirates."

She ascended to the women's quarter and hastily donned the most casual clothes she could find. She ended up with a yellow T-shirt with MISCHIEF printed at a slight angle across her chest and a pair of jeans a bit looser than any she remembered buying. Perhaps Lyn had done some shopping for her at some point. Deciding against her cowboy hat and boots but keeping her pistols for necessity's sake, she darted outside after her crew, swiftly overtaking them.

It didn't take them long at all to find a bar. However, Damien walked straight past the first one they saw. Cassandra didn't argue; the establishment looked almost too genteel for Alexander. She would definitely visit it later for information gathering, but it wasn't suitable for their current objective. The next bar was decent, but still not boisterous enough for the hot-blooded navigator.

Cassandra called Damien to a halt as they passed by an alleyway and she managed to detect a peculiar smell: sweat, blood and alcohol in almost equal amounts. The crew filed down the narrow street, eventually arriving at an enormous metal door. Damien yanked it open with enough force to unintentionally rip it off its hinges. Casually tossing it over his head, he walked into the building, Alexander and Lyn following close behind him. Morgan curled his lip with distaste as he scanned the interior of the bar. Without looking, he caught the falling door in both hands and began slowly squeezing. Cassandra had momentarily forgotten the former prince's strength; it was easy to overlook when compared to Damien or Cain, but Morgan was still stronger than many men.

The pirate captain narrowed her eyes when the metal began slithering up his arm, indicating his pent-up rage at the whole situation. Cain noticed as well and opened his mouth to speak, but remained silent at a pointed look from Cassandra. Before the elemenalist wrapped the metal entirely around his chest, he sighed and let it dissolve away. She gently rested a gloved hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump slightly.

"I'm proud of you," she said quietly, obviously throwing him for a loop. "Really, I am. You're at the stage in our crew where fighting Damien might get you actually killed even if we try to stop it. Having said that…" She threw her arm around his shoulders, bringing a knife against his throat. "You're going to get smashed tonight so we can all see who you really are. You better hope that self-preservation you just showed is ingrained into your soul because your mind is going to vanish soon. A pirate I once met said 'In pirating, you have to respect your elders and betters or you're dead.' Take his words to heart."

Releasing her hold on his neck and holstering her knife, she started to follow her nakama inside. She paused when Morgan spoke up from behind her. "That pirate you met. Had he been sailing for longer than you?"

Cassandra gave a short nod. "He was the son of a Shichibukai and one of the most feared men in West Blue."

"You don't seem the type to be too accepting of that," Morgan said suspiciously. "What happened between you two?"

"Not much between him and me," she admitted. "He and Damien didn't see eye to eye because of that particular remark though. Of course, it didn't help that Darren Madaxe was the one who paralyzed Damien's left arm."

She was about to walk inside when Morgan asked one more question."And when that terror doesn't see eye to eye, he rectifies it physically. What happened?"

The sniper gave a nostalgic grin. "Damien ripped him almost in half."

With that, she fully entered the building, looking around for her crewmembers. The trio was already at the main bar, enthusiastically ordering everything they could. Cassandra was forced to mute her senses ever so slightly as the smells in the air were almost thick enough to suffocate her. The patrons looked grimy and dangerous, but she wasn't concerned. She had confidence that her crew were strong enough to handle things for now. As their fighting force would inevitably be reduced to her and Damien, she hoped Raven would be able to come to their aid, but didn't count on it.

Her eyes settled on the lone corner booth and she walked over as the ex-bandits joined their crewmates at the bar. To her irritation, the booth was occupied by a single bulky man who looked like he didn't want to be disturbed. Unfortunately for him, her deep-seated paranoia was flowing through her body and she wouldn't be deterred. Choosing to try to approach him amiably, she sauntered up and cleared her throat.

"Whaddaya want?" His voice was laden with misery and weariness, a solid indication that he was attempting to wash his sorrows away.

However, if there was one thing that she had learned in her time as a pirate, it was that the desires of the Black Glove Pirates took precedence over everything. As captain, her desires were twice as important. His sadness didn't matter to her in the slightest. "Could you kindly move to another table? I really need to be here if I want to be calm enough to get drunk."

"I was here first," he groaned.

"I aim to get completely smashed with my friends tonight and I can't do that unless I sit there. So please, move."

"I don't want to," he asserted.

"Look, this really isn't a proposal," Cassandra informed him. "Move to another table."

His sullen eyes met hers. "And why should I move?"

"Just do it. I don't want to have to resort to force."

Outwardly, the threat was a laughable one. He was easily three times her weight and her exposed arms showed no signs of the muscle necessary to even budge him. However, she knew that Damien would be impatient enough to indulge her desire for the corner booth and Cain could simply lift him out without trying. Unaware of her powerful crewmembers, the man gave a hollow laugh. "As if. I'm not moving until the barman throws me out."

Cassandra sighed and glanced towards the bar. Damien was walking over with a large keg of liquor over each shoulder, his metal teeth bared in anticipation. Lyn was sitting on one of the kegs, already sipping her bubbling pink drink. Thankful that her navigator was on his way, she gave the man one last chance. "See that man with the dreadlocks? He's not going to be as nice as I am. He will move your ass out of there faster than you can blink. I'd get out of here before you make him mad."

The large man wasn't paying attention to her words. Rather, he was ogling Lyn's exposed body shamelessly. While Cassandra knew that many men couldn't keep their eyes off the attractive first mate, she wouldn't tolerate this man doing so. Stealthily drawing one of the Susurri, her ancestor's pistols, she attracted Damien's attention with a wave of her hand. "You ready to go down, my friend?"

"Yahahar!" he laughed loudly. "Yer fuckin' insane, Cap'n, thinkin' abou' takin' me out! Yahahahar!"

Using the last round of laughter as cover, she shot the obstinate patron twice in the foot. The built-in silencer combined with the general noise of the bar and Damien's volume almost completely masked the gunshot. The man lurched, his drink spilling over the table as he tried to comfort his injured appendage. His eyes filled with rage as she adopted a look of innocence. "I told you it would be better before Damien came over. Now move."

"You bitch," he snapped, limping out of the booth. "I'm gonna tear you a new one."

"Ah?" The patron turned around to see Damien staring at him with irritation. "The fuck is this pussylickin' faggot doin'?"

"Leaving, I'm assuming," Cassandra said sweetly.

The patron looked conflicted, prompting Damien to help make his decision. The scarred pirate put the kegs on the ground and cracked his knuckles, causing sparks to fly from his fingers. In the time it took for ten claws to fly out and his eyes to catch on fire, the large man wisely decided he should drink somewhere else. "I'd get that foot checked out!" Cassandra called after him. "You'll die if you don't!"

"What was that about, Captain?" Lyn inquired, sitting cross-legged on the table.

"Oh nothing." She reholstered her pistol and turned to the expectant navigator. "What did you order for us?"

Alexander walked up in time to answer the question, a platter of food in one hand and tall glasses brimming with alcohol in the other. "Well, as Raven so politely reminded me before we left, not all of us are blessed with Hothead's toughness or your Devil Fruit. As such, those kegs contain water and we should all remain properly hydrated and fed if we are to drink responsibly."

"But we'll lose that way," Cassandra complained.

The musician gave a small smirk. "Please. Cain is a bottomless pit as far as I can tell. You two are the real contenders against Damien's tolerance. The rest of us are here to get only moderately drunk and enjoy the show."

"Nuh-uh!" Lyn interjected. "I'mma help Captain and Cain beat Damien. I've only ever beaten him in cards and things like that before. This'll be fun!"

"I agree with Lyn," Morgan said, setting down his tray of beverages. "Any chance to take him down a notch is fine by me."

Alexander didn't seem too upset by this. "Well, I can't say I tried. When Raven scolds us all tomorrow, I'm accepting none of the blame."

"Fine by me." Cassandra grabbed what appeared to be the leg of some dead bird and began munching away. "Wha' drinksh did ya ge'?"

"Let's see…" The musician scanned the table as he tried to remember the order. "Well, Lyn's cocktail is something she picked out and insisted it didn't count towards the contest. The agreement we arrived to was that we'd all choose something and Damien has to match it. If we get to the end, we have to drink Damien's choice, which is apparently so powerful that only three men have gone past the first shot."

Cassandra finished chewing and swallowed. "So what drinks did you get?"

He flushed when he realized he hadn't answered her question. "Well, Lyn decided to go with piña coladas tonight, though I'm astounded by how many drinks she knew. Are you sure she was a nun?"

The sniper rolled her eyes. "Continue."

"I chose a wine from the First Age of Piracy. Surprisingly, Cain found a drink usually only found on Winter Islands called Prosaic Mead. And Morgan chose plain vodka."

"Vodka," Cassandra mused. "Surely a prince would consume a more regal drink?"

"Vodka is the toughest drink of the ones they've chosen," Morgan informed her haughtily. "As for you, Captain, Alexander and I chose two. For taste, we have cider and for power, rum, the true pirate's beverage. Now, we're going to have to pay for all of this, and it is quite a sum. How will you do that?"

"Exchange the gold you're wearing, of course." She couldn't help but laugh at the horror that crossed the elemantalist's face. "No, I'm kidding. I definitely have enough to cover it, so don't worry. What did Damien get?"

The navigator leaned forward, a few dreadlocks slipping from behind his shoulders as he showed her a bottle that couldn't have contained more than six or seven shots. "Clam Special. Cos's more'n all o' tha' put together, but i's free if we drink it all. Only three man 'sides th' barman didn' pass out from one fuckin' shot. Won' 'ave t' pay fer th' door either."

"And I'm guessing you made that wager." The sniper sighed as he nodded. "Well, you and I both know we're going to get to the Special. Morgan, set up the food and other drinks. Damien and I will each have a _drop_ of his drink to start it off. If people are unconscious from whole shots, I want to be on the safe side."

The berserker gave his best predatory grin as he broke the seal on the bottle and handed it over to his captain. He obviously didn't want to ruin the challenge by accidentally overpouring. Damien had many strong areas, but fine motor skill was not one of them. Ever so carefully, Cassandra poured a quarter of a shot into two glasses. She glanced around to make sure they all had their respective drinks ready for a toast. Raising her shot glass, she grinned at her pirates. "Once more, to celebrate our arrival in the Grand Line."

"Cheers," Alexander said as they clinked their glasses together. Keeping an eye on her rival imbiber, Cassandra tilted her head back and downed the Clam Special. It tasted faintly of cherries and vodka, which wasn't too bad. It wasn't her favorite flavor, but she liked it nevertheless. Five seconds later, the full effects hit her.

It felt like Damien had tackled her into a wall again. Her head spun mightily, causing her to stagger to a seat. Alexander and Cain were immediately close by, both making sure she didn't fall over. She shook her head to get rid of the dizziness and took a large gulp of water. The instant inebriation slowly dissipated as her Devil Fruit fought to restore her body to normal. Blinking her eyes a few times to focus them, she stared at Damien, who was staring into space and grinning madly.

"Mors, that stuff is strong," she marveled, waving away her concerned crewmembers. "No wonder a full shot knocks most men out. What do you think, Damien?"

The navigator mumbled a long string of awed curses that Cassandra's mildly muted hearing couldn't pick up. His eyes lost their glazed look as he gave a small belch of flame. "Now tha's some good shit. Fuck y'all, this 'ere's my drink tonight."

"What?" Lyn exclaimed. "Aw, Damien! You said you'd go against us!"

"I will," he growled, gazing at the small bottle of Clam Special in admiration. "Bu' this… this's incredible. We gotta get summa this fer th' _Knave_."

Cassandra completely agreed. She knew without a doubt that after consuming her rounds of cider and rum, she could maybe stand a single shot of the Clam Special. A drink that potent would definitely keep Damien in line if he ever got too out of control. Out of the other pirates, Cain was the only one who might be able to handle the drink. However, she didn't want to test that theory tonight. Damien's new favorite drink was an unforeseen variable that could screw up her plans entirely. She only prayed that the copious amounts of alcohol Damien would consume before the Clam Special would be enough to take him out.

While the navigator began catching up to the others' drinks, Alexander fixed him with a stern eye. "Remember to eat too, Damien. Alcohol has a lot of calories that can-"

"Yeah, yeah," Damien said. "Yer no' me fuckin' dad."

"Nope!" Lyn agreed, throwing an arm around the scarred pirate and practically shoving a piña colada in his face. "He's just pretending to act all haughty and mature so he feels better about choosing wine."

"Of course you wouldn't appreciate finer drinks," Alexander shot back. "You just like sweetness and being inebriated."

"Inewhat?" Lyn frowned in confusion. "That's not a word."

The musician gaped at her. "It is too a word! It's not even an uncommon word."

"You've never used it before!" Lyn stated.

Deciding to tune out of the argument, Cassandra focused on the two ex-bandits. Cain was enjoying chugging his drink and waiting for Damien to catch up. As zealous as Damien was, Cain's size enabled him to consume much more than the smaller navigator. He took the opportunities to wolf down food at an alarming rate, only stopping once Damien had finished a round of drinks. Cassandra briefly worried about running out of money, but pushed the feeling aside. It was the night for her crewmembers to enjoy themselves. She would pay as much as was necessary to ensure that happiness.

Morgan, unsurprisingly, was sulking at the edge of the booth, his eyes anywhere but the rowdy pirates. Cassandra surveyed the establishment as well, assessing potential threats for when most of them were too drunk to function properly. Most of them seemed more intent on their own little group of cohorts, but there were a few leery men by the bar she didn't like the look of. She hadn't ever seen Damien incapacitated by alcohol, but if his past fights were any indication, his consciousness was actually keeping him more in check than anything else.

She frowned as she realized this. She wondered why it had taken so long for her to make the observation. _Most likely because of how hard it was to think of using 'Damien' and 'self-restraint' in the same sentence_, she mused. She made a mental note to commend how much he held his volatile nature back, for the most part. She would only tell him if he made it through the night without murdering someone important.

"You might as well try to enjoy yourself," she said without looking at the annoyed elementalist. "Don't make me regret my decision to accept you aboard. It's far too late to go back to daddy now. You're screwed if you leave us."

"I know that," he snapped angrily as he threw back a shot. "But I am not in the mood to improve my relationship with them right now."

"Well, get in the mood. This is probably the only time in the foreseeable future Damien won't be hating your guts. Alexander isn't also angry about you beating the daylights out of him right now."

The prince glanced over at her. "He hasn't expressed any anger towards me."

"From what I heard, you did insult me when you thought I had died," she said. "Now I'm the bigger woman, so I forgive you for that. But my nakama aren't so tolerant when it comes to defending me. Still, I recommend you get into their good graces now. Well, not Lyn's. You have to do something truly bad to get Lyn mad at you."

"Aye," Damien growled, his powerful jaws crushing bones with ease. "And we 'ate seein' 'er angry."

"What are you talking about?" Lyn asked. "You didn't really see me mad. You showed up then BAM! I was happy!"

"It didn't go quite like that," Alexander argued. "You left out the part where he beat up everyone who wasn't Raven."

Lyn flicked him in the forehead. "Well it worked, didn't it? I'm not going to be like that for a looooooong time!"

Cassandra's hazel eyes flicked to the two hilts at the first mate's waist. The handle that protruded from the rather ornate scabbard was the rapier Lyn had received from a merchant years ago. The other hilt, twice as long as its partner's, was tied to the scabbard by a thin chain. From that crossguard protruded half a foot of steel that terminated in an uneven break. What was once a magnificent greatsword was now simply a relic, a reminder of a lesson learned. "You're going to need to replace your rapier, Lyn. It's gotten pretty badly beaten."

The artist pouted as she drew the weapon enough to see its battered blade. "Yeah, I know. It just so many memories, you know?"

Alexander, sensing the seriousness of the topic, immediately lost his argumentativeness. "It's not like you have to completely throw it away. Just stick it next to your bed or something."

"What do you know?" Lyn took a sip of a drink and made sure Damien did the same. "You haven't had to retire a weapon."

"Of course I have," Alexander countered gently. "See, unlike your rapier, brass instruments aren't actually made for combat. I've had to buy new trumpets almost every island we've gone to. While I've offered most of them to the spirits, I still have the one I left the Charred Island with. Isn't that right, Hothead?"

"Aye." Damien twisted his neck to rip a large chunk of flesh from the bone in his hand. "The fuckin' thing's on our dresser. 'E keeps it clean an' makes sure it don' get too banged up when we're sailin'."

"How strange." All eyes turned to Morgan, who was looking slightly puzzled. "Why are you so understanding of him? You don't treat any object, living or inanimate, with respect."

"We're spirittalkers, cumsprout," Damien explained. "Ya gotta respec' another spirittalker's medium."

"Would you stop insulting me!" Morgan spat.

All of the other pirates knew exactly what would happen next. Damien flicked a bent metal skewer at the onetime prince, a devilish smile on his lips. "An' wha' does a taint-lickin' halfwitted prick-suckin' spunk-brained ass-fing'rin' spooge-slurpin' minge-bitin' twat-faced circle-jerkin'-"

"So anyway, Captain," Lyn cut in, tuning out Damien's stream of insults. Her eyes slid temporarily out of focus as she tried to find her target. "Captain… ah, there you are. I'll go with Cain soon to pick up another sword. While we're there, he can learn stuff about making stuff!"

The massive man raised his mug in her direction. "Sounds like a plan, little lady."

Lyn giggled at this, her flushed cheeks adding color to her milky skin. "You bandits always called me 'little lady.' Why don't you call Captain… no, don't call Captain that. Why don't you call Raven… no, that's a bad idea too. Hmm… Okay, never mind!"

Cain chuckled at the intoxicated first mate, who started nodding after every insult Damien added as if memorizing them. Cassandra looked at Morgan, who was growing increasingly red in the face and was obviously exercising every bit of self-restraint to keep from attacking the powerful navigator. Deciding to deal with it later, Cassandra voiced Cain's thought process as she saw it. "And calling any of our boys 'little man' seems weird, right? After all, Damien would beat you into goo, Morgan is your crown prince and Alexander is more or less your ranking officer. I suppose Lyn is too, but she doesn't act like it."

The former bodyguard ran his hand along his close-cut hair. "And you, Captain Libera, enjoy reading our minds. That's one reason you like keeping Damien around: you can't see what his reasoning is."

"Looks like I'm not the only one who deduces reasoning." She brought a full shot glass to her lips and threw it down. Too late did she detect the smell and taste of cherries mixed with vodka. To her horror, she heard Damien momentarily cease his rant as he leaned back, obviously enjoying the effects of the Clam Special. Alexander was reading the label on the bottle, indicating that he was the one that poured the shot. Her body went into overdrive as she fought to use as much brain activity as she could before the effects of the drink became apparent. Unfortunately, this only sped up her blood flow and the absorption of the alcohol. The only thought she had before she blacked out was, _Alexander is on permanent watch duty_.


	4. Testing the Waters

Cassandra was rather surprised to wake up feeling as if she'd merely fallen asleep. She had fleeting memories after the shot Alexander had snuck her, mostly involving regaining consciousness so she could continue to outdrink Damien. After a certain point, the amount of alcohol in her system was too great for even her Devil Fruit to handle. She feared that she had done something stupid last night. Unfortunately, everyone else was too intoxicated at the time, so she probably wouldn't be able collect any accounts of what might have happened.

What was more pressing, she realized, was that she wasn't in her bed. The salty sea breeze that blew off the Grand Line was too strong for her to be anywhere than on the docks or a ship. Her eyes gradually opened, and she found herself staring at the familiar slightly scorched wooden door of the men's quarters. She adjusted her body, then felt that she was in a seat of some sort. However, it was far too comfortable for any chair previously on the _Howling Knave_. She got to her feet and turned around, frowning in confusion at what she saw.

"You are awake," Raven droned, landing at her side. "How do you feel?"

"Just fine," Cassandra answered distractedly. "Raven, what is this doing here?"

Raven didn't need to look to see what she was talking about. "When you arrived back at the ship with the rest of the crew, you were obviously inebriated. Evidently, the amount and/or potency of the alcohol you consumed was too much for your system to handle at once. Regardless, you were announcing that you would be Queen of the Pirates and that all royalty need thrones. So Cain, Alexander and Lyn constructed it for you."

"Ah." The chair was surprisingly ornate for having been assembled by three drunken pirates. Cassandra suspected the frame had been assembled by the large weaponsmith, carved decoratively by the first mate and gilded by the alchemist. That being said, she had no idea where the plush cushions that lined the seat, back and arms of the throne had come from. Her Jolly Roger was stitched on the back cushion, though it wasn't done as neatly as Lyn's usual work. She pushed the chair with her finger, but it didn't budge. Well, it was securely bolted to the deck. Her crewmembers were apparently very efficient drunkards.

"I'm touched," she said. "Well anyway, where are the others?"

Raven didn't respond immediately, which confused Cassandra further. The doctor's indecision was revealed when she said, "Would you like me to tell you or do you want to see for yourself?"

Cassandra grinned widely. "I want to see them."

The petite pirate walked over to the galley with a brief glance over her shoulder. "Cain is simply unconscious on the forecastle deck, but the others are in unusual positions."

The pirate captain looked around as they entered. While the kitchen was in disarray, it wasn't much worse than when Lyn tried to experiment in cooking. However, there weren't any pirates visible. Her grin returned in full force as Raven led her behind the counter and crouched before the sink. "His alcohol levels indicate that he drank in moderation for the most part. However, I suspect that towards the end, he lost most of his restraint in an effort to beat Damien."

Cassandra opened the cabinet to see her musician curled up into a compact ball. "I don't believe for a second you measured that quantitatively. You're just getting to know him too well. How in the seven hells did he get in there?"

"He was mumbling about keeping hydrated and apparently did not want to risk falling off the walkway in the men's room," Raven explained. "I do believe he did his best to be responsible. Resisting pressure from Damien and Lyn to continue drinking would be an unrealistic expectation from him."

"He did well," Cassandra agreed. She gave a glare as she remembered. "But the bastard was the one that slipped me that shot of Clam Special. He'll get no sympathy from me when he wakes up."

Raven looked down at the sleeping musician. "That does not sound like him."

"Whatever. I'll deal with it later. Where are the rest of them?" Raven walked outside and hopped onto the rail, staring downwards. Cassandra leaned beside her, staring uncomprehendingly across the docks. Her eyes fell upon this bizarre deformity on the wooden docks that most definitely hadn't been there when she had departed the ship the night before. Bounding off the galleon, she moved from side to side, slowly realizing what it was.

"Okay, so Alexander was thirsty," Cassandra commented. "Why did Morgan feel the need to wrap himself in the dock? Additionally, has he always been able to wrap wood?"

Raven's silence indicated her lack of answers. Cassandra tried to push the wood elemental with her heel, but to no avail. Rolling her eyes, she resolved to let one of her male crewmembers deal with the elementalist. "Okay, who's next?"

"Lyn and Damien are actually not near the ship," Raven droned. "I attempted to extract Lyn from that tree over there, but she is deceptively strong. Damien was sleeping naked on that roof when I found him, but as I discovered him just before daybreak, I cannot vouch for his activities during the night."

Cassandra went for Damien first, approaching the building he was sleeping on. Not for the first time, she lamented the stagnation of her ability to climb outside buildings. Fortunately, Raven slowly ascended through the air behind her, helping her when she was about to fall or when she couldn't find a handhold. She eventually reached the roof and nearly collapsed. Her Devil Fruit had burned off all of the alcohol, but that had left her body completely exhausted. "Maybe I should challenge him to an eating contest," she mused aloud.

"That would be unwise," Raven said.

The sniper chose to focus on her attention on the slumbering pirate before her. Damien was spread-eagled on the roof, his weight causing a small indentation on the dark blue tiles. When Raven directed a wave of killing intent in his direction, his emerald eyes opened before shutting tightly an instant later. "Fuuuuck," he sighed, throwing an arm across his eyes. "My 'ead fuckin' '_urts_."

"Mine doesn't," the pirate captain informed him insolently.

He raised his scarred limb just enough to level a smoldering glare in her direction. "Fuck you, Cap'n. I 'aven' 'ad a hangover this bad in fuckin' ages. I feel like Blackie jus' did tha' thing tha' she does t' stop me."

"From what I have heard, I should have been there to stop you," Raven told him. "I have told you more than once, Damien. Simply because your body is largely immune to chemicals and toxins like Cassandra's does not mean it is completely immune. Too much of any substance can still kill you. While I will not deny you your new drink, consuming the Clam Special on top of several glasses of piña coladas, wine, mead, vodka, rum and cider was an act of complete irresponsibility."

"I'mma firs' one t' get the lecture, ain't I," he grumbled. "Fuck, I can' think. An' I prob'ly can' move either."

"Having explained your limits to you once more, you should know as well that when you do not die from a substance, especially if that substance is naturally filtered out of your system instead of propagating, it is neutralized relatively quickly. You should be able to move if you truly desire to."

"Well tha' goes to me not thinking, don' it. I can' prob'ly walk, but iunno 'ow imma get t' me feet."

Raven jumped into the air and began climbing higher and higher. After she reached a height she believed to be sufficient, she kicked off hard in midair and almost vanished from Cassandra's sight. Her accelerated dive that drove her into Damien's stomach was enough to break the tiles beneath the weighty navigator and send him into the building. Raven rose out of the hole and alighted on a nearby chimney, one hand rubbing her back. "What was that?" Cassandra asked, having never seen the tiny pirate use such an attack.

"A combination of three techniques: ran irz, akat and kraur golnauk. By ascending into the air, I can get enough room to accelerate to my maximum speed. Then I harden my muscles to increase the force behind the attack. It is actually a much weaker attack than it appears, as krau golnauk is a defensive technique and does not compare to karn frun."

Cassandra frowned, ignoring the building trembling as Damien exited through a wall. "What's karn frun? Is that one of the advanced techniques?"

"Frun is a gift from the gods of life given to all beings," Raven droned. "Further explanation can wait. We will need Damien to extract Lyn from the tree."

"Right." Cassandra leapt from the rooftop, not bothering to roll as she hit the ground. Her bones nearly snapped from the impact, but she ignored the pain and limped after the stumbling navigator. "Damien! Wait up for a moment."

He wobbled from side to side, his hand on the side of his head. As she caught up to him, she wondered if he realized he was digging his claws into his skin, causing blood to run down his face. He looked down at her as she put a hand to his arm and began guiding him towards the tree Lyn was sleeping in. "What're you doin'?"

"We need your help." Raven appeared at his other side, her eyes on the wounds he was making. "Lyn is attached to one of the branches and I cannot get her off."

"You lost yer brains, Blackie?" he mumbled. "Why can' you get 'er down?"

"Just do it, okay?" Cassandra ordered softly. "And try to do it in a way that doesn't damage the tree too much."

Damien stared up at the first mate, searching for her among the leaves. After locating her, he groused a bit under his breath as his hungover mind tried to come up with a solution. He suddenly burst into the air, but ended up miscalculating and hurtling in a completely different direction. He hit the ground shoulder-first, creating a small crater in the pavement. Evidently annoyed with his mistake, he slammed his fist into the ground, propelling him to his knees. From here, he was able to climb to his feet and try a different tactic.

The scarred pirate settled for snapping the trunk of the tree with a powerful side kick and catching it as it fell. Cassandra and Raven hastily went over to where the branch the first mate was attached to had nearly hit the ground and attempted to pry her free. The reason Raven hadn't been able to do it alone was evident; Lyn was clinging to the limb with such strength that any use of force would have seriously injured the sleeping pirate.

"Why didn't you use a muscle relaxant or something?" Cassandra inquired.

"Combining such drugs with alcohol could have serious effects on her body. I could not break the branch either as I do not have the strength required to keep it from hitting the ground."

Cassandra nodded and shot the wooden limb a few feet away from the slumbering woman. While Raven couldn't lift the branch by herself, the two pirates together were able to gently guide it to the ground. "Okay, you can put it down, Damien!" the pirate captain called.

With a grunt of exertion, Damien heaved the tree over a few feet, where it crashed harmlessly onto the street. "Argh, tha' was way fuckin' 'arder than it shoulda been."

"Alcohol causes muscles to become weaker due to dehydration and low blood sugar levels," Raven informed him. "Also, you will experience pain far greater than the others. I see you are aware of this and have tried to distract yourself from your internal pain."

Baring his teeth in a bloody snarl, Damien reached over and grabbed Raven's throat. Cassandra was shocked the black-clad doctor would allow him to do that, as that was most certainly a death sentence. Once Damien had his prey in his claws, he didn't let go until his prey was dead. Raven knew this as well as the captain did, yet she merely stared up at Damien with soulless black eyes.

Astonishingly, he released his grip and flexed his fingers gingerly. "Aye. Imma bring 'er back t' the ship. Ya be'er 'ave somethin' strong fer me by th' time I get there, cunt."

He reached down and crushed the middle of the branch in his fist. Lyn instinctively curled up even more tightly until she was wrapped around Damien's scarred arm. Lifting her into the air as if she weighed no more than a feather, the navigator stumped off, his free hand going back to clutching his head.

"How did you know he wouldn't kill you?" Cassandra asked, staring after the pair.

"Damien has a higher tolerance for pain than the rest of the Black Glove Pirates put together. However, the amount of alcohol he consumed last night undoubtedly ravaged his body. The reason hangovers are so severe is dehydration. He is fortunate that the complete combustion of ethanol yields water or else he would most certainly be dead. As it is, that dehydration is causing almost every system in his body to act far below its capacity."

Cassandra sighed. It would be hypocrisy to resent Raven for occasionally postponing the conclusion of the explanation in favor of detailing the reasoning behind her deduction. "And?"

"This is the weakest he has been while conscious since his reconstruction."

The sniper nodded, understanding the situation more fully. However, she still needed a few more answers. "So why did you let him do that to himself? What if we had needed him to fight?"

"The dehydration is not instant. It took some time for him to get that weak. And I believed he would benefit from learning his limits."

"He has to keep pushing his limits," Cassandra said with a smile. "He can't live without growing. Ah well. That's why he's our navigator. Now be a dear and relieve his pain as best you can."

The black-clad dipped her head and kicked off, speeding towards the ship. Cassandra glanced at the fallen tree, her lips still spread in amusement. Her navigator was truly a monster. She frowned as she realized something. If she had passed out after the throne was created and Raven only located Damien shortly before sunrise… "Aw damn…"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Raven perched on the yard, surveying the recovering pirates below her. It had taken some time for them to stay fully conscious for more than a few minutes and even longer for them to accept food. The sun had long since begun descending towards the horizon before they all gathered on the deck to eat. She would never understand why they had consumed so much alcohol despite its obvious detriment to their health. There was no sense in trying to compete with the insane navigator.

"Remind me never to challenge Damien to a drinking contest again," Cain groaned, leaning against the mast for support. "I didn't think I could drink that much Prosaic Mead. And that Clam Special nearly killed me."

"Now you know how I felt," Cassandra groused. "I had two of those damn shots. It's a wonder I'm not dead from that."

"Oh quit complaining, Captain." Alexander glared at her over his cup of coffee. "You woke up perfectly fine hours ago."

Cassandra glared right back. "No thanks to you. Why did you think it'd be funny to slip me a shot of the Special?"

The musician's bitterness turned to confusion and he put down his mug. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't pretend you don't know. We were going at a fine pace and all of a sudden BAM! Clam Special to the face and I black out for the first time that night."

"I never served you anything. I only looked at the bottle to see why even Hothead could enjoy it."

Cassandra stared at him, obviously trying to decide whether he was lying or not. Raven knew better; she could easily see Morgan's discomfort from her lofty vantage point. The elementalist locked eyes with her and glared, silently commanding her to refrain from speaking. With a flick of her hand, she produced five knives on her fingertips, twitching them almost imperceptibly to keep them balanced. Morgan paled at this show of skill and hastily returned to his food. She continued balancing the knives to test the limits of her fine motor skills while she watched over the pirates.

None of the five blades even threatened to fall as she caught sight of something interesting. A pack of people were approaching the ship, an air of caution surrounding the party. The way they carried themselves proved they had seen quite a few battles and had survived handily. Raven contemplated slaying them before they arrived at the _Howling Knave_. Only Cassandra and Damien would notice her actions, and the navigator would only be annoyed she didn't include him. However, Cassandra would definitely want to find out their motives before killing them.

The black-clad pirate settled for tossing one knife at Cassandra and tucking the other four between her fingers. As she suspected, the sniper's incredible senses and reflexes allowed her to hear the knife coming and snatch it out of midair. She waited until Cassandra looked into her eyes before looking back at the oncoming fighters. Cassandra understood her immediately and got up to go to the railing. She motioned behind her for everyone to stay seated and leaned on the wooden beam.

"Can I help you?" she called down to the group.

One man stepped forward, distinguishing himself as the leader. "I arrived here a few minutes after you did, but by the time we were prepared to meet you, you were gone."

Raven was curious as to why this man wanted to meet Cassandra. She was sure Cassandra was too. "And who are you?"

"I am Captain Stewart Mainlen. These are five of my most trusted men."

Rather than introducing herself, Cassandra continued to interrogate him. "And how many men do you have?"

Mainlen looked a bit taken aback. "Only twenty eight. And-"

"Where did you come from and what do you want with me?"

"North Blue and I only wanted to say hello to a fellow rookie," he answered. "Can I speak to your captain?"

Cassandra reacted remarkably calmly at the unintentional insult. She turned around to survey her crew, obviously deciding who to substitute in her place. Raven quickly ran through the options to see if she could anticipate the captain's choice. Lyn would greet the other pirates enthusiastically and would definitely play along with the ruse, but her whims were troublesome and nigh on unpredictable. Damien was similarly useless. Cain would be easily taken as the captain due to his size, but his skills did not include spinning elaborate lies. Morgan was still mildly hungover and irritable, though his time as a prince had taught him a thing or two about negotiation. Raven would not know what to do aside from interrogate them, which left Alexander. The musician was truly the best choice, well-versed in social skills, diplomacy and even deceit.

"Prince Morgan," Cassandra called, the slightest tone of mockery in her voice. "Would you join me for a moment, please?"

Raven was as puzzled as the elementalist was. However, she had the luxury of watching events unfold. Morgan was the one who had to comply. He cautiously walked over to the devious sniper and crossed his arms. "What is it, C-"

Cassandra narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Oh, nothing. It seems these men wanted to meet the captain of the ship."

Morgan looked completely baffled. "But isn't that-"

"And I said you're the captain!" she ploughed on cheerily. "Now do your duty and find out what they want."

Still plainly confused, the man nevertheless did as he was told. As he vaulted overboard, Raven kicked off and landed on the railing beside Cassandra. "What are you planning?" she murmured quietly.

Cassandra merely held a finger to her smiling lips, her hazel eyes fixed on the scene below. Raven had to admit Morgan certainly looked like a prince. The heat of the Autumn Island had inspired a slight change of clothing for the arrogant man. A loose violet shirt with a gold cross over one pectoral lay open enough to reveal his toned muscles. His gold-lined pants remained unchanged and his wrists, ankles and fingers were as adorned as ever. His blue-grey eyes scanned the gathering as he analyzed them in his own way. "Who are you again?"

"I am Captain Stewart Mainlen, one of the top rookies in North Blue. Who do I have the honor of addressing?"

"Prince Morgan Zematsal," the cook answered truthfully. "What is it you want?"

Mainlen spread his arms casually in an effort to lighten the mood. "I just wanted to have a chat is all. Is that a crime?"

"I guess it isn't." The elementalist eyed the troupe once more. "And who are these people?"

"My five closest men," Mainlen repeated. "Out of a crew of twenty eight. How many men do you command?"

Raven began to see why Cassandra had chosen Morgan. That last comment was definitely a blow to the former prince's already injured pride. Raven glanced to the side to see Cassandra refraining from laughing as best she could. "The Black Glove Pirates have six crewmembers excluding the captain," Morgan spat.

Mainlen looked confused by the richly-clad pirate's obvious irritation. "Only six? You've come to the Grand Line with six people?"

"If you're done belittling me, you can see yourself back to your ship," Morgan snapped.

The other captain waved his hands in front of him disarmingly. "No, I meant no disrespect! I was only surprised is all. If you're strong enough to come here with only six people, then I'm not one to judge."

"Good. I would hate to have to teach you your place."

"Hey, watch it, young blood," one of the men cautioned. "Don't get too cocky now."

"That's our captain," Cassandra called out, "cockiest man on all the seas!"

Morgan shot a glare in her direction. "Not helping."

"Say, that's some nice jewelry you have there," another man said. "I like that one on your right index finger. How much would you be willing to get for it?"

"8,500,000 Beli," Morgan said instantly without having to look at the ring in question.

The other pirate snorted at this. "8.5 million for that? No way, man. It looks cool, but it's not worth nowhere near that much."

"Only to the ignorant." Morgan raised his finger to better show off the blue jewel. "This is a bloody sapphire. Have none of you heard of it?"

"I have…" They all looked at the lanky man, who was peering curiously at Morgan's ring. "It's a type of sapphire that gets stained with blood shed by those who fought over it. But not just any blood can change it. It takes the blood of a conqueror to make it swirl like that. So I've heard, of course. I've never actually seen one before."

"Well, I'm offering it to you for 9 million." His eyes flashed fiercely at the protest the one who wanted it voiced. "The price went up because of your insolent doubt. Now, will you buy it or not? I have been seeking to replace it for a while."

He gave a small grin as the other pirate asked his companions to lend him the money necessary to pay the greedy man. Raven wasn't surprised to see they didn't have enough money to pay for the ring. A swift argument broke out over who would go to the ship to retrieve the required some. Morgan was the image of cool impatience, his arms crossed, his sandal tapping, his eyes set in an cool stare. Eventually, one pirate scampered off, returning a few minutes later with the payment. Once Morgan accepted the thick wad of bills and counted to make sure it was all there, he easily removed the ring and tossed it over. "You've made a good trade."

"Pleasure doing business," the pirate said, admiring the ring on his finger. "The blood of a conqueror… do you know whose it is?"

"It is of a tyrant killed by Pride." Raven knew the true meaning of his words as easily as she knew their dishonesty. Tolstoy Reichmann had not fought over the gem, yet if by some miracle Mainlen managed to find information on the Reichmann's death, Morgan's words would still appear true. "Is there anything else I can help you gentlemen with today?"

"No, no," Mainlen said absentmindedly. "Just stopping by for a quick chat on the way back to our ship. See you around, eh?"

Morgan nodded in confirmation before leaping back aboard the _Knave_. He was about to rejoin his crewmates when Mainlen shouted over his shoulder, "Do you have a bounty, Captain Prince?"

"I do not."

Mainlen nodded to himself. "Well, if you get one on this island, beware the Net."

The elementalist was about to ask what the Net was, but Cassandra threw out a hand to silence him. "Thank you for the warning, mister!" she yelled. "See you soon!"

Morgan waited until the other man was way out of earshot before rounding on his captain. "And would you mind telling me what exactly that was about?"

"What are you complaining about?" Cassandra shot right back. "You made us 9 million Beli off of a cheap knockoff."

"Us?" he hissed. "I made us? What do you mean…" He trailed off as he processed the end of the sentence. "You knew?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Of course I knew. A bloody sapphire that size would sell for at least five times what you asked for. I bet that pirate knew that as well. Now hand over the cash. I'd hate to have to ask Damien to get it from you."

"And why should I give it to you?" he asked angrily. "I was the one who sold it!"

The sniper rested a hand on a pistol threateningly. "Anything earned goes to Bank of Cassandra. From there, you can ask me for what you want to withdraw. Oh don't worry; I'll almost always say yes. But it's just better for me to keep track of the money. And if you don't think it's better, then consider it a rule."

Morgan looked ready to protest, but wisely decided against it. He ill-temperedly slapped the bills into Cassandra's hand, bending her wrist viciously. Raven was behind him in an instant, one knife at his throat and another pressing his lower back. Nobody was allowed to hurt Cassandra, intentionally or otherwise. "Hurt her again and your pain will be ten times worse."

"Stand down, Raven," Cassandra sighed. "Still, you did do pretty well as the pretend captain."

"And why was that necessary?" Morgan asked without his previous animosity.

"I felt like playing a little game." The sniper began idly spinning a pistol as she stared after the departed pirates. "After all, I'm not called the Insidious Amaranth for nothing. Plus, I didn't like the look of him. A bit shady, really."

"Shady?" Alexander gave a snort of amusement. "He looked shady? What about us? Raven sneaks around in the shadows all the time and you just hid your identity."

Cassandra merely shrugged. "What can I say? I didn't want the Net finding me out quite yet. Oh, I'm sure they know I'm here by now, but I didn't want an engagement right now."

"What net?" Lyn piped up.

Raven recited a watered-down version of the description she had given Cassandra earlier that day. "The Net is a group of bounty hunters spread across the seven first islands in place to catch rookie pirates like Mainlen and Cassandra. There is typically a slight increase in the existing bounty of the pirates who filter through, but this group is quite adept at culling the pack, hence their name. As the Log Pose will take six days to set and the optimal structural repairs to the _Howling Knave_ will take approximately as long, there is a high chance we will encounter them before we leave."

Damien stretched his arms above his head as he walked towards the side of the ship. Cassandra's eyes widened and she ran to grab his arm. "And where are you going?"

"Trainin'." The navigator glanced backwards at the enormous pirate preparing to follow him. "Goatfucker an' I're testin' somethin' out."

"I see. Will this training involve possible property damage or the loss of innocent lives?" She directed this question towards the man more likely to answer.

"It shouldn't," Cain assured her. "At least, it carries only a little more risk than him wandering around alone."

Cassandra nodded, clearly satisfied with this answer. "Ooh ooh, I wanna watch!" Lyn shouted, springing to her feet.

Cain crouched down to better address Damien. "Can she?"

"Fuck if I care." The massive weaponsmith lowered his hand, allowing Lyn to climb onto his muscled arm. Damien bounded off the ship and took off on all fours, leaving Cain hard-pressed to keep up.

Raven stared at the trio, trying to figure out what training Damien wanted Cain for. "Shall I monitor them?"

"They'll be fine," Cassandra dismissed. "I doubt Damien would want to attack someone if Cain is with him. But anyway, I want you to be on the lookout for suspicious people. They might not know your name, but they'll probably associate you with me. Doubly so for you, Alexander. I'm not surprised if they have your face."

Alexander didn't look at all concerned. "Not a problem. I'll just stick with someone in case I do get attacked."

"Wise man." Cassandra rubbed her shoulder as she strolled to the galley. "I'm in the mood for some Go, Alexander. Why don't you break out that set you got on Reichmann Island?"

"Fine by me. I assume Morgan will clean up the meal?"

"Of course he will!" Cassandra said sweetly. "Or he'll partake in Damien's training."

The fuming cook jerkily began collecting the dirty dishes. As Alexander and Cassandra left for their individual destinations, Raven found herself without an assigned task. She could investigate more about the wide-spread Net they would eventually face. She could continue attempting to refine her toxins and produce more chemicals, though that was more of a nighttime activity she did while on watch. She could read one of the many books in the collection she, Alexander and Cassandra shared. The doctor settled on following Damien and his training partners to monitor them anyway. She would conduct her own training routine nearby while ensuring Damien didn't injure Cain or Lyn more than was permitted.

After all, she had to stay ahead from the ever-growing navigator if she was to keep him in line.


	5. The Sons of Bandits

Morgan adjusted the final ensemble of clothing he had ordered a few days before, admiring his reflection in the mirror. It had taken him quite some time to come up with an outfit that would allow him to enjoy the autumn weather and still appear imposing. Additionally, he wanted a slight change of pace from his beloved gold-lined purple. Those were his royal colors. Right now, he was a mere ship's cook.

However, being a cook did not mean he couldn't show off his wealth. The trick was finding the correct balance. His variegated blue pants were unusually devoid of any precious metal, but he made up for it in his long-sleeved shirt. The fine green silk had been adorned with the outline of a silver bear that stretched from the left side of his chest, under his arm, and across his spine. He unbuttoned the top buttons of the shirt to show off his torso and to keep cool in the fall heat.

"Yes, these will do perfectly," he murmured to himself. He began donning the jewelry he had selected to complement the outfit, though his golden circlet remained unchanged. The gem-studded silver chains that encircled his wrists jangled lightly as he put on the ten chosen rings. He made sure the simple necklace bearing his Devil Fruit reactants was hidden behind his ornate platinum pendants. Finally, he carefully threaded a pair of earrings through the holes in his lobes, finishing the set.

After checking himself once more in the mirror, he exited the changing room with his former clothes and other acquisitions over his arms. "I'll take them."

"Most excellent," the storekeeper said, his eyes shining with pleasure. Morgan wasn't surprised at the man's happiness; he had just bought over one hundred million Beli worth of clothing and jewelry. He was lucky to have spent even that much, having been forced to sell some of his genuine pieces of jewelry to come up with that much money without his captain noticing. The onetime prince paid the man his due and looked around for his partner. "We're going now."

"Oh wow! You look awesome!" Morgan considered himself truly lucky to have the exuberant first mate accompanying him on this shopping run. When he had first gone with Lyn under Cassandra's orders, he had been outraged. The artist seemed so easy to please, but to keep her constantly out of trouble took monumental amounts of energy. He realized why Alexander had shot him a sympathy-laden look as he had departed. The musician was no stranger to Lyn's antics.

His opinion of Lyn's detriment to his enjoyment soon reversed, however, when he found out something quite interesting. He didn't quite know how Lyn did it, but she somehow always got a lower price on something she wanted. It wasn't just her looks either, though they certainly helped. Something about her innate curiosity, obvious childishness and everpresent cheer caused people to like her immediately. It was almost like salespersons enjoyed giving her a discount because it made them feel good as well. It was unfathomable. Her ability to get discounts was second only to Cassandra's, though the pirate captain got hers through relentless negotiation.

Still, it was this ability that caused him to request Lyn's presence a second time. Without her, his clothes and jewelry might have cost half again as much. And it wasn't as if he didn't like having her around when she didn't demand his attention. Lyn was quite pleasing to look at, especially when she wore clothes as revealing as the ones she wore now. Her bikini jeans and unbuttoned shirt left very little to the imagination, and Morgan wasn't sure how she managed to stay inside her shirt every time she so much as breathed.

"Did you find anything you wanted?" he asked gently. "Remember, it's my treat, so long as you don't mention it to our captain."

"No thanks!" she chirped, taking off the goofy hat she had been dancing around in. "I still don't see why we can't tell her!"

"I already told you, it's a surprise. You don't want to ruin the surprise, do you?"

Lyn shook her head wildly. "Nuh-uh! And you're gonna be the one to surprise her because you wanna show her how awesome you are!"

"Exactly." Morgan felt slightly bad for lying to her, which was strange because lying was second nature to him. Still, if he had Lyn on his side, Cassandra would be much less suspicious of his motives. "Are you sure you don't want anything?" he offered again in an effort to soothe his newly-developed conscience. "Name it and it's yours. Within reason, of course."

"I already got more drawing stuff and clothes last time, silly Morgan," she said with juvenile exasperation. "And I went with Cain to get new swords yesterday. And I went with Alexander to get more prayer beads five days ago. And I followed Captain around when she did her weapon restocking sometime between Alexander and Cain. She carries so much stuff, it's amazing!"

Morgan grunted, trying not to dwell on the devious sniper. As much as he loathed admitting it, he didn't have a chance of winning a fight against her. He might be able to keep her off for a bit, but she would inevitably overcome him. He didn't even want to think about the two terrifying psychopaths that were out of even Cassandra's league, no matter how much they both infuriated him.

To calm himself, he took a look at the expensive clothes he had bought. Cassandra may have stripped him of his title, but he would never surrender his dignity. Even if he was only a cook, he knew people would never mistake him for someone unimportant. For now, he needed to learn how to be a leader. Once Cassandra had taught him everything she could, he would remake the relationship into a more appropriate one.

He stepped out into the daylight, his eyes roving around to see if he had left out anything. The bazaar stretched down the street for miles, selling seemingly everything under the sun. His interests lay in another area at the moment, as the ache in his stomach indicated. Fortunately, he had managed to convince Cassandra to find the names of a few good restaurants during her information gathering, and he knew just the place to go.

"Why are we here?" Lyn whined as she stared up at the sign. "It looks boooooring."

"What are you talking about?" Morgan asked irritably. "This is one of the finest establishments on Fyuchrzend. They are famous for their steak tartare and North Blue wine combination. We are going here."

Lyn cocked her head to the side. "What's steak tartare? Some kind of cow tooth gunk?"

"What? No! That's absurd. It is made from finely chopped raw beef."

The first mate made a disgusted face. "Eww! Raw meat? Only Damien likes that kind of thing. I want something tasty and not gross!"

"I'm sure we can find something to suit your tastes." Morgan was itching to set foot in the restaurant. "Will you at least look at the menu?"

"I already know what's on it, raw cow!" Lyn insisted. "I wanna pizza!"

"Pizza?" Morgan asked incredulously. "You have a congregation of cooking styles from four different seas at your fingertips and you want pizza?"

"Mmhmm!" She looked absolutely thrilled that he understood. "Now c'mon! I think there's a place near the docks that sells some!"

Morgan couldn't understand how she could pass up an opportunity for such high-quality food for something as base as pizza. He was even willing to pay for half of her meal with his own money so Cassandra wouldn't get mad at him! "Lyn, I know you have gotten used to frugal spending and living off of what was available, but this is an opportunity to sample first-rate food. Surely you can pass up pizza just this once?"

The artist folded her arms beneath her breasts, staring at him as if he were a disobedient child. "I want pizza and I know where to get some. I don't see what's so hard about this."

"Y-_You_ don't see what's so hard about this? I am not having pizza for lunch! I am not having pizza at all!"

"Well, Morgan, I say we're going to get pizza. Remember Alexander's condition? You have to follow everyone's orders, including mine."

He gaped at her disbelievingly. This woman was ordering him to have pizza? That was a misuse of power if he had ever heard it! His fingers clenched into a fist as he briefly contemplated knocking her out. The regrettable marring of her face would almost be worth being free of her insolent attitude for long enough to have a meal. Lyn was physically one of the weakest Black Glove Pirates, but if he did hit her, he had to do so suddenly. Her reflexes might not be as sharp as her captain's, but she would probably be able to dodge an attack she saw coming.

As if sensing his internal distress, she gave a brilliant smile and pulled him into a tight hug. "Silly Morgan! Just because we're getting pizza doesn't mean we can't come back to have some of your raw cow meat! It'll only take a short time to get there and back!"

The former prince's brain tried to process several things at once. He was slightly ashamed for not having seen that solution beforehand and frustrated that she came up with it first. These two feelings were overridden by the tingling he felt when her breasts pressed against his chest, a familiar sensation he hadn't felt in what seemed like an eternity. Finally, when she let go and skipped off, he was amazed that his bitterness had almost completely vanished. _I need a woman_… he thought to himself as he dazedly followed Lyn to the pizza merchant. His eyes continually strayed to the swaying of her hips as she moved down the street, no matter how hard he tried to avert them.

Unbidden, the memory of the beginning of his first market run with Lyn sprung into his mind. _He and Cassandra were negotiating his allotted funds, 'negotiating' being a pathetic way of describing her refusal to budge from her initial offer. After angrily grabbing the thin wad of bills from the vexing captain, he turned to see Lyn striding down the docks. His gaze lingered for a touch too long before he remembered Cassandra's irritating ability to pick up on the smallest cues._

"_She's gorgeous, isn't she."_

_Morgan only grunted the affirmative, unwilling to give her the pleasure of a full response._

_"You don't have to pretend. She really is beautiful. People will bend over backwards for her, and she draws them like she's their long-lost friend. __So do me a favor: keep her out of trouble. She's too trusting and won't see if anyone's trying to take advantage of her."_

"_I will definitely keep any of these plebeians from laying a finger on her," he swore. And he would. It would be a shame to see such beauty sullied by such lowly men._

_He gave an involuntary squeal of surprise as his genitals were suddenly subjected to considerable pressure. His hands flew to his groin in an effort to ease his pain, but found there was already a hand in place. He looked down in horror to see Cassandra's hand clutching his valued organs in an iron grip. He stared at her uncomprehendingly, trying to figure out why she was doing such a horrible thing._

_She looked him square in the eyes, which somehow shocked him even more. "Now stop thinking with this head and use your brain. I didn't say to keep the 'plebeians' from harassing her. I included you in that category. I find out that you made any advances on our darling first mate and _these_-" she squeezed harder for emphasis, nearly bringing him to his knees, "these become mine. Are we clear?"_

"_Ys!" he squeaked in a voice much higher than his usual tone._

"_What was that?" she asked cruelly._

"_Yes! Yes, we're clear! Just let go, please, Captain!" He sagged against the railing as she released him, his gloved hand going to his crotch, dignity be damned. As he turned away to protect his precious manhood, he shot a glare in her direction. "What was that for? Aren't women supposed to only act like crazy one week a month?"_

_The instant the words left his mouth, he knew he was in trouble. She grabbed him by the throat and bodily lifted him off the ground for a moment, her eyes as hard as stone. He tried to pry her fingers away from his neck as his feet reunited with the deck, but couldn't get his fingers around hers. His hand flew to his necklace of catalysts, but he couldn't activate his Devil Fruit for some reason. He froze completely as she brought a knifepoint dangerously close to his eye. "That has nothing to do with it, you misogynist prat. You and your father could do with some reeducation."_

"_My father?"_

_Instead of responding, she threw him against the railing with a noise of disgust. "Get out of here, Morgan. Keep your hands off of Lyn or I will castrate you."_

_Taking her threat at face value, he put a hand to the sprig on his necklace and failed to restrain his relief when thick green vines began coiling around his limbs. As quickly as he could, he leapt overboard and loped after the less psychotic female pirate. Anywhere was better than being on the _Howling Knave_ at that point_.

Much to his puzzlement, Cassandra's attitude had been completely changed when he had returned with Lyn unharmed. While not apologetic in the least, she did treat him more civilly and promised to increase his allowance ever so slightly. This sudden shift did nothing to convince the onetime prince that her monthly flow had played no part. The only hole in his theory was that she had acted like that for as long as he had known her.

As Lyn happily purchased her greasy food, he let his gaze linger on her figure once more. For all of the low-quality food she ate, she still looked amazing. However, the skull stitched on the back of her open shirt seemed to be watching him as closely as Cassandra did. That certainly killed his mood somewhat, but it was also a good reminder of what would happen if anything happened to the first mate, his fault or otherwise. His eyes went elsewhere as his groin gave a painful twinge as if reminding him of the possible consequences he would face.

It was this temporary unwillingness to admire her body that allowed him to catch sight of another person staring at her. Ordinarily, Morgan wouldn't have given the poor fool a second thought; a head turner like Lyn always had observers. But this man wasn't looking at her lustfully or appreciatively. No, he was staring at the Jolly Roger on her back with the same predatory eyes his insane monster of a crewmate frequently had. This was not a man who wanted Lyn in his arms. This was a man that wanted a Black Glove Pirate in a grave.

His first instinct was to separate himself from the inevitable conflict that would arise. However, he did have duties as a fellow crewmate, and his mysteriously growing conscience told him to act. So, with a huge sigh of exasperation, he threw his bags over his shoulder and went to confront the offending man.

When he reached the spot the watcher had been standing, however, his target was nowhere to be seen. Morgan frowned at this and looked from side to side. The watcher hadn't moved his eyes away from Lyn, so he couldn't have seen Morgan coming. The cook didn't think the man could move as fast as his doctor crewmate either. So how had the man managed to slip away? It was as if he had moved the instant a bystander had come between him and Morgan. But how did he know Morgan had been approaching him?

Much to his surprise, Morgan caught sight of him again lurking behind a tree slightly closer to Lyn. The man was definitely not watching the elementalist, who hustled towards him. Yet again, when Morgan arrived at the tree, the man was gone. "What the hell…" he muttered under his breath, searching for the stalker once more.

When he found the offender once more, he wasn't at all pleased. The man was only a few feet away from the bubbly first mate, hiding in the doorway of a building. This time, the unmistakable glint of a weapon could be seen on his belt. Knowing he had to do something before the man disappeared again, he removed his least valuable ring and threw it at the watcher as hard as he could. "Lyn, look out!"

Lyn whirled around, her electric blue eyes instantly finding the wary elementalist. Morgan hurried over to the door, clicking his tongue angrily as he saw the silver band embedded in the wood instead of the man's skull. Wrenching it out of the door and slipping it back on his finger, he roughly grabbed Lyn's arm and began herding her towards the docks.

"Hey! What're you doing?" she demanded, not putting up much of a fight.

"Someone is trying to kill you," he warned, blue-grey eyes scanning the crowd for the stalker. "And now they're going to want to kill me too."

The artist instantly grasped the seriousness of the situation, which surprised Morgan. While she didn't quite lose her cheerful demeanor, she looked considerably more focused than her usual airheaded nature. Morgan barely had time to wonder why women were so complicated before Lyn pulled him into an alleyway and pressed him against the wall. "What?"

Lyn put a finger to his lips as she quickly scarfed down her pizza slice. After wiping her hand on her pants, she looked him square in the eyes. "Hold me."

Before he could even begin to process her words, she collapsed into his arms. As unexpected as it was, he was strong enough that her weight was easy enough to manage. Carefully hooking his bag on a nearby protrusion, he adjusted her into a more comfortable position, wondering what the hell Lyn was doing. There was no possibility she had simply fainted; Cassandra would not have brought her to the Grand Line with such a weak constitution. When she finally opened her eyes and pushed away from him, he raised an eyebrow, silently demanding an explanation.

Silent demands were completely lost upon her as she peeked out of the alleyway. "So there he is. He's really sneaky. Not sneaky like Raven, but I think he knew I was watching him. He tried to hide with the people, but I found him again!"

"What on earth are you talking about?" he asked irritably.

Once again ignoring him, she grabbed his hand and pointed outside. "We're going to make a run for the ship now. Captain said if we run into trouble that we should find her or Raven. Captain's somewhere else, but Raven is on the ship so that's where we're going. Okay, now!"

Morgan grabbed his bag as he exited onto the street at a full sprint, surprised at her top speed. While it was nowhere near his fastest sprinting speed, it was a rigorous pace to keep. They wove through the network of streets in a way that was most certainly not the fastest way back to the _Howling Knave_. Morgan reasoned that this was an attempt to lose their pursuer. Lyn seemed to know every evasive trick, from cutting through shops to hiding behind carts to snatching the occasional article of clothing off a passerby to temporarily disguise herself. All of this begged the question: when and where did she learn to do this?

Just as they turned the corner and saw the docks in the distance, Lyn slid to a sudden stop. Morgan turned to her in annoyance, but her eyes were fixed inland. The ex-bandit whirled about to see the man standing in the open street, two knives held loosely in his fingers. "When did he catch up to us?"

"He's been with us almost the entire time," she said airily. "He got you a few times when I lost track of him for a bit, but otherwise he's been like a leech. Hey lily-liver! Why don't you leave us alone?"

"Wait, he got me?" he snapped. "What do you mean he got me?"

Lyn's hand trailed along his side as she kept watching the knife-wielder. Morgan's eyes widened as one of her fingers snagged on a lengthy cut that neatly bisected the bear stitched on his shirt. His mouth tightened into a thin line and he turned to face the attacker. "Forget going to the ship. We can deal with this one on our own. That bastard owes me a new shirt."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Cain absentmindedly rubbed his aching chest as he walked down the street. The cold compress Raven had bandaged to his torso had almost completely warmed up, giving him little relief from the pain. His green T-shirt covered the white strips of cloth, hiding his injuries from the world. He glanced up at the sun, still unaccustomed to heat a little stronger than any he had endured on Winter Isle. To think this was only an autumn island…

"You should have known that beating Damien unconscious would come back to bite you in the ass."

He faced the woman riding on his shoulder, careful not to shake her off. "It seemed like a sound proposition, Captain Libera. He wanted to toughen his muscles and having me attack him is the best way to do it."

"Yeah, but you think Damien's bad when he's normal. Try to knock him out or bleed him dry and you're in for a world of hurt. You're just lucky Raven was there."

Cain knew the truth behind that statement. The proposition had seemed reasonable at first. Damien wanted to test the limits of his physical endurance by having Cain repeatedly strike him. The massive pirate knew Damien would be able to withstand him even at his full strength and hadn't held back. As he had expected, Damien had weathered the blows admirably, not even bothering to block any of the attacks.

After a while, however, everything changed. Instead of passively accepting the barrage of punches, Damien had dodged and retaliated full force. Once Cain had been put on the defensive, he hadn't managed to launch a single attack. The navigator was truly a frightening man when he let himself go. The onslaught of attacks had been too fast and varied to parry effectively. A punch turned into a claw strike; a kick came out of nowhere; a blast of fire forced him into Damien's rising knee. It had taken everything he had not to get hospitalized in the first ten seconds.

Of course, it had only taken ten seconds for Raven to appear and turn the one-sided battle into one of the most intense fights Cain had ever seen. The petite doctor had been ruthless, moving faster than he could see in an effort to take Damien down. Unfortunately, once Damien was unconscious, his offensive power seemed to grow constantly with every passing second. While he never moved as quickly as Raven, he managed to block, dodge or divert most of her attacks.

Inevitably, the doctor had taken him out. However, the fight was much closer than the first engagement between the two Cain had seen. Damien had improved dramatically, but Raven had been better as well. Cain knew he had some work to do before he could compete in the same league as those two.

"They are truly scary people," Cain acknowledged. "I'm glad we have them on our side. How ever did you manage to get them on your crew, Captain Libera?"

The sniper laughed at this and rested an elbow on the top of his head. "Raven believes she owes me for sparing her life when I could have taken it. Damien's here for a few different reasons: I eliminated the man who slaughtered almost everyone he knew, Alexander joined my crew, and I'm going to be Queen of the Pirates. The further I go, the more difficult the obstacles will become. Damien can't resist a challenge like that."

"That first reason is weak at best," Cain countered. "And I do believe Damien could resist a sufficiently challenging obstacle."

Captain Libera gave a light laugh. "It is indeed. As for your other point, you'd be surprised at how Damien's self-restraint works. I'm sure you've noticed by now how he holds himself back to avoid hurting those around him too much. But knock him out or get his blood boiling and there's no difference between friend and foe. He'll eliminate everything he can see unless his twisted mind prevents him. We just have to keep him attached by a single thread. Once that snaps, we're going to be in serious trouble."

"I will get stronger," Cain vowed. "I will protect you all if that happens."

He was surprised to feel a light flick at his temple. "Who said I needed your protection? I'm captain of the crew and I'm going to be the most feared person in the world, even more than my father."

Cain rubbed the back of his neck. "Well… I mean… that's not what I…"

"I'm mostly kidding, Cain," Captain Libera assured him. "Part of the reason you're on my crew is because you are a pillar of strength. With only your armor, you're as tough to take down as any engineered battlesuit. By my estimates, you're the fourth best fighter on my crew."

"Fourth?"

"Obviously, you don't have a chance against those of us who can't be killed, but if you weren't so fiercely devoted to Morgan, you'd definitely be able to take him out."

He grunted, unwilling to think of such a conflict. No matter how much he assimilated into the crew, he couldn't view Morgan as anything other than the charge he was assigned to protect with his life. Just the thought of fighting Morgan was blasphemous. He clenched his armored glove into a tight fist, knowing he would never raise a finger against the younger man.

Once again, Captain Libera showed her near-telepathic combination of reasoning and expression-reading. "But let's focus on something else, shall we?"

"How about the fact that you can read minds?" Cain asked. "You can't be much more than twenty years old, yet you can face down leaders of entire islands and get your way. Where did that skill come from?"

"As you may or may not know, I come from a family of assassins. Unlike the other six main families, my family's blood ability is rather lame. Raven's family has those kickass abilities, and some of my Moon Sisters can talk to animals or bleed acid. So to compensate, we learn how to essentially read hearts. We understand out targets better that way."

Cain could vaguely understand her explanation, but didn't want to press that particular issue. "What do you mean Moon Sisters? And I'm sorry if you've repeated this before."

"No, it's fine." He glanced to the side to see Captain Libera smiling nostalgically at the sky. "By divine will or chance or whatever you believe in, the seven families had seven daughters within one cycle of the moon. We were evenly spaced out from the waning gibbous moon to the waxing one. I am the oldest, born on the waning gibbous moon. We all carry birthmarks of that birth." She pulled off her left glove to show him the partially-shaded circle on the back of her hand. "And we can all sense each other. I can only sense Raven strongly enough to tell she's on the island, but I know the other five are alive. Beyond that, it doesn't tell me anything."

"Who are these sisters, if you don't mind me asking?"

Captain Libera shrugged, then grinned as she remembered something. "You've actually met one of them before. Remember Lady Ora, the one who brought us together?"

His dark blue eyes widened at this. "Lady Ora was an assassin? But… that can't be! The Oras are one of the wealthiest families in West Blue! They own large tracts of land on almost every island! How can they be assassins?" He stopped suddenly as he realized something. "So she was sent to Winter Isle to kill someone? Who was it? How-"

"Settle down, Cain," Captain Libera ordered, silencing him immediately. "First of all, you're a pirate now. Your concerns should not lie too far outside our crew. However, I will say she had nothing against Lord Zematsal or his family. She was after Lord Goratsal and Commander Otto. Your family and your former charge's family are safe."

Cain couldn't help but sag slightly in relief. "Second of all, the Oras are only a cover for her family. Jennifer's family has different names for the different seas they're in. In North Blue, they're called the Kanosaks; South Blue, Dahabs; East Blue, Jins; West Blue, Oras. Here in the Grand Line, they are the Aurics. Of course, this would all be confusing if those were real names.

"Either way, you've met dear Jen before. She's not an outstanding fighter, but she is a wily one and really difficult to engage in combat. You've obviously met Raven, the youngest and deadliest Moon Sister. Pythia's a bit of a bookworm, Jordan's a rascal, Yin's kinda like Lyn, and Shinobu is one of the sweetest women in the world."

"A sweet assassin?" This was too contradictory a statement for Cain to comprehend.

"Legend has it that all seven assassin families stemmed from a single ancestor who was widely considered the greatest assassin ever. As a result of this separation, the families specialized their abilities in certain areas and their blood adapted over the generations to fit that specialization. Shinobu's family's blood ability is more of a disease. She can turn worse than Damien, which initially made Raven and I wonder if he was related to her. Because of this, she had real trouble making friends. She tries so hard to keep connections. That's one of the reasons Shi and Jen got along so well."

"It sounds like you really care about them," Cain observed.

The sniper nodded. "They are my younger sisters, after all. They're as dear to me as my blood sister or my crewmembers. But enough about me and my world. What about you, my friend? Do you miss your family on Winter Isle?"

"Of course I do. My father is a hero on Winter Isle. Even the other bandit lords know his name. My older brothers and I do our best to live up to his name. And my mother was perfect. Strict when she needed to be and nice all other times. Of course, when we were younger and unruly, she was plenty strong enough to keep us in line."

His stomach interrupted the conversation with a mighty rumble that drew the attention of everyone within ten meters. He gave a sheepish smile as Captain Libera heaved a massive sigh and hopped off his shoulder. "Looks like we're losing another 50,000 Beli."

Cain's eyes widened and he waved his hands before him. "No, you don't have to do that."

His panic was eased by her light laughter. "It's fine, Cain. I don't like Morgan spending outrageous sums of money on trivialities, but I'm willing to pay anything if it keeps you in top form. Don't feel bad that feeding you is more expensive than the rest of the crew. It's just a fact of life that you eat more. I mean, you are an extremely large man."

There was no doubt about that. Cain was quite used to towering over regular-sized people who didn't even reach his waist. It did make him an easy target during battles and hiding was extremely difficult for him, but his job had always been to attract attention. Hiding was left to the smaller bandits.

When he voiced his thoughts aloud, Captain Libera nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you and Damien are the meatshields for the rest of us. In our little army, if we ever engage an enemy as a full crew, you two will be the vanguard. Raven and Morgan are the backup for any that slip past you while Lyn, Alexander, and I are more support. That's what the plan is at the moment, at least. As we develop new skills and gain new crewmembers, that will change."

"New crewmembers?"

Captain Libera glanced up at him. "Of course. We're not going to get through the entire Grand Line with just the seven of us."

"Well, what other positions are open?" Cain asked. "We have a captain, a first mate, a second mate, a navigator, a doctor, a cook, and a training shipwright. What else do we need?"

"Not necessarily specific positions." Captain Libera pointed at a food stall that looked sufficiently-stocked to sate Cain's hunger for a bit. "We just need to pick up some more firepower, especially to cover different areas of combat. Lyn is the best swordsperson we have, but she's not high-level. It's always nice to have someone who can go toe-to-toe with someone like Deus. And Damien and Raven don't count, because their skills lie elsewhere."

"Is that all we need?" Cain asked. "A swordsman?"

"Of course not. All I'm saying is that Lyn hasn't and will not devote her life to the sword like other swordmasters do. And the kinds of people we need are people who fight in ways I can't even think of."

Cain frowned, puzzled by the statement. "What do you mean? Ah, thank you."

She waved away his thanks as she passed up a second sandwich. "Well, I've seen quite a variety of combat styles. Don't get me wrong; I'm nowhere near arrogant or well-traveled enough to think I've seen them all. But I've seen a lot and have thought extensively of how to counter them. I was an assassin, after all, and I don't have the ability to simply avoid combat if necessary. People who are targets for assassination frequently get the most outlandish bodyguards for that express purpose: so people can't deal with them initially."

"But that doesn't always work," Cain objected. "Some people adapt and grow during fights. That's why you and Damien are so dangerous; you both learn how to fight while fighting. If I may be critical, even though she is the dealiest, Raven is the most rigid in her style."

Captain Libera grinned widely. "Oh, the three of us know that. See, Damien and Raven are complete opposites and as such, they have much to learn from one another. He's been teaching her while she's been teaching him. Then I get involved and we have a nice communication with our fists or equivalent thereof. That's the only way to teach Damien anything and it helps Raven and I get stronger as well."

This made sense. Cain smiled as he recalled something the exuberant first mate had told him. When Captain Libera shot him a questioning look, he was only too happy to explain. "Lyn told me you were the three immortals of the crew. Damien is unbreakable, Raven is untouchable, and you're impervious. I believe her too; you three seem deathless. I would dispute Raven's untouchability, as Lyn didn't see her after the Albino Panther took her out."

The sniper curled her lip in distaste. "If Damien and Raven hadn't needed to deal with Nikolai and Tango, I bet they could have overcome him. It wouldn't have been easy, but they could have done it."

"If you think so, why didn't you send them against him?" Cain inquired.

"Because that requires those two working together." Captain Libera glanced towards the docks in amusement. "We're ten years too early to have them cooperate voluntarily. Plus, haven't you figured out that strategies can't depend on Damien doing anything? I try to make plans that have a near 100% success rate. Yes, Damien doesn't back down from fights, but what he'll do afterward is too unpredictable to factor in. Besides, you heard Raven's account of that battle. Damien nearly killed her several times."

"But he did stop on Captain's Orders," Cain reminded her. "Surely that's worth something."

She shook her head at this. "No, you forgot what he said before that. Captain's Orders won't always work on him, especially since it was evoked after my 'death.' On the off-chance he's being sort of reasonable, it will work. But again, you can't count on that. I mean, when's the last time you've seen him and where was he?"

Cain racked his brain for an answer. It was strange how the more boisterous crewmembers, Lyn and Damien in particular, could fade into the background simply by being quiet. While Lyn never exercised this ability, probably because she wasn't even aware of it, Damien seemed to frequently turn up and vanish on a whim. "I don't know. Two or three days on the ship, I guess."

"Damien hasn't been to the _Knave_ in five days." The massive pirate was certainly surprised by this. "Lyn saw him four days ago at a club and she didn't identify any new wounds, so I don't think he's up to any trouble. Nevertheless, if we're attacked, he's not where we need him. That's why I don't factor him into my plans."

"What do you mean, he's probably not up to trouble?" Cain asked. "He's not the type to keep a low profile."

Captain Libera shrugged. "Even I don't know what he gets up to when he's not around. But we haven't been attacked out of revenge since Summer Isle, so whatever it is, I don't care. But let's get back to you. What do you like to do in your spare time?"

Cain suddenly felt embarrassed at being put on the spot. "I don't really have a hobby or anything. I've always just trained and worked at self-improvement."

The sniper rolled her eyes at this. "Outstanding. My crew is half workaholic."

"I'm-"

She held her hand up before he could go any further. "You need to learn to not take things at face value. There's nothing wrong with wanting to get better. If you plan to act as our shipwright for the time being, you have a lot to learn. I'm just saying to take a break every now and then. Everyone has their little pleasures they like to do. Some of us barhop, others shop. I take Lyn sightseeing every once in a while, but we don't stick together the entire day. So what do you like to do?"

Cain had to think about it. He hadn't had personal time in ages. Between taking care of Morgan, searching for Morgan, training, and learning various skills, for many years his schedule had had very little room for frivolities. He contemplated mentioning watching master laborers work, but that was too related to his own skills to count. He enjoyed eating, but he wasn't a connoisseur like Morgan or Alexander. "I'm sorry," he mumbled at last, rubbing the back of his neck. "I can't think of anything."

"Don't worry about it," Captain Libera repeated for the umpteenth time that week. "I was just curious. I don't know a lot about you besides what I've read in your file and-"

"File?" He crouched down to better look at the relatively small woman. "What file? A file on me?"

Captain Libera patted his hand gently. "Relax, Cain. It was back on Winter Isle. You didn't think that I, a woman with access to an assassin's information network, would let some complete stranger around my nakama, did you? Besides, all it detailed was your outstanding military record and your skills. It didn't cover your personal life because you aren't a future target. But I can see its lack of information in that area was because it didn't really exist."

Cain sat down on the street and heaved a sigh of relief. "That's good. You had me worried there for a moment."

She shrugged and tossed him another large sandwich. "That's why I was asking you. I just wanted to get to know you better. You're a mystery. I'm positive that Lyn has asked you over and over again about your life, but she's not part of my information gathering. If she learns something that she needs to tell me, I know she will. If you tell something to Raven, you may as well be telling me directly, but Lyn is separate."

This surprised the former bodyguard a little. He was amazed by the trust Captain had in her crew. Granted, it wasn't easily earned trust, but she evidently trusted her crew to do the right thing. "Say, Captain Libera… If I had a secret, you wouldn't tell anyone, right?"

"Of course," she said instantly. "Unless keeping it a secret would directly or indirectly harm any of us, I would take it to my," she flashed a small grin, "my very distant grave. It doesn't hurt us, does it?"

"No!" he exclaimed. "No, of course not! It's just something that's… hard to bring up."

The large pirate nodded and collected his thoughts. He was about to speak when someone else cut in. "Miss…"

Captain Libera shot the man an annoyed look. "Not now. We're having a heart-to-heart here. Go away."

She turned back to Cain, obviously believing the issue to be resolved. Much to Cain's surprise, it was not. "Miss…"

"Look, I don't have time to deal with you. Leave. Now."

"Miss…" Part of Cain admired the audacity of the intruding man, but a larger part was irritated with having his moment interrupted.

The gunwoman shared his feelings, whirling on her feet and aiming two pistols at the man's eyes. It would take Raven's skills to dodge from that range. "I'm not going to say this again. Fuck off or I will put two bullets through your head."

The man ducked his head and began retreating. Satisfied, Captain Libera reholstered her weapons and turned back to Cain. "Now, what were you sa-"

She paused as a look of confusion crossed her face. For a moment, Cain couldn't understand what was going on. They both looked at the foot of bloody steel protruding from the word 'ROGUE' written across her chest. Her T-shirt was swiftly turning from green to dark brown as her undoubtedly accelerated heartbeat drove her blood from her body. Cain wanted to move – his training as a bodyguard screamed for him to move – but in his state of emotional openness, he couldn't think clearly. Captain Libera glanced over her shoulder at the man who had impaled her.

"See, if you had listened to me, I wouldn't have had to do this," he told them. "I don't want 35 million when 50 million will do. I'm sorry, Amaranth. I had to."


	6. The Pirates' Sons

Alexander was not one for physical training. This was one reason he often grew annoyed with his childhood friend; Damien loved to train at the exclusion of everything else. More than once had the powerful fighter attempted to get Alexander into better physical shape. It wasn't that Alexander wasn't motivated to change. After all, he knew that the journey in front of them would grow considerably more difficult and it would be nice if he had some muscle beneath his fat when the time came for his support. Unlike Damien, however, he didn't know how to properly exercise his body. Damien couldn't help too much either; he couldn't comprehend Alexander's limits. Their training sessions would always start out possible, then Damien got wrapped up in his own training and neglected to monitor how Alexander was doing. It was because of this that Alexander had been wary of anything remotely physical beyond difficult transmutations.

However, on Fyuchrzend, he was introduced to another reason to dread physical training. Unlike Damien, Raven knew his limits perfectly. Unlike Damien, she didn't forget to keep monitoring him. Unlike Damien, she knew when he was trying to stop due to discomfort and when he actually couldn't take any more. He had thought Damien was a cruel taskmaster. Raven put the navigator to shame.

"Only ten more curls and five more pushups and you will be done for today," she droned.

The alchemist didn't even know where she had gotten the weights from. All he knew was that in a crate by the men's quarters were weights ranging from five to five hundred pounds. He mentally excluded the multi-ton weights in the men's quarters obviously purchased for Cain and Damien to use. He wasn't using those in his lifetime.

As his quivering arms completed the final pushup, he collapsed to the deck, his muscles feeling like gelatin. After lying there for a moment, he gradually moved his hand over to retrieve his glasses. He put them on and looked around for Raven, finding her standing horizontally on the mast.

"And how… are you doing that?" he gasped.

"Though this may seem like a parlor trick, it is taking a combination of rapid movement and air jumping," she explained. "It is not uncommon for members of my family to do this as an intimidation tactic."

Alexander slumped against the railing and began using a towel to get at the sweat he had built up over the nightmarish exercise. "Can't… see why."

"It is because humans operate on a largely fixed set of three dimensional axes. When something appears that-"

"Again, Raven, sarcasm." He gratefully chugged the chilled beverage Raven had set aside for him, uncaring of its taste. "I never thought you would," a short pause to gather his breath, "you would advocate chocolate milk after a workout. That seems like a decision based in Lyn logic."

"Chocolate milk has rehydrating properties along with replenishing carbohydrates and protein used during exercise. Within the next forty five minutes, consume half a liter. Afterwards, you may switch to a preferred drink."

Alexander had heard the explanation before, but it still amazed him. It had never occurred to him that a drink he had previously only associated with sugar-loving children and Lyn was actually useful. "Do the others drink it afterwards?"

"Lyn does, as does Damien when Lyn convinces him. Cain and Morgan prefer kefir."

"What about you and Captain?"

"I have a special solution tailored to my needs. Cassandra's Devil Fruit heals the damage done by exercising, so while she gets more exhausted than Lyn, her muscles are not sore afterwards."

The alchemist grunted. "Lucky her. Then again, if I truly didn't like the chocolate milk, it would be so easy to transmute into water."

"If you have the energy to transmute-"

"No!" he shouted. "This is less than a liter, which takes barely any energy at all. It's not like I'm making a pool big enough to trap someone."

She accepted this answer and settled for staring at him from her horizontal position. He pulled the sleeveless shirt from his torso several times in an effort to cool down, but the action barely helped. After letting him down another mouthful of liquid, Raven spoke again. "I would like to continue our discussion on dreams."

This conversation was something Alexander loved having. A small part of it was that he got to teach Raven about something in return, but mostly he enjoyed helping the smaller woman overcome the years of emotional decay she had suffered. He counted her as one of his nakama and helping her feel would be a great gift to her. Of course, he wasn't stupid enough to try such a difficult task on his own; Cassandra and Lyn were doing their best to help the petite pirate. Even Damien was unknowingly helping simply by being a usually-present font of unfiltered emotions.

"Very well, Raven. What would you like to talk about?"

"I do not understand how a dream is supposed to motivate me. I only said I wanted to create a perfect art of fighting and killing to placate Lyn."

Alexander recalled a time when he would be surprised at Raven doing something for anyone but Cassandra. That was but one positive change he had seen in the former assassin. "And what's wrong with that? Don't you train constantly to get better at fighting? After all, you're different from the rest of us. We frequently rely on powers we didn't even know we had to overcome the most difficult obstacles. You don't use any technique in battle that you haven't practiced ten thousand times before."

He narrowed his eyes at her as he realized what her objection would be. "And Reichmann Island doesn't count. There were extenuating circumstances there."

"If you wish to put that side, I will allow it for now. There is no such thing as a perfect art of fighting and killing. Fighting and killing are not always mutually inclusive and one method is not necessarily better than the next. Additionally, even if I were to create my own style, I would not implement it. As you said, I have already practiced six techniques tens of thousands of times. Even these six techniques are not suitable for all circumstances. That is why three more techniques exist."

"Raven, you're stressing out over the details," Alexander said soothingly. "None of us are holding you to what you said on Reverse Mountain. You're right; it was just something in the moment to soothe our rambunctious first mate. It would be completely unrealistic for you to have a fully-fledged dream so soon after you started even thinking about thinking about a dream. I'm sure none of us besides us two and Captain even remember what you said."

"So I do not have to follow through and attempt to achieve the unachievable," Raven concluded.

The musician sighed and wiped his brow. "Whether your dream is achievable or not is irrelevant. If you think it's unachievable, then it isn't a true dream. You might pursue it, but your whole heart won't be in it. If you have a goal that to others might seem unachievable, but you truly believe you can do it, then that is a dream."

"I do not understand."

Alexander racked his brain for an example. "Well, take Captain. She didn't always want to be Queen of the Pirates, but once she decided that's what she wants to be, she pursues that goal wholeheartedly. That's why we're on the Grand Line, after all. But usually when she tells other people of her dream, they scoff and scorn her. To them, becoming King or Queen of the Pirates is an impossible goal."

"But we do not think it is impossible."

"Exactly. There are people who truly believe Captain will be Pirate Queen. Some of them, like Deus and Laocoon, believe because they trust her abilities and her drive. Others join her because they believe and they want to be with her when she achieves this goal. That motivates them to help her wherever they can. Even if it means giving up their lives."

Raven blinked as she pondered this. "Do you believe Damien or Morgan will lay down their lives if it means Cassandra gets closer to her goal?"

"See, you need to differentiate throwing one's life away and sacrificing one's life. They won't give up their lives needlessly. Captain wouldn't want that anyway. What I am sure of is that if the only way, and I mean the _only_ way that Captain will move forward is if Damien gives up his life, he'll do it. Morgan won't, but he will once he becomes part of the crew."

"I am not sure you are not letting your friendship with Damien blind you from reality."

Alexander smiled broadly. "You're only saying that because you still don't understand. You, my friend, are still as knowledgeable about relationships as a baby. Less, actually. And I don't mean that insultingly."

"I know you do not." She vanished from her horizontal standing position on the mast and reappeared crouching on the railing above him. "It is true that my family worked tirelessly at dampening my emotions to the point of nonexistence."

"Ah, but you were saved," he said. "If they had fully succeeded, you would not be here. You have two real relationships that I can see. You're bonded to Captain not only because she's your Moon Sister, not only because she spared your life, not only because she showed you kindness when nobody else did, but also because you believe in her dream. That means more to her than you can possibly understand right now."

"And the other?"

The alchemist shrugged nonchalantly. "Lyn, of course. She is truly an amazing woman. I don't know how she does it, and I really don't think it's because of her religion. She can see into the heart of anyone. More importantly, she forgives them their sins. So long as she's not suffering, she can put a smile on anyone's face." He leaned his head back and stared up at her. "Well, not yours. But that's because smiling isn't something you can attach to an emotion yet."

She stared right back at him. "What does that have to do with my relationship with her?"

"Well, you do things to keep her happy. If you think for a second about saying how that's for crew morale or something, that's bullshit and you know it. Lyn completely understands when you don't want to do something. She would be happy either way. But when you wore that ribbon on Reichmann Island or joined us in shouting our dreams, true or not, you did it because it made her happy. Can you explain why you do that?"

The black-clad pirate had nothing to say. Sighing to himself, Alexander stood up and stretched his arms above his head. "Well, I'm going to take a shower. Think about it, okay?"

Raven inclined her head and disappeared. Alexander ambled into the men's quarters, trying not to use his weary muscles too much. Instead of descending into the true room to put his clothes in his hamper like he usually did, he simply stripped off his sweaty clothes as he circumnavigated the pit and tossed them in. He would be sure to put them away properly when he was done, but he desperately wanted to cleanse himself of the sweat sticking to his skin.

He stepped directly into the shower without waiting for the water to heat up, enjoying the brief coldness. It woke him up slightly and temporarily distracted him from his aching body. As the water warmed, he put his head underneath and could feel the sweat washing away. There simply was no better feeling after strenuous activity than a refreshing shower. Even Damien agreed on that point, though his definition of cleaning varied depending on his mood.

While applying shampoo to his hair, Alexander couldn't help but chuckle as he recalled the trouble they had gone to through clean Cain while at sea. The enormous man mentioned how most islands had public baths large enough to hold him, but the _Howling Knave_ didn't have cleaning facilities big enough to accommodate him. Fortunately, none of the men were strangers to military showers. All it had taken was some creative use of Damien's flame, Alexander's transmutation, and Morgan's water elemental to clean the enormous pirate off properly. Of course, Alexander had ensured the female pirates were occupied for modesty's sake, but the activity turned out to be successful.

_It's amazing what a little teamwork can accomplish_, he thought as he rinsed his hair and prepared to put some facial soap on his washcloth.

"In doing things that make Lyn happy, I strengthen the relationship, but how does Lyn benefit aside from momentary joy?"

Alexander yelled in surprise as he whirled about, grasping at the shower curtain in an effort to cover himself. After determining the woman was not inside the bathroom with him, he cautiously stepped outside the shower and craned his neck around to look out of the porthole near the ceiling. Sure enough, the petite doctor was peering in, probably crouching on the side of the hull to do so. He instantly moved back into the shower and out of sight, sure that his face was bright red. He took several relaxing breaths as he reminded himself that Raven was still learning how to interact with other people. Lyn's complete lack of propriety had probably been a bad influence.

"What the hell are you doing?" he shouted.

"Continuing the conversation. I have thought about what you said, but I do not understand-"

"No, but why now?"

"I was thinking about it, but could not understand how Lyn benefits. Since further thought proved pointless, I asked you."

Alexander took a deep breath. "But couldn't you have waited until I was outside of the bathroom?"

"But then I could not continue thinking about it."

"Only people of similar genders should communicate inside a bathroom," he said as calmly as he could.

"I am not inside the bathroom," she pointed out.

"But I am. Lyn and Damien are not good indicators of how one should act in settings when one or more persons are not clothed. I realize one doesn't care about nudity and the other relishes it, but they're more atypical."

Raven paused for a moment. "So you wish to postpone the continuation of this conversation until you are clothed?"

"Yes!" Alexander said a bit more forcefully than he intended.

"Very well." After waiting a few seconds, Alexander stepped outside the shower once again to make sure Raven was gone. Upon seeing no sight of the deadly woman, he exhaled heavily and resumed his shower. He was torn between being thorough and rushing before Raven checked up on him. He settled for taking his time, wagering that Raven would keep her word. Now that was one positive value Lyn had instilled in the onetime assassin: keeping promises made to your friends. While Raven hadn't explicitly promised, Alexander knew she would wait until he was fully dressed.

After washing his body and shaving his face, he exited the bathroom and descended to the main floor of the men's room. He put away his dirty clothes and went to his wardrobe for clothes. The wardrobe was technically his and Damien's, but as the navigator wore nothing but pants, Alexander had it almost entirely to himself. He carefully selected the outfit he was going to wear the rest of the day. A simple kariyushi shirt over dark trousers should be sufficient. Now he only had to find a suitable pair of socks.

"My understanding from relationships is that both people benefit. Fleeting elation does not seem like a benefit."

Alexander jerked backwards, his arms windmilling as he tried to balance himself. Unfortunately, his trajectory sent him directly into his hammock, sending him spinning head over heels. Before he could hit the floor, a pair of firm hands stabilized him. Nodding thankfully as he regained stable footing, he put a hand to his pounding heart. "When I said wait until I was dressed, I meant until I was back outside."

"I am not a mind-reader," Raven deadpanned, flitting up to the walkway. "Cassandra is the one who combines emotions and facts to deduce thinking."

The musician nodded as he began putting on his socks and shoes. "And while the men's and women's quarters are largely restricted from the other gender, there usually aren't problems about it."

"Those are not the only two genders."

"I'm aware, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Going back to your statement, you're still unaware of how Lyn benefits. Lyn wants what's best for you. You're assuming Lyn was only happy because you wore the ribbon. She's happy because you're opening up to the crew."

"I do not understand how wearing a ribbon can be interpreted as opening up to the crew. No information was given."

Alexander ascended the ladder to the walkway and exited the men's quarters. "It has nothing to do with information. When you first showed up on the _Knave_, you scared me to death. Figure of speech! But now we're having a conversation about things you don't know about. Now tell me, Raven, weeks ago when you first saw me, did you think we'd be able to talk like this?"

"I did not." She appeared crouching on a nearby rail. "You appeared to be a weak, ineffectual member of the crew who would only hinder Cassandra."

He grinned at this, not feeling insulted in the least. "And now?"

"You are physically weak," she said bluntly. "Yet we are aiming to change that. Aside from that, you have considerable mental fortitude and your abilities are difficult to deal at first. As for your usefulness to Cassandra, there is no question. After all, you are now second mate."

"Bah. A mere title. Only to Morgan and outsiders does that mean anything. Back to the point, you and I are talking. Sure, to you this is just information transfer, but I feel good because I'm helping you. That's strengthening our relationship. And even though you don't know it, Lyn and Cassandra are just as happy because you're learning."

Raven mulled this over for a moment. "So through information exchange, relationships are strengthened."

"Well, maybe at first, but that's not everything. Take Hothead and I. We know basically everything there is to know about one another. Sure, we talk, but we just like being around each other too."

The doctor held up a hand and he paused, thinking she wanted to say something. However, her eyes were fixed on the far railing and she remained motionless. Sensing the conversation would have to be continued some other time, he slowly moved towards her and whispered, "What is it?"

"I felt killing intent," she responded quietly. She departed in the blink of an eye, only the splash of the water before him indicating where she went. For a few seconds, nothing happened. He stared anxiously over the railing, trying to figure out what was going on. A burst of water erupted skywards, but he still couldn't see what was going on. A loud crack behind him caused him to spin about, and a shout of surprise burst from his mouth.

Raven was imprinted into the mast, her onyx eyes staring off into the distance. After blinking a few times to regain her senses, she pushed off of the mast and fell to the deck. Alexander's reflexes were nowhere near sharp enough to get him moving, but Raven seemed to have accounted for that. Using her midair propulsion, she directed her fall at him, crashing into his stomach.

"What was that?" he asked frantically. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine," she told him, climbing to her feet. "We are under attack."

Something rose from the water and landed on the deck, drawing their attention. Alexander was surprised to see a red-skinned humanoid stand up straight. The figure was undoubtedly feminine; the cardigan stretched over full breasts and the skirt clinging to shapely hips left no doubt about that. Two long thin objects protruded from her head and dangled before her opaque sunglasses. What surprised him more were the two giant arms she had that culminated in large pincers and the other pairs of regular arms arranged in various positions.

"Uh…" was all he could manage to say.

"Oh aren't you the cutest?" she said gaily, two normal hands going to the sides of her face. "I love guys like you!"

His mouth couldn't even form any sound from those comments. Raven grabbed his collar and pulled him down to her level. "I cannot harm her. This battle will be left up to you."

"What?" he yelled.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Aside from analyzing the various opponents they were about to face, there was one thing on the mind of every Black Glove Pirate: where the hell was Damien?

Unfortunately, the navigator himself was no exception. For the first time in a long time, he was completely and utterly lost. It had taken him a few days to figure out where the slight pull in his bones was coming from, so he had finally mastered the art of figuring out his location on a Grand Line island. While he knew his present location, he had no idea where the _Howling Knave_ was docked. As he had set out without a clear image, he now had to find his way back.

He had come up with a solution he thought was brilliant: simply swim around the island until he found the port again. Such things as how big the island was or whether he was going in the right direction or not didn't matter to him. Consequently, he had been swimming for almost a week by his count, taking only short breaks to find food and rest. He was surprised at how energized he felt despite his near ceaseless movement. It was probably because he hadn't shed more than a drop of blood at a time in days. Despite being on the Grand Line, the animals he hunted for food were less difficult to handle than that tree beast he had encountered on Winter Isle.

He refused to believe it was because his shitty captain was right and he had just needed time to get back to his full strength. He was so used to fighting without half his blood that he had forgotten how it felt to fight otherwise. Besides, he couldn't grow soft by expecting to be fully replenished all the time; it simply wasn't his fighting style. The only way to get the thrill of battle was to feel every movement he and his enemies made. He was used to being subject to a myriad of battlefield injuries, burns excluded, so fighting in any other way seemed foolish. He trained his body to outlast an entire army if need be. Only that infuriating cunt who called herself a doctor could hope to take on an army without getting injured. Of course, she couldn't eliminate them all. She didn't have his stamina.

Of course, things turned more to his liking when he was mistaken by the occupants of an unlucky fishing boat and harpooned in the side. Retribution had been short and sweet, with a painful execution of most of the fishermen. He had kept one alive long enough to ask for directions back to the port he suspected the _Howling Knave_ was harbored, which was problematic as he didn't bothered to remember the name of said port. The direction giver had been given the most painless death.

For better or worse, he was almost instantly set upon by a large pack of carnivorous fish upon leaving the smoldering wreckage of the fishing boat. He sustained quite a few superficial injuries, but did manage to get a meal that completely sated his appetite. He settled for dragging his bleeding body onto shore and taking a nap to digest his food.

He was woken hours later by something poking at his side. After lazily swatting it away a few times, he opened his eyes and glanced at the offenders. A young girl was poking him with a stick while a similarly-aged boy watched from a few feet away. Easily climbing to his feet, the scarred navigator eyed them both disinterestedly. "Th' fuck you want?"

"Are you okay?" the girl asked. "You look kinda dead."

"I'm fuckin' fine," he growled.

The girl took a few paces back as she saw his vicious canines and clutched her stick defensively. "Where did you come from?"

"Wes' Blue." Putting the children from his mind, he began striding towards where the rest of his crew might be. He would have to make sure not to stray too far from the ocean or he might skip right past the city and wind up going around the entire island again. He wasn't in the mood for the bitching that would inevitably ensue if he delayed their advancement through the Grand Line.

"Did you swim all the way from West Blue?"

He glanced around to see that the pair of children had followed him from the beach. Deciding to ignore them, he began bounding along the rocky terrain on all fours, swiftly reaching his top long-distance speed. He kept an eye on the distant shoreline and concentrated on comparing that to the very slight feeling about where the magnetic center of the island was. He might have to get Songbird to do something about his bones. He would be willing to sacrifice this bizarre compass effect if it meant getting to rely solely on his mental mapping. He just didn't want to get rid of the extra weight and durability his skeleton had. Maybe some sort of non-magnetic metal.

"Did you?"

Much to his surprise, the group following him had swollen to five children and one adult all pursuing him on large cats. He lit his hands and feet on fire, leaving flaming tracks in his wake in an effort to discourage them from continuing to chase him. When they continued, he spread his wings and burst into the air in one controlled movement, soaring clear over a wide ravine to the right of his path. Unfortunately, he couldn't secure a good enough foothold when he landed, sending him scrabbling down the side a fair bit. He managed to claw his way back to a plateau and looked around for the curious youngsters.

As expected, they were only a few hundred feet from him, all staring at him with amazement in their eyes. Deciding that killing them swiftly wouldn't be too much of a burden on his mind, he dug his claws into the ground with enough force to crack off part of the plateau. The resulting avalanche caused them to flee for their lives, giving him the opportunity to continue his trek back to the ship.

It seemed, however, that the adult with the children had other plans. He caught up by hanging in the talons of some massive bird, determined to hunt down the navigator for some inexplicable reason. Damien snarled in irritation and stood his ground, deciding that finding out what the motherfucker wanted might get him off his back. So long as the man didn't pursue him any longer, he would live. Damien considered that a good act of generosity. He wouldn't hesitate to kill his pursuer, however. If any of the little brats continued to chase, they would meet the same fate.

"Why did you do that?" the man asked angrily as he dropped from his avian transportation. "They were only asking you questions!"

"Askin' the wrong questions of the wrong people'll getcha killed," the pirate snapped back. "Better they learn tha' now."

The man looked as baffled as he was angry. "And what are the wrong questions to ask you?"

"All of 'em." With a humorless smile of sharp teeth, the navigator considered the matter resolved and turned away.

"None of the kids are injured," the man informed him.

"Don' give a shit."

"You're lucky they weren't ki-"

Damien was on the man before he finished his sentence. His fists smashed into the hapless adult with brutal accuracy. He could feel that the man's muscles were much firmer than the average adult's, indicating a certain level of physical proficiency. However, he was no match for an irate Damien, whose heavy blows pulverized the man's bones in no time. All of the berserker's pent-up emotions were released upon his victim. He made sure to hit the extremities more often than the man's torso to inflict maximum pain. Still unsatisfied, he lit his hand on fire and stared down with crazed eyes.

"This is why you don' fuck with the wrong people." His claws penetrated the man's shoulder at the socket, easily punching clear through. The flames cauterized the wound shut before the victim had a chance to bleed out. Discarding the severed arm, he dragged his claws across the man's face, reveling in the screams of pain he elicited.

However, once Damien got going, there was no stopping him. He ripped off the man's jaw, reducing the screams to raw gurgles. He lowered his slavering mouth down, letting his breath wash over the dying man. He contemplated taking a bite, but he wasn't hungry at that moment. Deciding to deliver a final blow, he plunged his hand through the man's decimated sternum and curled his fingers around the man's spine. He crushed it and pulled it out for good measure. Not even the finest doctors in the world could prevent that death.

Much to his confusion, the act barely eased his irritation at all. He was marginally calmer, but the lack of challenge didn't thrill him at all. Maybe if he razed an entire village to the ground… Unfortunately, he didn't know of any village nearby. There might have been one a day or two back, but backtracking now was unthinkable. He could only press forward and hope something interesting stumbled into his path. Crushing the man's skull with a disdainful stomp, he took off once more.

Thus far, the Grand Line had been a huge disappointment. Well, that Clam Special had been wondrous. He wouldn't mind a shot of that right now. He considered venturing out into the ocean for another round with that pack of carnivorous fish, but he hated fighting in water. He missed fighting with a human opponent. He had been looking forward to fighters like the Shichibukai or at the very least an army of reasonably-trained soldiers. Yes, him against ten thousand seemed like a fair fight. In the state he was in now, he wouldn't even waste lives with too many area attacks. At the mere thought, he stood up straight and called as many spirits as he could handle. The souls he commanded were as displeased as he was with the lack of sacrificial offerings, their terrible howls mixing in with his own. Damien basked in the power he held, tilting his head back and staring at the heavens.

He closed his eyes as he unleashed the spirits and let them run loose upon the surrounding area, wanting the results to be a surprise.

When he looked around, he barely recognized the countryside around him. He was standing in a scorched crater that had been blasted into the earth. He was the only living being in the blackened caldera, the vegetation having been completely incinerated. Flames merrily licked the edges of the pit, the beginnings of what he hoped to be a forest fire. He leapt out of the massive crater with ease and unleashed a small burst of fire to increase the size of the blaze. The release had been useful, but was again merely a temporary solution. He needed the elation he felt only in battle, the feeling of facing an opponent truly worthy of his full strength. He had fought many noteworthy opponents, but a certain pair of female pirates came to mind above the others.

"Ain' no fuckin' way I'm missin' those two," he snarled aloud. His extended duel with the swordsman had been thrilling, his battle with axe pirate exciting, his fight with the robot exhilarating. But his fight with his captain had been one of the best experiences of his life. His near-daily battles with his black-clad crewmate were the primary things pushing him forward. He wanted to be conscious and feel her helplessness beneath his might. She felt no fear. He would be the one to beat it into her.

Following this thought process along a train of logic unique to Damien, he decided to give each of his crewmates a beatdown appropriate to their skill level. As he bounded along the coastline, he laughed as he contemplated being lenient on the musician and the first mate. A nice reminder to get stronger should suffice. His massive crewmate could certainly take a round similar to a week ago if he donned his white armor. Damien had seen it gathering rust in the rear cargo room along with the axe that had nearly claimed his left arm. He felt no resentment towards the weapon; its wielder had changed hands twice since it had injured him.

His heart began beating a little faster as he thought of the three other fights. He had to think of a handicap for the princeling to humiliate him further. Allowing him to land two good hits before retaliation seemed fair enough. His captain should be even more fun. While engaging in another fight like the one on Reichmann Island would please him to no end, he wanted to hold back until another truly remarkable occasion to unleash his might upon the regenerative woman.

His final crewmember would receive the full brunt of his fury. Flames licked his hands as he thought of new ways to slip past the doctor's defenses. As much as he hated using anything she had taught him, that micrododging ability had uses he hadn't been able to pull off yet. Now that was a reason to avoid fighting for a few days and recover his full strength. He had injured her occasionally, but this time she would receive a beating she would never forget.

He had to be the best. There was no other option.

His mad laughter echoed about the mountainside.


	7. The Three Daughters

Lyn stretched her arms above her head as she stared at the bronze-skinned man who had chased her and Morgan through the market. He obviously wanted to fight and Morgan looked ready to burst. Her cyan eyes slid over to the elementalist as she contemplated how he must be feeling. She didn't get the sense that he was angry in a hot way like Damien or in a cold way like Captain. He had suffered so many blows to his ego that he probably couldn't stand it anymore. This might be a good time to let him blow off some steam.

"Hmm," she hummed loudly. "He's a sneaky little guy. Think you can handle him, Morgan?"

"Of course I can," he said haughtily, holding his shopping bags out to her. "I won't need five minutes."

"Why should I hold that?" she asked. "You're the one with the magic armor. I'm the one who needs to move about!"

His irritated gaze moved to her. "You won't need to be moving. I'll take him on myself."

Lyn pressed her lips together in an attempt not to smile. Some fighters were really stubborn when it came to facing their opponents. Her fingers curled around the broken hilt hanging from her hip as she remembered her single-minded drive to bring Nessie Reichmann to justice. It had been her, but it hadn't been her. She had tried thinking about it once in a while, but never got anywhere. Still, it wouldn't do to just let Morgan have all the fun. She drew her rapier and pulled her prayer beads from the rapier's scabbard. "Now, now, Morgan. Didn't your mother ever teach you to share?"

"Princes don't share," he snapped. "I will not be able to fight with my full power if I have to protect my purchases."

"Then don't fight with your full power! I'll fight too!" This reasoning was completely obvious to Lyn. She knew she wasn't the smartest person, but even she could see that. "You shouldn't underestimate me, Morgan. I may be the least powerful fighter on the crew, but least powerful of our crew is still pretty good! Besides, I was the one who made sure you didn't get skewered, remember?"

The elementalist clicked his tongue in annoyance and focused back on the bounty hunter. "He hasn't moved."

"Well of course, silly!" she chirped. "He's distracting us."

"Distracting us?" He frowned and leaned slightly towards her. "What do you mean?"

Lyn sighed, putting a hand to her forehead. "Oh man. Captain was right. You and Cain are bandit soldiers. These are the streets! When it comes to fighting like this, you're the newbie. Actually, this distraction isn't just for fighting either. I've done it tons of times for other things too."

"Other things?"

The first mate gave her trademark radiant grin and cocked her head to the side. "Yup!"

Morgan's eyes flitted down her body. "Well, you certainly are a distraction. But tell me, Lyn, if this is a distraction, what is he distracting us from?"

"Iunno!"

Morgan almost facefaulted onto the street. "You don't know?"

"Nuh-uh! I'm not psychic like Captain or Raven. All I know is that he's waiting for us to do something." Lyn knew she wouldn't be able to explain it to the onetime bandit. Out of all the Black Glove Pirates, she was the one who had the most experience in the urban environment. Sure, Captain and Raven were once assassins who operated frequently in cities, but Lyn truly lived in the city despite having spent most of her youth in a convent.

Truth be told, she was more street urchin than nun, having learned so much more from the various people in the city than she had from the nuns. Her friends growing up had been the thieves and the merchants whose pockets were picked, the bar patrons and the con artists who scammed them for money, the buskers and the beggars who worked together in order to survive. Sure, the nuns had gotten her in tune with her spirit and she had picked up swordplay wherever she could, but she would never forget the lessons she had learned before Captain had stumbled into her life.

_Of course_, she thought as she remembered the broken sword she carried around, _I won't forget what I've learned since then either_. One day, she would be strong enough to wield such a sword again. She just had to get up to that point.

And conveniently, the Grand Line had seen it fit to give her such a chance! She held her sword lightly at her side as she tried to figure out the situation. She was sure that he was waiting for something, but she had no idea what. He had a trick up his sleeve, that much was certain. "Morgan, use your water thing," she said slowly. "I have an idea."

Morgan clutched the bags to his chest and managed to singlehandedly uncork the vial attached to his necklace. With a murmured "Maki Maki no Mizu," water began coursing around his body in that truly fascinating way. Of all the Devil Fruits eaten by the various crewmembers, Morgan's was undoubtedly the coolest looking.

"What's your plan," he spat, his voice slightly muffled by the thick coating of water surrounding him.

"No plan," she said with a shrug. "Just attack him. You said you could handle him and you told Captain water was your strongest thing."

The elemental rushed forward, its single foot shooting along the street without leaving a trail of dampness. While it was true that his water armor did have the best combination of speed and power, Lyn had another reason for asking him to use it. She had complete confidence in his ability to dodge the attack she knew would come. She just needed to see from where.

She wasn't entirely surprised to see a knife fly into his water from behind him. The raging liquid prevented it from connecting, but Lyn already knew what was going on. He wasn't waiting for a change in the position of the sun or for a daily citywide event to occur. He simply had an accomplice. Whether he had more than one was up for debate, but she couldn't worry about that. She was already running after the cook, wishing she had the ability to figure out where attacks had come from like some of her nakama.

However, as Morgan had inadvertently demonstrated, one advantage she had was that her body was certainly a distraction to most people, male or female. Only people fully focused on fighting could see past that. It just so happened that the helper, helpfully revealing himself by raising his hand to throw a knife, caught sight of her at the last second. His eyes remained fixed on the bounce of her chest for a few crucial seconds, more than enough time for a swordswoman to attack.

"Naipe Volador!" This was her first time using her new sword outside of practice, so she wasn't entirely sure how it would respond. She had chosen it based on its playful personality, but Captain was a good example of someone who could be playful one moment and vicious the next. She only prayed it did what she wanted it to.

The result of her attack was definitely not what she had expected. Unlike the ranged attacks of her rapier and greatsword, where the spirit had left the weapon and an air blade had been created, respectively, this new rapier was a peculiar combination of the two. An actual blade-thin air missile was created, but the spirit of the sword guided it to the man's heart. While she could see the benefit of this guiding, the sword seemed to want to claim the man's life, something that was unacceptable. This time the man had blocked, but she couldn't take that chance again. Clearly, she had to dominate the sword before she could effectively use it.

Well, in ranged combat at least. She did have one tool to control the sword in close range. The only issue was that using it would deprive her of her notable offhand weapon. Still, no offhand weapon and a cooperative sword was better than being essentially barehanded. With a deep breath of determination, she wrapped her prayer beads around her right forearm, making sure to have the biggest beat resting at the base of the rapier's blade. "Mono Ve."

Of course, that wouldn't stop the blade from trying to resist her. The ensnaring beads helped subdue it, but fighting with a neutral sword was the same as fighting with a sharpened stick. To truly use her skill as a swordswoman, her rapier would have to help her in combat. That was why she had to show it how she fought. Her teacher had shown her how much harder it was to fight without killing, but her resolve was firm. The extra difficulty was worth preserving life.

Her opponent was brandishing his two knives, a concentrated scowl on his face. He was probably a little bitter about the whole breast diversion thing, but that was his fault. She had seen firsthand that even men could keep from losing their focus. On the rare occasion she had managed to convince Damien to practice with her, he might have not fought her seriously, but she knew his mind hadn't wandered from combat for an instant. Then again, Damien was completely insane, so maybe he didn't count.

"Nice try, missy," the man said, stepping out of the shadows. "You won't get me again."

Now it was Lyn's turn to be distracted. "You! But! How are you here? Morgan's fighting you over there!"

"Nah, that's Roko," the bronze-skinned man said. "I'm his brother Roco. I didn't want to hurt a pretty woman like you, but Roko did. Shame too."

"Aww, you don't want to hurt me!" Lyn bubbled. "That is so sweet!"

The man looked puzzled. "No, I'm still going to-"

"Taco de Billar!" She thrust her rapier forward with near-perfect accuracy. The beads wrapped around her arm and hand helped restrain the sword's spirit and allowed her complete control. Roco knocked her rapier aside with one knife and thrust forward with the other. Fortunately, Lyn had ages of practice fighting with people wielding two knives who were far more proficient than he was. Her left hand grabbed his wrist before it connected and wrenched him to the side. This threw him off balance enough for her to knee him in the side.

Much to her displeasure, he used the blow to roll to the side and out of her grasp. Lyn yelped as he lunged forward and attempted to hop-skip out of reach. However, he was faster than she was, especially when she was trying to retreat. Her rapier zipped back and forth as she parried his onslaught of blows, but she couldn't launch an attack of her own. He was just too fast!

Her inability to look behind her cost her her footing. She tripped over the curb and stumbled backwards. While she never lost her balance, as she had practiced balancing in any situation countless times, her guard did lower for a moment. Roco seized the opportunity and dashed in, his daggers coming around for a scissor attack. She had to think quickly, or she would definitely get stabbed. Her left hand reflexively reached for her scabbard to retrieve her beads, only to remember she was already using them. Her fingers did find something useful that she had completely forgotten about.

Roco blinked in surprise when both of his daggers were blocked. The ornate guard of her rapier blocked one; that much he obviously expected. But what he didn't expect was the broken blade locked against his dagger. Lyn's chest heaved at the close call, but it wasn't over yet. Her back was against a wall. The four blades slowly inched closer to her skin as he began to overpower her. The corners of her lips tightened as she tried to force him back. Unfortunately, the bronze-skinned man was stronger than she was.

"Pecho Globo!" She thrust her chest out, causing her open shirt to slide away. As focused as Roco was on combat, he couldn't help but let his eyes lower for the briefest of moments. His muscles slackened just enough for Lyn to shove him away. He staggered backwards into the street, one hand going to the blood oozing from his nose.

"That's not fair!" he protested, his face reddening with each passing second.

Lyn shrugged her shirt back into place and gave a cocky grin. "It's not fair that you're stronger than I am!"

"But I'm a man!" Roco shouted, eyeing the broken sword being tied back to her scabbard. "Men are supposed to be stronger!"

"And women are supposed to have breasts! Or…" she covered her smile with one hand, "are mine the first you've seen?"

"Sh-shut up!" The knife-wielder leapt at her, but she was ready this time. An overhead slash with her rapier forced his knives up, leaving his stomach open for a powerful side kick. He bent backward to avoid most of the blow, but he was still sent back a few steps.

Lyn was upon him in an instant, the butt of her rapier slamming into his head. "To be fair," she bent to avoid a knife, "if mine are the first," rapier thrust, "you're lucky! Mine are awesome!"

"I said, shut up!" He landed a solid punch to her shoulder, which pushed her far enough away to brace one foot against her stomach. Lyn was launched across the street, tumbling across the cobblestones. She was able to roll to her feet, rapier held between her and Roco. Her actions proved to be necessary as the bronze-skinned man had followed directly behind her. He tried to dodge, but the tip of her sword cut through his side. He ignored the injury and retaliated by lashing out. She ducked in time, only losing a few strands of yellow hair to the weapon.

"Hold still!" he shouted, bringing his other knife around. With her rapier moving away from his body, Lyn blocked with her broken sword. Much to her surprise, the broken sword cut clean through Roco's knife, sending the blade spinning off to the side. She had forgotten how sharp the greatsword had been before Damien had destroyed it. Roco's fist continued towards her, but Lyn was able to bend backwards to avoid the bladeless weapon.

She spun on the ball of one foot and kicked him in his injured side. To her irritation, Roco barely flinched and countered with a solid punch that knocked the wind out of her. It wasn't fair that he was so tough. She was stronger than any normal man, but he was just making her feel like a powerless woman. As she staggered backwards, her left hand moved towards the broken greatsword and for an instant, Lyn wished it were whole. She drove the thought from her mind; she wasn't ready for such a powerful sword yet. One day, she would be ready to handle a blade like that.

She was reminded that thinking about swords in the middle of a fight wasn't the smartest idea when Roco's follow-up punch connected with her jaw. The bronze-skinned man thrust forward with both knifes, hoping she wouldn't be able to parry such an attack. However, Captain and Raven had drilled how to fight knife-wielding combatants. She stayed just outside the reach of his knives, using the superior range of her sword to keep him at bay. He tried to knock her sword aside, but she had it back between them before he could use the opportunity to advance. This new sword wasn't as light as her previous rapier, but it wasn't nearly as thick as most other swords. All it meant was her movements would be a little slower until she got stronger and used to the sword.

"Taco de Billar!" Roko hopped out of her reach, a hand going to his injured bicep. Lyn swept her sword around, flinging off drops of blood. While killing wasn't allowed and maiming should be avoided, enough injury to discourage further combat was perfectly reasonable. "You're gonna have to try harder!"

"As you wish." He put on a burst of speed, strafing around her. She glanced from side to side, watching how he moved. Running in such a tight circle must be difficult. However, something like that was only meant as a distraction. Unless he was far better than she expected him to be, he wouldn't be able to change direction and attack her without a brief pause.

Sure enough, he pushed hard against the ground to stop his forward movement, giving her the perfect opportunity. Instead of lashing out with her sword, she moved towards him and threw out her foot. She connected solidly with his side, sending him tumbling down the street. She was running immediately afterwards, unwilling to let him recover. The instant he stopped rolling, she leapt into the air, landing heavily on his stomach. The wind was driven from his body as she straddled his torso, leveling her rapier across his throat. She leaned in and flashed a cheery smile. "Gotcha!"

"You're better than I thought you would be," he gasped. "I shouldn't have engaged your crewmate so obviously."

"No, you shouldn't have. Now drop your knives," she leaned in further and gave her best imitation of Damien's crazed rictus, "or you're definitely gonna regret it."

Roco instantly flicked his knives some distance away, believing her words fully. Lyn couldn't bring herself to actually threaten the man with serious harm or death, but she could certainly imply it. She got to her feet and kept the tip of her rapier at his throat. She knew the general direction Morgan had gone in, but she couldn't quite see where he was. She leaned into the middle of the street and glanced both ways in an effort to locate the arrogant cook.

Giving up, she looked down to where Roco had been, only to find he wasn't there. No doubt he was using some hiding trick, though Lyn didn't rule out the possibility that she had simply lost track of him. Knowing she probably wouldn't be able to find him, she whirled around and dashed towards where she was pretty sure Morgan was to check on his fight. She made sure to take a winding path towards the cook so as to minimize the chances of being hit by an attack from behind.

She wasn't entirely surprised when thrown knives started flying around her, clattering against the streets and walls of the surrounding buildings. Lyn marveled at how the townspeople went about their business as if there weren't any fights going on. She supposed being on a starting island on the Grand Line did increase the frequency of the arrivals of rookies confident in their skills. Fights such as hers were undoubtedly commonplace. She did note that Roco was taking care not to hit any civilians, which she appreciated. No sense in ending innocent lives.

She shouted in pain as a blade skimmed her shoulder, drawing blood. She wanted to stop and check to make sure it wasn't too deep, but she didn't have time to spare. Unfortunately, Morgan's water elemental was as fast as a coursing river, leaving her hard pressed to keep up. He only seemed to be chasing after Roko, but not being given the opportunity to attack. As she zigzagged towards him, she gave a light laugh. She didn't know what Captain had been worrying about. The Grand Line was fun!

However, the bronze-skinned man chasing her was beginning to get on her nerves. She ducked into an alleyway and glanced around, looking for the fastest way to get to the roof. In no time, her rapier was sheathed and she was scaling the wall with the pipes, windows and cracks in the mortar as handholds. She did know that this made her an easy target, but if she could make it up, she would be okay.

Luckily, she made up without getting hit by anything and rolled onto the roof to stare up at the sky. She marveled at how the weather was so much clearer on the island than it was at sea. She giggled as she remembered the pod of sentient creatures that looked remarkably like beach balls had approached the ship. She had played with them for ages until the weather worsened.

A loud crash reminded her that this was no time to be relaxed. She scrambled to her feet and took off across the rooftops. The gently-sloping roofs were no problem for the agile first mate and she was able to dash in a relatively straight line, only breaking her pace to leap alleyways or vault over chimneys. Without the threat of something hitting her from behind, she was able to move considerably more quickly.

She soon caught sight of the water-wrapped pirate, who was stopped in the middle of an intersection. The water elemental's head moved from side to side in synch with the head of the man floating in its body. Lyn wondered whether Morgan saw what it did. She supposed it would have to, because otherwise his non-transparent elementals would be worthless in combat. She took a running jump off the roof and landed in a roll, springing to her feet an instant later. "Hiya, Morgan! You lost him, didn't you?"

"I did," he said sourly. "The coward couldn't hit me, so he vanished."

"They do this trick with lines of sight," Lyn told him. "I dunno how it works though. They're really sneaky!"

"Indeed they are. And without Alexander or a body of water around, I can't get any bigger."

"And don't use rock. We don't want to damage too much stuff here."

The prince glared down at her. "Would you rather me damage the surroundings or not protect our lives?"

"I don't need protection!" Lyn drew her rapier again and moved the beads back in contact with the sword. "I need you to watch my back!"

"That, I will do."

Lyn rolled her eyes. She was no stranger to people flirting with her and almost always reciprocated. She made so many friends that way! Through her multitude of interactions over many islands, she had seen top-class attempts to win her affection and downright pathetic ones. Morgan's comments about her appearance fell more on the latter end of the spectrum. She didn't begrudge him though; he had led a much more sheltered life. Besides, if he ever went overboard, she knew she could always tell Captain. The sniper could always be counted on to be a tad overprotective. "I don't need to run anymore, so all you need to do is point out where they are."

"If I see them, I'll attack," he snapped. "Just don't get attacked."

Lyn puffed her cheeks out with displeasure. Her sword thrummed in her hand, its feelings mirroring her own. She wanted to show Morgan she wasn't just some woman unable to defend herself. "I see how it is. I'll be sure to tell Damien that when he comes back."

"What?" Morgan exclaimed.

Roko and Roco chose that moment to attack, one throwing knives while the other darted inwards. Morgan reacted to Roco first, twisting about to face him, but Lyn was faster. She dashed towards her dual-wielding attacker, her rapier at the ready. "This one's mine, Morgan!"

Much to her irritation, Morgan's water simply curved around her and smashed into Roco from the side. However, Lyn was nothing if not adaptable, choosing to plunge her rapier into the coursing elemental and use the current to twist her about with unexpected speed. Roko was caught completely by surprise, the flat of her rapier smacking him across the face before he could block. The bronze-skinned man staggered backwards, a hand going to his injured cheek in shock.

"No time to be surprised!" she reminded him as she drove her left fist into his nose. "Fresco Vivo!" She knocked him a satisfactory distance backwards and darted after him, knowing that letting up would give him a chance to recover. Her rapier zigzagged at him like an angry hornet. Having been thrown off-guard by the previous two attacks, he couldn't react properly to her attack. His knives seemed to block where her rapier had been a split-second before, letting all of her attacks connect. Unlike his brother, Roko seemed more comfortable at attacking from range. He couldn't deal with the flurry of attacks.

What Lyn definitely didn't expect was him to push forward, enduring a few deeper cuts to get close to her. She brought her fist down on him in an attempt to stop his charge, but his shoulder solidly connected with the center of her chest, sending her flying through the air. Roko was after her instantly, two knives at the ready. Thinking quickly, she grasped the hilt of her broken sword and angled her arm downwards. Just as she expected, the blade was sharp enough to dig into the ground, but she wasn't strong enough or flying fast enough for it to slice through the street unhindered. Consequently, she slowed much more quickly than Roko expected. The bronze-skinned man slid to a stop well within Lyn's range.

"Naipe Volador!" Another line of red appeared on his face, a tiny amount of blood beading on the wound.

"That does it," he hissed. Lyn could understand his frustration. No matter where he went, she could hit him in some shape or form. "Piercing Spear!"

He lunged at her, knives outstretched. Lyn hopped backwards and thrust her rapier back into its scabbard. While her attack would be most effective with the flat of the blade, she wasn't entirely sure of her control over her new weapon. She put one hand on the hilt of the sword and one on the scabbard. "Damas Saltando!"

She brought the scabbard around with incredible speed, smacking into his cheek. He ceased his forward movement, but his head didn't turn enough for her to follow completely through with the attack. Without missing a beat, she brought her sheathed weapon in a tight arc over his head and smacked his other cheek. This time, he turned his head to allow the scabbard to continue its course. This only left his face open for the butt of the scabbard to crack across the bridge of his nose. He staggered backwards, his arms forming a cross in front of his injured face.

That was fine with Lyn. His vision temporarily blocked, she could twirl on the ball of her foot so her back was to her opponent. Such a showy and risky move would have been foolish against almost any other adversary, but she could pull it off in this case. Bringing her sword around in a reverse grip, she jabbed directly behind her, scoring a nice hit on his undefended chest. Her right hand kept the sword in place as she turned back around, her left hand grasping near the butt of her scabbard. With a powerful yank of her gloveless hand, the scabbard flew around in a wide semicircle. The hilt of her rapier cracked into Roko's head, and he crumpled to the ground.

She twisted her left wrist, bringing the handle of the rapier back into her right hand. Drawing the sword, she placed its tip at the downed man's throat. "Gotcha!"

His only response was a pained groan. Lyn's chest heaved with exertion, but she was truly pleased with the result of the fight. She had to try that move during a sparring match with one of her nakama. After a deep breath to calm herself down somewhat, she looked about for her fellow pirate. "Are you done yet, Morgie?"

The former prince glared at her and kicked the unconscious Roco towards her. "My name and that thing you insist on calling me have the same number of syllables. You're not saving any time by saying it that way."

"It's like a pet name!" she said merrily.

He visibly bristled at this. "You think of me as some pet?"

"Of course not. Pets listen to their masters!"

That pushed him over the edge. With a fierce grimace on his face, he slammed his hands onto the street. "I'll make you eat those words, woman! Maki Maki no Ishi!"

The first mate sheathed her sword and took off down the street. Roko probably wouldn't pursue her with his head ringing like a bell and his brother unconscious on the road, so she didn't have to worry about that. Plus, she had found what she was looking for! Captain rarely rose to her bait, and Raven never did. Damien's reaction depended on his unpredictable mood, and Alexander was too well-versed in dealing with his friend to be overly bothered by her antics. Cain took everything in stride. Morgan, however, was too hot-blooded and his pride was too injured for him not to retaliate. She couldn't help but laugh gaily as she sprinted towards the _Howling Knave_.

Having Morgan on board was going to be fun!

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

To tell the truth, it hurt like crazy. Just breathing was a painful process. What irked Cassandra more than the foot of steel protruding from her chest was that she had been stabbed in the back. She completely believed in using any method to win fights and had no qualms about killing someone when their back was turned. She took issue with the fact that someone had tried to kill her when her back was turned. This made her inordinately mad, solidifying the fate of her assailant. There was no question he would die. The only thing to consider was how.

As the attacker withdrew his weapon from her body, she held up a hand to nonverbally tell Cain to stay put. Ignoring the wound that would regenerate on its own, she turned to face the man and gave a dark sneer. "35 million? 50 million? You're getting nothing. You can't turn me in. Come back when you have some stronger friends."

The man twirled his two butterfly swords around in an attempt to appear intimidating. "I'm Ruffle, one of the lead bounty hunters of the Net. I don't need anybody to back me up."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "You can stop spinning those now. All it does is convince me you've mastered the deadly art of stick rotating. Excellent for the leader of a circus troupe, not so sure about its usefulness in combat."

The sniper could have predicted the next attack with her eyes closed and her fingers plugged in her ears. It was precisely because of this that she didn't move a muscle, letting his thrusted blade bite into her shoulder. She muted her senses as the metal touched her skin, so the blow barely hurt at all. Her right arm instantly fell limp as the ligaments, muscles, and nerves were severed, rendering it useless. He froze in his thrusting position with one sword above his head, curious about her lack of reaction. "You're good," she commended, keeping the pain from reaching her face. "I'll give you that. It's always wise to disable your opponent's dominant arm."

He maintained his composure remarkably well. Only a Logia Devil Fruit user, a fighter with Damien's pain tolerance, or a flat out combat masochist would have reacted as she had. He must have fought people in one of those categories quite frequently. "What are you talking about?"

"Too bad I have no dominant arm." He tried to jerk the blade from her body, but her firm grip on its hand guard combined with the top of her shoulder already beginning to regenerate around the blade kept it from moving. "Cain, if you would?"

The pirate captain was quite impressed at what happened next. Ruffle used the thick hand guard to knock Cain's boot aside, having been smart enough not to attempt a full block. Cain adapted to the misstep wondrously, planting his foot to the side and lowering himself enough to attack with his fists. With a burst of strength, Ruffle managed to extract the sword from Cassandra's body, skipping backwards as he reassessed his situation.

With the weapon gone from her body and her shoulder already healing itself, Cassandra boosted her body up to its normal combat state. The blade was far longer than any bladed weapon she could effectively wield, but she couldn't help but admire its design. With half its edge dulled and a hook at the back of the blade, the weapon was much more complex than it appeared. "I like those," she announced. "Let's take him out without damaging his weapons too much. It would be a shame to ruin such interesting swords."

"Sounds like a plan, Captain Libera," the massive pirate boomed, rearing up to his full height. Two stone truncheons were clenched in his fists, a wise choice of weapon to make. While Cassandra knew that Cain preferred axes and maces, the maneuverability of the truncheons would be beneficial against the dual butterfly swords.

As for Cassandra, she drew two of the four pistols strapped to her waist. Ruffle gave a smirk at her choice. "Guns? That's not very fair, is it?"

"Mock me if you want," she said with a shrug. "A man can harp about fairness until he's old and grey, but if being fair will wind up with me in a grave, why should I fight fairly? Dona Angeroniae!"

He blocked both bullets with the broad blades of his swords, but she was already darting forward to take advantage of his momentary distraction. He thrust forward, but she wasn't going to take another hit she didn't have to. She slid her pistol along the back of his blade, snagging the hook of his weapon with the barrel of hers. She braced the back of her hand against the flat of the blade and attempted to twist the sword from his hand.

She found out the hard way that Ruffle was much stronger than she had expected. Considering he had managed to redirect one of Cain's attacks, she should have known better. Instead of his sword flying from his hand, her pistol was dragged from her grasp. The tip of the sword clipped her shoulder, barely cutting her skin at all. More importantly, it sliced through one of the straps for her shoulder holster, causing the knife to drop from her sleeve. While it served her well in this case, for she was able to catch the knife, she would need to replace that holster.

"Asja!" Cain's stone truncheons flew between them with enough force to tear a man's arm off. Ruffle managed to pull back in time, but lost his outthrust sword in the process. Cain reared up to his full height, his dark blue eyes glaring down at the swordsman. "Do not harm my captain."

Ruffle backed off, slightly intimidated by the much larger man. "I'm trying my best not to hurt her too badly. I can lose almost a third of her bounty if she dies."

That was the wrong response. Cain raised his hands into the air and gave a mighty roar. "Reidi!" He brought his fists down with incredible speed, smashing into the ground with the force of a meteor. The street rippled as if liquid, a wave spreading through the thick stones. Unable to withstand the contortions, the stones shattered after the ripple coursed through them. Ruffle skipped backwards to avoid the flying shards, deflecting any that got too close to him with his swords.

"Ha!" the bounty hunter shouted defiantly. "You thought something like that would hurt me? That was so obvi-"

His words died in his throat as he felt two arms wrap around his. Cassandra rested her chin on her shoulder and gave a wide grin. "Who said that was supposed to hurt you? Cain, don't hold back!"

"Traust!" Ruffle tried to free his arms to block, but couldn't gain enough leverage to break free from Cassandra's hold. The force of Cain's fist impacting the swordsman's stomach sent the pair flying clear through a long series of buildings. After careening through the first few walls, Cassandra detached herself and contorted into a ball to minimize the damage done to her. Even with her attempts to protect herself, no few bones were broken as she crashed through wall after wall. She tried her best not to lose any of her weapons, but one of her pistol holsters was torn from its place on her belt.

When she finally came to a rest, it was at the end of a long furrow she had dug into the ground. As her body worked at repairing herself, she groggily looked back at the distance she had traveled. Large clouds of dust were settling and people were gazing through the holes to see what exactly had destroyed the buildings. Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself to her feet and dusted herself off. She knocked against a few of her ribs to help them back in position, doing her best to ignore the waves of pain that reverberated through her body at the action.

Her keen senses perceived Cain's approach and she glanced skywards. Sure enough, the gigantic man arrived beside her with an earthshaking landing, his hands hovering unsurely around her. "Are you okay? I didn't hit you too hard, did I?"

"Relax, Cain." She stifled a groan as her jaw clicked back into place. "As long as you don't rip anything off of me, I can recover from it. I did tell you not to hold back, didn't I? Now, where did Ruffle get off to?"

Cassandra saw that a furrow not dissimilar to hers had been gouged into the ground over to her right. When she walked over and stared towards the end of the groove, she saw that the swordsman had disappeared. She pressed her lips together in annoyance; clearly, he was quite good at taking powerful blows. To take Cain's full strength was no mean feat. Even Raven could only take one or two of Cain's punches without her body hardening technique giving way.

In a flash, she had one knife and one boot raised in the air. She admired the underhandedness of Ruffle's attacks; she fought in a very similar way. His two swords halted before they could gain much momentum, but one blade still cut through the sole of her boot. She could feel the trickle of blood run down her leg and stain her jeans from where the edge bit into her foot. Ruffle drew his swords back and retreated slightly, eyeing her doubtfully. "You're tougher than you look."

The pirate captain placed her cowboy hat back onto her head and stared out from under the brim. "You're not too bad yourself. You remind me of a good friend of mine."

"Oh? How so?"

"He's a stubborn bastard who never learned to fall." She lightly kicked her feet, dislodging the specialized knives from inside her boots enough for her to grab them. Drawing her ancestor's pistols, she put the knife hilts into the slots in the pistol butts. "I haven't succeeded in teaching him yet, but you look like you're ready for a lesson. Voluntas Carnae!"

He lunged forward at her, but was forced to stop as she shot at his eyes. The brief moment his blades were deflecting her bullets was enough time for her to dart forward, still shooting with her right pistol. She spun the left one around and grasped the barrel. He reacted quickly enough, turning his head aside and letting the edge of the knife tear through his cheek. His knee shot towards her stomach, but she was able to bring her leg up in time to only get thrown backwards.

Ruffle continued to push forward, one sword flying overhead and another aiming for her side. Instead of completing his attack, he had to twist his body to avoid the sweep of Cain's fabricated mace. The enormous pirate continued his attack, the stone weapon sweeping around in a wide arc. Ruffle ducked under the attack, but that brought his face within easy reach of Cassandra's knee. She could feel his nose give beneath the blow, but she was nowhere near done yet. Taking a deep breath, she tried to force her already energized body into an even more enhanced state similar to when she had tried to kill Tolstoy Reichmann. Nothing happened. Instead of dwelling on it, she decided to switch strategies. She would figure out why she couldn't boost herself further at some later point.

Cassandra frowned as she detected something peculiar. She whirled on the ball of her foot and swung her pistols, deflecting the knives thrown in her direction. Her sharp eyes focused on the origin of the weapons based on their approximate trajectory, but found nothing. She scanned the crowd of onlookers, but couldn't tell who, if any of them, had thrown the knives.

"Keep an eye on Ruffle," she ordered, her fingers drumming against the pistols in her hands. Another earthshaking crash followed her words, indicating Cain's approach to keeping the swordsman subdued. Cassandra continued to search her surroundings with her senses, but couldn't perceive anything abnormal. Almost too late did she hear the whistle of flying blades and whipped around to spot them. She shot the blades off course, sending them bouncing harmlessly off of Cain's leather vest. It was better than them hitting his exposed carotid artery.

This time she was able to find her opponent. A short bronze-skinned man was curling his lip with displeasure, his hands reaching back into his jacket. She aimed her pistols at him, but a civilian passed in front of him and he seemed to just vanish. She fleered and kept her guns trained on the civilian, knowing that the knife-wielder was simply walking exactly behind the innocent man. Such a trick might work on others, but she didn't just rely on her eyes to locate an enemy. She sidestepped over to Cain, who was staring at her in puzzlement. "What is it, Captain Libera?"

"Our friend Ruffle has a sneaky ally," she responded. "Keep Ruffle under control."

"Very we-" Cain shouted in pain, instantly distracting Cassandra from her target. Ruffle had apparently extracted himself from the Ruffle-shaped hole in the ground and stabbed the massive pirate in the calf with a shard of rock. The sniper briefly contemplated why Cain kept his magnificent suit of white armor in the sole remaining cargo bay if he never used it, but Cassandra knew wearing armor properly was quite an endeavor.

She did know Cain could deal with Ruffle on his own due to the powerful blow the onetime bandit had landed, but she suspected he might have problems with the sneakier one. She then realized that the man's trick of hiding among people would completely fail against a man whose eye level was about three times higher than most humans. However, Ruffle was a close combat fighter, something Cain had considerable experience with. This new person was a ranged fighter, and Cassandra prided herself on being among the elite in that category.

"Try not to kill him!" she shouted over her shoulder as she chased the other one. "But if it's unavoidable, don't hold back!"

"Aye, Captain Libera! Styrkr Smida! Vald!" Cassandra was sprinting after her target, pushing her body to the limit. An interesting side effect of her Devil Fruit was an enhanced endurance stemming from forced homeostasis. She and Raven had speculated about it for weeks, but she had had to pray they were right during her intense death match with Damien. Fortunately, their predictions were correct and her bloodthirsty crewmate hadn't claimed her life. Because of this side effect, she was able to maintain her top sprinting speed for far longer than she could when wearing her seastone ring inside her glove. As she had no current need to conceal her regeneration, the blue-green band was wrapped outside the black leather and she was slowly gaining on her target.

The chase through the streets was one Cassandra had to admit she enjoyed. It had been ages since she was the one hunting someone rather than being the hunted. Her most notable battles since she had become a pirate had been face-to-face conflicts or against more powerful opponents where she had to use evasion and trickery to win. However, now she was the more powerful fighter and her opponent was trying to lose her.

The bronze-skinned bounty hunter did have one thing going for him. He undoubtedly knew the streets better than she did, maximizing an advantage of the hunted. He had the ability to choose his path with a full knowledge of the city's layout while she had to almost exclusively react to what he did. On the other hand, her reflexes were keen even when not bolstered by her sympathetic nerve overdrive. She could alter her course almost as quickly as he could conceive any change he made. When added to the fact that he probably relied quite heavily on his ability to hid behind bystanders that her superior senses rendered useless, he was fighting against the inevitable. Sure, she could probably end it with a well-placed bullet, but she was relishing the pursuit far too much to end it prematurely.

Finally, after an impressive maneuver involving a dive through a bazaar stall of vegetables and a somersault between a horse's legs, she finally nailed the man with a sweep of her legs. He crashed to the ground, and she was on him in an instant, straddling his chest with two pistols aimed at his head. "Good run," she complimented with a satisfied grin. "You made me work for it."

He stared up at her with sullen eyes. "What do you want?"

"Who are you and why did you choose to step in only when your teammate was about to die? By all rights, someone as sneaky as you should have been the first to strike."

The man shrugged as best he could. "Roco and Roko didn't need my help, so I went to see how Ruffle was doing."

Cassandra frowned and moved her pistols slightly closer to his eyes. "Roco and Roko? What do you mean?"

"I'm Roqo, and my brothers are Roco and Roko. We all use the same style to confuse our enemies."

"You're awfully forthcoming with this information," the gunslinger said suspiciously. "I know you're not lying, but I'm curious as to why you're telling me so freely."

"A pirate with 50 million on her head isn't someone I can take on alone," he responded. "That's why my brothers and I usually act as a team. I didn't think you'd find me, so I saw no harm in getting involved. Big mistake."

Cassandra was still slightly flabbergasted by how easily the bounty hunter gave up information, but she didn't press her luck. In this case, she decided to act civilly as well, getting off of him and allowing him to get to his feet. Besides, she could put a bullet in his head if he tried to escape again. "Okay. I was going to interrogate Ruffle about more details about the Net, but I already know most of what I need to. What are your brothers doing right now?"

"Attacking two of your pirates."

The sniper panicked for the briefest of moments before she realized that the pair he was probably referring to consisted of Morgan and Lyn. As ill-mannered as Morgan could be, he was still a formidable fighter. Lyn, on the other hand, was as adept as Cassandra when it came to maneuvering in an urban environment. Despite lacking pistols or superhuman speed, the first mate was quite difficult to deal with. Cassandra wasn't worried about them. "Any others on your team besides Ruffle and your brothers?"

"Well, Rockstar should be at your ship." The sniper refrained from rolling her eyes. With Raven on board, there wasn't any problem there. "And Randy is coming for pickup. He's not going to be too happy about this."

"A man for pickup," Cassandra repeated, drumming her fingertips on her lips. "I doubt he's a match for the combined force of the Black Glove Pirates, but I suppose I'll leave Damien to it. If that bastard ever shows up."

Roqo sighed and idly scratched his chest. "So what are you going to do to me? I am a bounty hunter and you do have a bounty."

The sniper contemplated this for a moment as she stared off over his shoulder. Her gaze narrowed and she leaned forward slightly as if attempting to discern something in the distance. Roqo moved back a pace, unsure about her intentions. Curiosity got the best of him and he turned around, trying to see what she was looking at. The moment she knew she was out of his peripheral vision, Cassandra struck. The butts of her pistols crashed into his temples, and he sank to the ground like a rock.

"Ferramentum Putae." She gave her guns a stylish twirl as she thrust them back into their holsters. What happened to the bounty hunter while he was unconscious wasn't her problem. Running her fingers through her vibrant blue hair as she released the chemical boost in her system, she began jogging back towards her massive crewmember. The path Roqo had taken in an effort to escape her had been quite winding and circuitous, but she had paid enough attention to her surroundings to know the path back. There was probably a more direct way to get to Cain and Ruffle, but she didn't want to chance getting lost. With her unenhanced nose, she couldn't pinpoint his location simply by smell either. Nevertheless, she was confident Cain hadn't gotten himself killed in the span of time it had taken her to catch Roqo.

As she suspected, Cain was simply reclining against a building, looking relatively unharmed. His left pant leg had been ripped off at the knee, revealing a few gashes that oozed blood. A thin slash stretched across his muscled abdomen and a small but deep cut in his right thumb-index web. Much to her pleasure, he was holding Ruffle in his armored left gauntlet. The bounty hunter was struggling mightily, but he was nowhere near strong enough to escape the former bandit's grasp.

When his dark blue eyes spotted her, he bowed his head in greeting. "Nice to see you unharmed, Captain Libera. Not that I'm surprised."

"How are you not crushing him?" she asked curiously. "It doesn't look like he has an inch to move."

Cain's scarred lips spread in a broad grin, evidently pleased that she had to ask him about something. "Have you ever practiced fighting with an egg?"

Now that was a bizarre statement. "An egg doesn't seem like a particularly effective weapon."

He chuckled at this. "No, I meant fighting while holding an egg. It's a practice all large bandits have to do. Granted, we practice with snow snake eggs, which are about as wide as one of your handspans. But we have to learn how to not crush any fellow soldiers we evacuate from battlefields. When we were kids, we got to practice just carrying them about, but when we entered the military, we had to fight while protecting them. In order to advance past the rank of lieutenant, you had to be able to fight without breaking the egg."

"Impressive." Cassandra rapped Ruffle on the head, drawing his attention. "Hey, listen up. I've had a nice chat with your friend Roqo, and there's actually nothing I need to ask you. We'll be out of your hair as soon as our navigator comes back from wherever the hell he's gone to. Yes, you'll have to let a prize like me slip through your fingers, but I'm sure you'll get over it."

"Even if we can't get you, Randy won't have any trouble!" Ruffle protested.

Cassandra pretended to ponder this for a few moments. "Right, well we'll see when he gets here. I'd recommend not following my bounty progress. It's gonna be increasing pretty shortly, what with me escaping the Net and all, but it's just gonna depress you seeing all that money you could have gotten. And don't go chasing me when I leave Fyuchrzend either. I don't care what advantage you have out here. I'll sink your ship without a second thought. Remember all that when your guild or whatever comes to pick you up. Cain, I assume you know how to bury them too?"

Cain looked down at her in surprise. "You know about burying but not the egg practice?"

"Look, just do it," she ordered. "We can go over exactly what I do and don't know about Winter Isle later."

Knowing he would follow her command, she began walking back towards the _Howling Knave_. She heard the crunch of stone being forcibly moved and couldn't help but glance backwards at the results of Cain's skill. As she expected, Ruffle was stuck in the ground, only his head protruding above ground. Ironically, no matter how skilled he got, Cain would never be as good at burying as the resident alchemist, but he couldn't change that. His method was still quite effective at keeping the bounty hunter from moving for a long time.

She let her body relax as Cain scooped her up from behind. It was simply so much faster riding on his shoulder than walking alongside him. It was also less of a challenge for Cain, who had to drastically slow his pace to walk at a normal human's speed. She raised her eyebrows as he showed her what he held in his other hand. "I hope you don't mind me taking his swords. I have never seen this design before and wanted to study them further."

"If it means you can improve your weaponcrafting, I'm glad you're taking weapons from your defeated enemies."

"These are the first weapons I've pillaged since I met you. As a Winter Isle bandit, I try not to keep weapons on me, but occasionally necessity demands that I do. In this case, these are simply just trophies doubling as blueprints for future weapons. I will take other weapons that are large enough that I may use in certain situations."

The sniper liked his reasoning behind his policy on taking weapons from defeated opponents. "And what about that battleaxe sitting in our cargo bay right now?"

"I will return Basilikos to Dart Madaxe if we ever meet him." He looked completely firm on this point.

Cassandra accepted this. Cain was probably the most honorable Black Glove Pirate and would never break his word to keep the battleaxe, no matter how magnificent it was. "Just get us back to the ship. We have no more business on this rock and I'd like to leave as soon as that thickheaded lout returns."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

"Wait, wait, wait!" Alexander shouted. "What on earth do you mean, it's up to me?"

"I know the human body better than almost anyone," Raven said. "However, she is clearly not human."

"That's right!" the intruder sang happily. "I am the incredibly awesome Rockstar, resident lobster fishwoman of Fyuchrzend!"

Raven took the opportunity to get a good look at the newcomer. Her head and legs were relatively normal, the two long antennae protruding from her hairline excluded. It was what lay between that seemed potentially problematic. Where a human's arms would be were two arms that terminated in massive pincers. Despite Rockstar only being half a meter taller than Damien, those arms were easily the size of Cain's, resulting in the pincers almost touching the ground. They were also covered in a hard exoskeleton not unlike her crustacean counterpart, overlapping plates of armor that spread down her back as well. Her three pairs of arms more suited to a woman her size sprouted on her sides and were devoid of the thick shell. Her throat was protected by a soft shell that allowed mobility, but still appeared hard enough to repel Raven's attacks.

Alexander leaned in and lowered his voice. "She's not all covered in armor. Why can't you do anything?"

"Fishman anatomy is completely foreign to me because of the variation inside the species," Raven droned, not bothering to lower her volume. "Even if she let me study her, I would only know how to deal with her alone. This is why, if we are given fishmen as targets, we receive extensive data on them which is useless after we complete the mission. Even going for the throat or eyes cannot be a sure bet."

"Exactly~!" Rockstar shouted, holding up two fingers on each of her right hands. "But that's not important right now. Where's your captain?"

"Shopping," Alexander said immediately. When he noticed Raven staring at him, he shrugged. "What? I don't know where she is past that. She's not here is the point. But why did you attack Raven?"

"She attacked me first!" the fishwoman answered innocently.

"You approached the ship with killing intent. I did not know you were a fishwoman, or else I would not have made the mistake of engaging you in combat. Why are you looking for Cassandra?"

"I'm a bounty hunter!" If Raven knew how to, she would have eliminated the fishwoman instantly. With that possibility gone, she contemplated finding Cassandra herself. However, the situation was not dire enough to alert the pirate captain. After all, Cassandra had Cain with her. Even if fishmen had strength far greater than most humans, she was sure the weaponsmith had superior strength. The problem lay in the pincers, which could probably crush even Damien's arms. In that sense, all Cain had to do was hold Rockstar off until Cassandra got her sniper rifle.

She didn't expect Alexander's response to the statement. "You are? Fascinating. So you work for the Net, then?"

"Cute and smart!" Rockstar exclaimed. "You're definitely my type!"

Alexander gave a casual smile and tucked his thumbs into his pockets. "I must admit, I've never met a fishman before, let alone a fishwoman. You're definitely not what I expected."

"What are you doing?" Raven murmured.

The alchemist shrugged again. "Are you kidding me? There's no way I'm going to fight her. Firstly, I'm a gentleman and I try to avoid conflict with women. Ah! Are you offended if I call you that?"

Rockstar waved it aside. "Some fishpeople are fanatics about it, but I don't mind as much."

"Secondly, there's no chance in hell I'd win in combat with her. So I'm not going to fight."

"Aww~, but I wanna see your fighting skill!" Rockstar shouted. "Do you have the full trifecta? Besides, isn't this your Grand Line debut? How can you not fight a bit?"

Alexander gave an easy laugh. "I'm not like Captain or Damien. Sure, I like a little tussle now and then, but I don't enjoy fighting all that much."

The bounty hunter smashed her pincers together, causing Alexander to jump slightly. "C'mon, cutey~, let's have a light tussle then! Show me what you have!"

"No, really," Alexander said, waving his hands before him. "I'm not a one-on-one fighter. I'm better at supporting my friends with area attacks."

Raven ran through all of his past fights she had witnessed or heard of. "You are correct. That is another area you will have to improve in. While your overall attack power isn't the lowest, your individual fighting skill certainly is. Even Lyn would not have trouble incapacitating you."

"H-hey! That's not fair!" he protested. "I couldn't fight Lyn even if my life depended on it! Besides, how on earth would I subdue her? She's stronger than Captain and as agile! She's devious in her own way too!"

"Hey~!" Rockstar interrupted. "Did you forget about me~?"

"Of course not," Alexander assured her. "You're definitely not someone forgettable. So if you're hunting after Captain, why are you still here?"

Rockstar crossed her six arms and tilted her head slightly. "Because I was the one sent to the ship! My partners are the ones looking for your captain and your first mate in the city~!"

Alexander kept his easy smile on his face. However, Raven could see his fingers clench ever so slightly, betraying his inner emotions. "Is that so? Well, I hope you have some tough partners. Captain is pretty damn hard to take down and Lyn's craftiness combined with her companion's power can't be underestimated."

"Ah~, but the triplets have their own tricks and Ruffle's a superb swordsman," the bounty hunter shot back. "I wouldn't be so sure of the outcome~."

"It does not look like she will attack," Raven whispered to Alexander. "Shall I check on Cassandra and Lyn?"

"No, stay here."

Raven had not expected the tone of Alexander's response. It mirrored how Cassandra issued her commands: not overly authoritative, yet still unmistakably expecting the order to be carried out. The black-clad doctor had rarely seen this side of Alexander. He clearly had something planned, but Raven could not figure out what. She had told him that he would be the one fighting, but she only intended to use him to delay Rockstar until she found the fishwoman's weakness.

He had done a reasonable job with simple words, but it appeared that he was getting a bit angry. Raven could not understand why, but something had changed in the alchemist. For some reason, he was getting mad about the potential attacks on his crewmates. It was not as if he did not understand the situation either; he fully understood how unfeasible it would be for the other Black Glove Pirates to be taken out so easily this early in the Grand Line. While Raven simply wanted to make sure nothing unexpected had arisen, Alexander seemed to be thinking of something else.

Her lack of understanding increased when he half turned to her and flashed a confident grin. "You know damn well Captain doesn't need your help. Lyn might, but the way I see it Captain finished off her fight and went to help Lyn. Plus, Cain and Morgan are pretty good fighters. They were in the top twenty in… our 'rebellion' after all."

"Do not forget that the toughest fighter was eliminated by Cassandra."

"You and I will just have to agree to disagree on that one," he sighed. "Why isn't Hothead here dealing with this? I bet he'd love to meet a fishwoman."

"Who's this now~!" Rockstar inquired. "Someone who'd like to meet me?"

"It doesn't matter, because he isn't here now. Tell me a little about yourself, Rockstar. I'm curious as to how a beautiful fishwoman like yourself wound up here."

The bounty hunter crossed her six regular arms and clacked her pincers noisily. "Okay, I'll tell you~! But you have to earn answers from me!"

Alexander raised an eyebrow and drew his thumbs from his pockets. "Earn answers? Earn them how?"

"Rock Smash!" Rockstar darted forward as soon as he finished talking, her left pincer flying forward. While still faster than Alexander could probably perceive, the fishwoman was still slower than an unconscious Damien. Raven had no trouble reaching Alexander first and moving him out of the way. The musician shouted as he hit the floor, narrowly avoiding the maroon pincer. He reflexively covered his head as Rockstar hit the side of the men's quarters with the force of a cannonball, punching a hole clean through that showered the area with splinters.

"Wow, you dodged it!" she exclaimed, withdrawing her appendage from the damaged wall. "I'm impressed."

"As am I," Alexander mumbled, dusting himself off as he climbed to his feet. He knew perfectly well what had happened, but Rockstar evidently did not. "Are you okay?"

It took Raven a moment to realize he was talking to her. "I am unharmed."

"Good." He slumped back against an undamaged portion of the wall, a hand at his forehead. "Well, I passed the first test. Will you answer my question now?"

"Certainly~!" Rockstar sang as if she had not just tried to murder Alexander. "I'm not a huge fan of pirates, you might say. Human or fishman makes no difference; most pirates are the same. Ah, I'm not including you, of course~!"

Alexander grinned a little at this. "I'm flattered, really. But how did you make the leap from pirate-hating to bounty hunting? One does not necessarily lead to the other."

"But how could I turn a passion like that into a job?" she asked. "I wasn't going to join the Marines; their uniforms aren't nearly cute enough. So I'm part of the Net until I get strong enough to go all the way to the end of this part of the Grand Line and be a bounty hunter there~!"

"And why don't you get stronger by just going through the Grand Line?"

Rockstar opened her mouth, but could not seem to formulate an answer. Her already dark red face somehow got even redder, and she cracked all of her knuckles threateningly. "Don't- don't take me for a fool!"

"Ah crap," Alexander sighed. "I've gotten too used to you guys. You and Captain take corrections in stride and Lyn doesn't even care."

"Scissor Cut!" The bounty hunter lunged forward again, this time attempting to grab Alexander with her pincers. Still, Raven's speed was respected even inside her family, and she had no trouble knocking Alexander's legs out from underneath him. While Alexander fell to avoid the attack, the black-clad doctor darted through the hole in the men's quarters. She emerged an instant later to find Rockstar holding Alexander in the air with one normal hand. The flushed bounty hunter was doing her best to glare at him, but what Raven guessed was embarrassment was interfering. "You don't know me~! Don't make assumptions!"

"You're right, I'm sorry." For a man being held aloft by the front of his shirt, Alexander was remarkably composed. Evidently, years of dealing with his fiery friend's antics had paid off. "I didn't mean to question your reasoning."

Rockstar released him and crossed her arms, one cheek puffing out as she pouted. "Exactly. And you're much faster than you look, you know."

"You'd be surprised," he mumbled. "Anyway, third question. Since you've piqued my curiosity, why are you still here on Fyuchrzend?"

The bounty hunter shrugged her armored shoulders and scratched her head. "Iunno~. I guess it's just better to end their dreams before they get their hopes up. After all, that's why we're called the Net!"

Alexander bowed his head to Raven as she handed him his trumpet. "Then will you allow me a serenade before you attack once more?"

"Ooh~, a musician," she said appreciatively, clapping her hands together. "Let's see how good you are!"

Raven had no idea what Alexander was planning. She settled for crouching on the railing to observe his actions. She had never heard any of Alexander's performance pieces, but his regular music seemed well-polished. She could not speak for anything but the way the notes sounded, and they sounded like they fit. Lyn had praised the musician – only out of earshot – on how his music painted vivid images in her head, but Raven could not understand that. Even while he ambled about the deck, blowing a melody on his trumpet, she couldn't see anything in her mind. Rockstar appeared like she could, her starstruck eyes almost shining.

Finally, Alexander finished his piece and took a bow as Rockstar clapped enthusiastically. "Wow~!" the lobster fishwoman exclaimed. "That's amazing!"

"Thank you, thank you," he said with a smile. "It's always nice to be praised by a woman like you. Allow me to show you another one of my skills." He brought the brass instrument to his lips once more and aimed it directly at the bounty hunter. "Trompette Sonnerie!"

Rockstar was blown clear off the ship, soaring through the air like a cannonball. Raven blinked, having never seen Alexander create an attack that powerful before. The ships in a conical area in front of him were severely damaged, the wooden timbers splintering and roped rigging snapping. The musician slumped forward slightly, his hand wiping sweat from his brow. "Phew! I haven't done that for a while now."

Raven knew she only had seconds to act before Rockstar recovered. "Hang on."

"What do you-" Alexander was cut off as Raven hooked her arms beneath his armpits and hauled him into the air. While she could not travel anywhere near as fast as her preferred speed, she could still jump in midair effectively while holding almost any Black Glove Pirate. Alexander should have been used to being a passenger to her aerial travel, having been rescued from drowning several times by the petite doctor, but his panicked yells indicated otherwise.

"The primary reason you cannot fight on the _Howling Knave_ is because you cause much damage to your surroundings when you fight," she explained as quickly as possible. "You will not have this problem here."

She definitely did not expect Alexander's shouts to quiet and for him to don a pleased expression. "Many thanks, Raven. It's time to teach her the value of dreams. Can you delay her for fifteen seconds?"

"I can delay her indefinitely." The instant they were clear of the water, Raven released her load and kicked off many times in midair, accelerating greatly. She was behind Rockstar before the fishwoman knew it, a thin strip of cloth held between her hands. Using the base of her palm to knock away the shattered remains of Rockstar's sunglasses, she looped it over the bounty hunter's head and pulled it tightly over her eyes. Rockstar spent a second trying to get her fingers around the cloth and was able to easily rip it from Raven's fingers.

The doctor did not try to hold onto the cloth, instead moving to another tool. The two balls of ink she shoved in Rockstar's face blinded the fishwoman once again. This maneuver was significantly less effective against Rockstar than against almost anyone else. The normal reaction was to try to rub the blinding substance out of one's eyes, leaving the torso and legs vulnerable to attack. Fortunately for Rockstar, she had more than two arms and employed them effectively. Her top pair of hands went for the normal reaction, but her other arms and pincers swung around in an attempt to retaliate.

"Gaath." Rockstar's random flails were no match for Raven's honed reflexive evasion. Here was where she'd begin stabbing at clusters of nerves or blood vessels to bring down her opponent, but the diversity of fishman anatomy prevented her from doing so. The bounty hunter's thick maroon skin prevented her from even seeing where such locations might be. She settled for sending a flurry of punches at Rockstar's ears. While the attacks would do no physical damage, they would still be painful and deafening, disorienting the fishwoman further.

"It's you, isn't it?" Rockstar shouted as she shook her head violently. "The black one with Alexander~!"

Raven saw no need to respond and focused on keeping Rockstar in one place. Alexander's requested fifteen seconds had come and gone, but she would stall the bounty hunter until the portly musician enacted whatever plan he had in mind. She continued to pull all sorts of tricks out of her many pockets: vials of foul-smelling gas, sticky gels that clogged Rockstar's mouth and nose, tiny glass shards that irritated her skin. She did everything she could do to buy Alexander time, used every tool in her possession that she knew could prevent Rockstar from targeting the alchemist.

It seemed her tactics worked. With a shouted "Eau Magie!", the ground below Rockstar dissolved into a wide pool of water. Raven had a split-second to know the foolishness of the tactic; a fishman in water was even more dangerous than a fishman on land. What she did not expect was for him to continue his attack. "Acier Magie: Cerceuil!"

To Raven, it was merely a formalized rendition of how he kept Damien from gutting his future crewmates on Reichmann Island. To Rockstar, it must have seemed like genuine magic. The only parts of her not encased in metal were the top of her right shoulder, her head, and her antennae. Such a thick metal prison would be impossible to break out of without the strength of a true giant. Only by melting the metal or using some Devil Fruit would escape be possible.

"Impressive contain," Raven praised tonelessly. "Perhaps I did not work you hard enough."

Alexander held up his hands defensively. "Hey, I had a shower and some time to rest. Besides, I don't know how much I could manage now."

"Hey~!" Rockstar whined. "How did you do that? And that sound thing?"

"I'm a musician by profession, a priest by trade, and an alchemist by unnatural means. My attacks are combinations of those skills."

"Why was that Trompette Sonnerie stronger than anything you have demonstrated before?" Raven droned. "And why is the affected area a cone when sound travels in all directions?"

"That was a charged attack, instead of my usual instant one," he responded. "And the spirits I used travel along the trajectory I can see. I know Captain heard that. I hope she comes here so she can decide what to do with Rockstar."

Her antennae wilting sadly, Rockstar glanced once more at Alexander. "Why did you trick me~?"

"I'm a pirate," he sighed, leaning against the railing near her. "While I'm not a pillage-and-plunder type, I still have to keep up with the rest of my crewmates when it comes to fighting. The only way I get an edge on my opponents is by doing surprise attacks."

"Even the best fighter can be caught unawares if overconfident of his or her abilities." Alexander glanced at Raven questioningly, but she did not elaborate.

"But this was supposed to be a tough battle at least!" Rockstar complained. "I'm a fishwoman, and while I don't spout that ultraistic racism, on average we fishpeople are stronger~!"

Raven landed in front of the downed bounty hunter with a silver blade drawn threateningly. "Even the strongest giant can be felled by the tiniest virus. Size and power are not everything." She poked the shell covering Rockstar's throat. As she had predicted, her knife barely left an impression. "I would like to study you. While I know your physiology is drastically different from any other fishperson we will encounter, it will still be beneficial for me to study obvious differences. In exchange, I will not kill you."

The lobster fishwoman twisted her lips in displeasure. "Well, I guess so~. I don't see what good it will do you."

Alexander emerged from a nearby store with a large bottle of water, which he offered to the immobile Rockstar. "Drink up. Raven's examinations take a while."

"See, why are you being so nice to me now? You said you were a gentleman, but you attacked me."

The musician adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose. "And as a general rule, I act like a gentleman and don't attack women. However, you made threats against my captain and you mocked our dreams. She's perfectly capable of defending herself, but I'm allowed to get concerned over that. More importantly, you hurt my nakama. If you do that, you're my enemy no matter what gender you are."

Raven briefly glanced over at her crewmate. It seemed no matter where he was or what he was involved in, he always attempted to maintain his composure and soothe those around him. That was why she allowed him to help her. While Cassandra and Damien helped her grow physically, Alexander managed to be open with his emotions while not allowing them to overrule his reasoning too much. That was one of the many reasons he fit so well in the crew dynamic.

Raven could not help but wonder how the rest of the Black Glove Pirates viewed her as part of the crew.


	8. Controlling Fire

Cassandra couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at what she found on the deck of her ship. Some half-human half-fish hybrid was sitting against the mast, allowing her body to be freely manipulated by Raven. Lyn was sitting on the stairs leading to the forecastle deck, energetically drawing on her sketchpad. Alexander was conversing with the bizarre arrival as if he had known her all his life. "What the hell is going on here?"

Alexander looked up at her, a relieved smile on his face. "Glad to see you're all right, Captain. We were getting worried when you didn't come back."

"I can see that." She hopped off Cain's shoulder and landed on the wooden boards, her hands on her hips. "Who is this?"

"Rockstar is a lobster fishwoman who is allowing me to study her," Raven droned. "She is from the Net. Based on how Cain is lightly injured, I assume you encountered resistance as well."

Cassandra patted the large man's leg as he climbed aboard. "Nothing Cain and I couldn't handle. Any trouble on your end?"

"Alexander tricked me," Rockstar informed her. "So I didn't get to put up much of a fight."

"Alexander and Raven working together," Cassandra mused. "That's a team I'll have to consider. It's certainly an unorthodox one. Speaking of which, how did you do against Roko and Roco, Lyn?"

"Whoa!" the artist shouted, discarding her sketchbook and bounding over to Cassandra. "You really can read minds! Okay, what am I thinking right now?"

The sniper couldn't help but smile. "You're thinking about how amazing I am because I can read minds."

Lyn gaped in amazement, oblivious to the fact that any of her crewmembers could have guessed her thought process. Evidently, she didn't realize that Cassandra having to ask how she did proved the pirate captain couldn't actually read her mind. Sighing, the sniper threw an arm around the childish woman's shoulders. "And you don't seem to have a scratch on you, so you can't have done badly. How do you like your new sword?"

In response, Lyn shrugged the arm off and retreated a few steps. With one fluid movement, she drew it and pointed it directly at Cassandra's torso. The captain smiled, glad she had convinced Lyn to use her as a testing dummy for her thrusts. Even if Lyn missed her target and struck something vital, Cassandra would heal off such a small wound in mere seconds. Lyn's eyes grew serious and she took a deep breath. "Taco de Billar!"

Cassandra winced as a blade penetrated her shoulder for the second time that day. Lyn looked positively thrilled, yanking her rapier out and bringing it around. "Mono Hace! It worked!"

"Congratulations!" The sniper rolled her shoulder as the wound vanished. "What about that other sword you got?"

Lyn exaggerated her eye roll and sheathed her sword. "That's not a real sword. It's just an ornamental blade attached to my old rapier. As Alex said-"

"Alexander." The musician shouted in pain as Lyn brought her scabbard down on his head.

"As Alexander said, it's just a reminder now. It looks better now that it has a blade, but it's not something I can use."

Cassandra shrugged. If Lyn didn't want to use it, she wouldn't press the issue. Lyn's new rapier was suitable for combat and that was what mattered. Ignoring the mock struggle between Lyn and Alexander over the former's weapon, she approached the fishwoman sitting on the deck and leaned over. "And how are the studies going?"

"I have never received a fishman as a target, so analyzing one is informative." Raven pushed against one pincer with a single finger, prompting Rockstar to lift the massive appendage. "Only the most basic of human physiology applies. She has both an endoskeleton and an exoskeleton, both of which are used as supporting structures. See where her exoskeleton begins at the base of her skull below her hairline? Down her back, it is more for protection than for support. However, these pincers lack any internal bone structure, relying entirely on the exoskeleton for support. The rest of her body is more mammalian, though her heart is located-"

The gunslinger held up her hand, sensing Raven would continue to list her discoveries until commanded otherwise. "This is all very interesting, but how about you write it all up when you're done?"

Raven dipped her head and went right back to prodding Rockstar. Cassandra sighed as she looked about for the newest addition to her crew. Unsurprisingly, he had chosen to isolate himself from the rest of the pirates. She scratched her head as she contemplated going easier on the former prince. Sure, he was a prat who acted as if he were superior to the others, but he was now one of her crewmembers. He did have some supporters; Cain and Alexander were doing their best to keep him from doing something stupid. He seemed to have grown slightly less quick-tempered over the course of the week, which was good. Though the reason for that was probably because-

"Yahahar!" a loud roar came from the docks, drawing the attention of every being on deck. "Look wha' we 'ave 'ere! Ya gone an' got us fuckin' dinner!"

"Damien!" Lyn catapulted herself at the wayward navigator, arms outstretched.

In one smooth motion, Damien caught her and threw her at a nearby ship. He leapt aboard the _Howling Knave_ and cricked his neck, a wild grin on his face. "So wha's this?"

"Forget that," Cassandra snapped. "Where the hell have you been?"

He bared his teeth in a humorless smile. "Fine, fine. You were fuckin' right. I got fuckin' lost an' ended up swimmin' all aroun' the cuntin' island to find this shitty port. 'Appy?"

Cassandra couldn't help but laugh at this, leaning against the muscular pirate for support. The cuff to the back of the head she received sent her staggering across the deck, but it was worth hearing him actually admit he was wrong and she was right. Alexander strolled up and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "So that's why you were gone so long. I assume you got a good workout."

"What are you talking about?" Cain boomed.

The musician looked upwards. "Damien doesn't lie and he's very literal. If he says he swam around the island, he physically swam around the island. That's why he was gone for so long."

"That's not all," Cassandra said suspiciously, sniffing the scarred pirate. "You reek of blood. Who did you kill?"

"You wan' a fuckin' list?" he growled. "Humans an' animals? Those shitty fish're the ones tha' did th' mos' damage."

The sniper sighed and dismissed the matter. If the worst things he encountered were fish, the odds were he hadn't done anything to jeopardize the rest of the crew. "Anyway, you're back and that's what matters. We've all got fighting out of our systems so let's just leave."

"Wait a tick," Damien said. "I ain' got figh'in'-"

"You never get fighting out of your system," Alexander cut in.

Damien put him in a loose headlock and glared at the pirate captain. "I ain' leavin' till I get my fight."

"Would you like to spar with me?" Cain offered. "I've basically recovered from that beating you gave me."

The navigator laughed and shook his dreadlocks. "Nah, I wan' somethin' differen'. Somethin' new." He gave a bestial smile as he glanced about the deck. "Where's the royal cocksnot?"

"Morgan's in the galley!" Lyn chirped, landing back on the deck. "He said not to disturb him!"

"He didn't say that," Alexander murmured to the artist in confusion, who only grinned and put a finger to her lips.

In a not unexpected move, Damien strode over to the galley and ripped the door clean off, tossing it over to Cain. "Avast, bilge rat! Ya ready to fight?"

The former prince glanced sourly at the intruder in his domain, not moving from his seat at the table. "I'm sad to see you've returned. Are you enjoying the freedoms and exceptions to the rules you've acquired through brute force?"

Cassandra and Alexander put themselves between the two men, both trying to prevent the conflict to come. "Now, Damien, I'm not going to let you fight Morgan. We should really get going and I don't want the cook to be in the medical ward for grievous bodily harm."

"Aye?" Damien snarled, flicking his claws out. "An' yer gonna stop me?"

"We all will," Cassandra assured him, hands going to her pistols.

Damien's mouth began to leak flames as he prepared himself to fight. The fires were just as suddenly extinguished as Lyn leapt at him from behind and flung her arms around his neck. She put her mouth beside his ear and whispered something as quietly as she could. Cassandra suspected this was an intentional move on Lyn's part to leave her out of the loop, which didn't bode well.

Her fears were confirmed as Damien gave a loud laugh and rested his hand on top of the artist's head. "Sunshine's right!" he chuckled, pressing his cheek against hers. "Cap'n may be th' wors' liar on these seas, but she wouldn' back down on 'er word to her crew, right?"

"What word?" Cassandra asked carefully. "What did I say?"

Damien pointed at Morgan with his other hand. "Yer gonna fight me withou' in'erference until I fuckin' say so."

"Did you not listen to anything I said?" the sniper asked. "You're not going to-"

"You'll fight," he interrupted, "cause tha's my condition."

Cassandra opened her mouth, but realized she really couldn't protest against it. Lyn flashed a cheery smile, eliciting a glare from both Cassandra and Morgan. There was no way the navigator would have remembered he was allowed to do that without the first mate's prompt. On one hand, that would clear up the issue of Morgan's conditions and he would be officially part of the crew. On the other hand, Cassandra didn't know how far Damien would go. Morgan was strong, but he didn't have the slightest chance of beating the powerful navigator in a straight up fight.

"But I'll be nice." Cassandra's eyebrows rose in shock, having never ever expected those words to come out of Damien's mouth. "All ya gotta do is keep me entertained fer a bit. Show me everythin' ya got an' I'll only counter." His bestial green eyes narrowed dangerously. "Give up 'fore I say so and I'll rip your fuckin' cock off an' make ya eat it."

The pirate captain almost sighed in relief. As far as handicaps for fighting with Damien went, those were basically as good as one could hope for. The only issues were the strength of the counterattacks Damien would use and when he would call the fight off. After all, Damien had nearly inexhaustible stamina when he didn't have life-threatening injuries. Cassandra leaned back to Morgan and whispered, "I'd accept that offer."

She was surprised to see the spirit in the former prince's eyes as he clenched his fists tightly. "Oh, I'll show you a fight. I'll show you I'm strong enough to be on this crew."

Damien gave a lopsided grin. "Be'er no' ferget those words, shitsack. I got a great place t' fight in mind."

"You're not fighting Morgan unsupervised," Cassandra said sharply. "I don't trust you not to break the rules of the fight. Not because you're in the habit of doing that, but because I know how you can lose control when you're fighting."

"O' course," he said in puzzlement. "Y'all're comin too."

Cassandra sighed. She really wished she could understand Damien's reasoning more consistently. The group exited the galley, each contemplating the upcoming combat. Morgan immediately went to the men's quarters, but Cassandra knew he wouldn't be long. Damien stared out over the city, his gaze only moving when Raven appeared on the railing before him. "I will not be accompanying you, but Cassandra and I have Baby Den-Den Mushi. If you lose control, I will be there to stop you."

"Like I give a fuck," he shot back. "'T's jus' gonna be a friendly spar."

"Your definition of sparring is most people's definition of fighting to the death," Raven droned. "Keep that in mind."

Damien sent a small puff of flame in her direction, but she was back analyzing Rockstar before it could hit. For once, he didn't seem to care that Lyn was still hanging off of him, undoubtedly because she had given him the opportunity to fight Morgan under his terms. Cassandra still had a slightly uneasy feeling about the fight, but she trusted her crew. If things got out of control, Damien could, with some difficulty, be subdued.

"I'm ready." All eyes turned to the cook emerging from the men's room. The only thing he hadn't changed about his outfit was his golden circlet. Instead of his usually lavish dress, he was clad in simple cream-colored clothing. The long sleeved shirt was still ornately decorated, but appeared far less costly than his previous silk shirt. Most startlingly, the only ornament he wore besides his crown was his necklace of catalysts. The vial of water was filled, the rock ring was thicker than before, and the sprig had been replaced by a fresher one.

"Whoa," Lyn said. "I like that look."

"I agree," Alexander followed. "You look more prepared to fight."

The onetime bandit lifted his chin slightly in a show of pride. "I don't want any of my decent clothing ruined. You have a very chaotic and destructive fighting style."

Damien grunted and turned back to the city. "If yer ready, then fuckin' keep up with me."

He bounded off the ship and took off on all fours, Lyn cheering as she clung to his hair. Morgan was hot on their heels, his vine elemental allowing him to match the navigator's pace. Cassandra and Alexander were instantly scooped up and placed on Cain's shoulders as the massive weaponsmith followed the other pirates. The crew must have been quite a sight: three pirates traveling in their unusual methods of locomotion with another three along for the ride.

Damien led them straight through the city, soon leaving buildings behind in favor of a more natural setting. Unlike Cassandra, Morgan would benefit from such an environment. The plateau Damien had chosen was an uneven rock surface with some resilient flora growing on it. This satisfied two of Morgan's three favorite armor choices. The pirate captain sighed as she dropped off Cain's shoulder, knowing that despite the ease of accessibility for Morgan, the prince was still grossly outmatched.

The navigator hummed to himself as he glanced about, rapping his knuckles on Lyn's head as an indication for her to dismount. "This is fine. Ready to get yer ass 'anded to you?"

"I'll make you eat those words," Morgan snapped. "Skala Bronyu!"

Cassandra frowned at this, having never heard him say such a thing before. As it turned out, it was merely wrapping himself in rock. For whatever reason, Morgan had changed up the names of his attacks. Damien wasn't fazed, his hands in his pockets as he looked up at the growing rock elemental. Soon, the stone humanoid matched Cain in height, proportionally large fists ready for combat. Neither pirate budged, simply staring at each other.

"Well?" Morgan asked, his voice deeper than his normal tone.

"Well what?" Damien responded irritably, scratching the back of one calf with the other foot. "I said I'd fuckin' counterattack, cum-fer-brains. You gonna attack or wha'?"

Morgan sent one fist at the smaller navigator, his other fist going back for a second, more powerful attack. Damien deflected the stone arm to the side with a powerful backhand, a cocky smile on his lips. The prince tried with his left arm with the same result. His kick was repelled with such force that he found it easier to let the limb disintegrate and grow back than to try to keep his balance. Growing frustrated, he gathered more stone from the ground and leapt into the air. "Lavina!"

His large rock elemental hit with an earthshaking crash. Much to Cassandra's surprise, Morgan flew backwards out of the dust cloud, spinning slowly in the air as he went. He managed to contort his body and land somewhat on his feet, avoiding most of the fall damage. He fell to one knee, his hand going to his stomach as he stared at his opponent's upraised fist in surprise.

Damien, for his part, merely brought his gloved hand down onto his right bicep and raised his middle finger. "Ya gotta try 'arder than tha', shitsmear."

"You haven't even moved," Morgan spat, running his hand along the sparse vegetation by his foot.

"O' course no'. You ain' our dick-lickin' Cap'n 'r tha' jizz-drenched harlot of a doctor. You ain' even tha' monster-sized bellend. I only gotta use me left 'and fer you."

"You'll have to use more than that. Zavod Bronyu!" He swept his hand around, allowing the plants to burgeon across his body. He soon had an elemental that was even taller than the one before, though considerably skinnier. While this outwardly seemed like a foolish decision to make against a man who commanded fire, Damien did say he would only need his left hand. Cassandra didn't think that included the fireballs Damien loved to exhale. Morgan elongated one arm and brought it around at alarming speed. "Koren!"

Sure enough, Damien put up his hand to block the sideswipe, but frowned as the limb bent around him instead of being deflected. Soon, his torso was completely encased in the greenery, but he seemed completely indifferent. Like the navigator, Cassandra saw the flaw in the attack even if Morgan didn't. When the elementalist raised his arm in an attempt to lift Damien from the ground, the vegetation only arced upward, threatening to give way. Even if he attacked with his other hand, there was no way plants would be more effective than the rock had been.

With an amused sneer, Damien set his arm on fire and easily freed himself with a swipe of his flaming claws. "Ah, this ain' fun. Le's make this a bit more challengin'."

"Wait a moment!" Morgan shouted, letting his green armor dissipate. "Water is my most powerful element!"

Damien rolled his eyes. "Aight, lesse wha' you can do."

Morgan upended his vial on his hand and soon water was flowing over his body. He reared up to his full height, barely twice as tall as Damien. "Vode Bronyu."

"Tha's a fuckin' joke," Damien growled. His emerald eyes flicked about for a moment, his head panning from side to side. "Songbird! Why dontcha 'elp 'im out?"

Alexander, who had been mostly ignoring the fight in favor of playing his trumpet softly, glanced over in surprise. "Me? Why me?"

"Where else is this fucknugget gonna get enough water t' make this interestin?"

"I don't need his help!" Morgan protested.

"Fuck off," Damien retorted. "Y' can' beat me an' ya fuckin' know it. My summonin' fer Songbird, take it 'r leave it."

Morgan's frustration was clearly visible despite the rippling water encasing his body, but he really had no choice. "Oh, all right. Alexander can help me."

"Ah ah ah!" Damien shook his finger as if admonishing a child. "He ain' got th' privilege o' fightin' alongside yer dumb ass. Yer th' lucky one."

Cassandra looked at the musician cautiously. "Are you okay participating?"

She raised an eyebrow as he shed his suit jacket and handed it to Cain. "Are you kidding me? There's only a slight chance Hothead'll go overboard, and if this is going where I think it is, this'll be a ton of fun."

The pirate captain was about to ask what Alexander was thinking, but the alchemist was obviously more focused on combat than answering her questions. He planted his hands on the ground and in no time, a wide circle of stone dissolved into a pool of water. Morgan rushed over, the foot of his elemental skimming over the surface of the transmuted liquid. The water elemental swiftly grew in size, the pirate floating inside its center looking quite pleased. "Volna!"

Much like his rock elemental, he curved into the air and dove headfirst for the navigator. Damien responded by breathing a massive ball of fire with a shout. "Diavolo Drago!"

Water met fire and instantly erupted into steam. Damien continued to spout fire from his mouth, but Morgan's elemental continued to pour down upon him. Slowly but surely, Morgan was gaining ground. The only question was whether he would run out of water before he reached his target. Alexander clearly realized this as well, swiftly transmuting another pool of water below the elemental's foot. With this renewed supply of water, Morgan continued to press on, soon reaching within a foot of Damien's face.

In an amazingly quick move, Damien brought his left arm up and turned his face away, allowing the water to pound on his flaming arm. While the water didn't evaporate away as quickly, it bounced off his skin like waves breaking on a cliff. Morgan kept the pressure on the navigator, Alexander constantly transmuting the ground to provide Morgan with a continuous supply of water. Damien's feet twitched almost imperceptibly as he secured his footing, evidently caught off guard by the power of Morgan's attack. Then, much to Cassandra's surprise, he spat a large fireball at Alexander, forcing the portly pirate to dive out of the way.

"Wait, what are you doing?" the captain shouted.

"'Elpin' the enemy makes you the enemy," Damien responded. "Common fuckin' sense, shitty Cap'n."

Without enough water to continue his assault, Morgan was forced to pull back. He glared angrily at Alexander, who was climbing to his feet. "Keep up, Alexander! I can't attack him if you're bouncing about."

Damien gave a sinister smirk. "You 'eard th' cocksucker, Songbird. Keep up!"

"You're not exactly my ideal opponent, mate," Alexander responded good-humoredly. "Eau Magie!"

Once again, Morgan rose into the air, his clear elemental casting a hazy shadow on the ground. He arced towards the navigator, intending on resuming his attack. Damien, however, had other plans. In quick succession, he launched a barrage of fireballs at his opponent. While the attack seemed random, Cassandra could see the reasons of the placements of each animalistic cluster of flame. One was sent at Alexander to prevent further transmutations while the majority bombarded the torso of the elemental, forcing it to fizzle from existence. Without support, all Morgan could do was careen helplessly through the air. He thrust his arm out, flinging a tendril of water towards the ground in an attempt to change his direction. Damien had already sent a fireball to intercept the arm of water, leaving Morgan no other choice but to hit the navigator dead on.

Cassandra did commend Morgan for not being instantly slain by Damien's fiery uppercut. He gathered what remained of his water armor and put it between him and the navigator's fist. While most of it evaporated, he was able to lessen the force of the blow considerably. He was still thrown some distance back, but the only sign of the impact was a fist-shaped welt on his cheek. It was much better than the pulverized jaw he probably would have gotten otherwise.

"What's wrong with you?" Morgan yelled. Cassandra raised an eyebrow when she realized the object of the former prince's fury was the musician casually dusting off his shirt. "I need you to keep making water if I'm going to take him down."

"Ah, yes," Alexander grumbled, moving on to wipe dirt off his pants. "That's what you were going for, wasn't it Damien?"

"I dunno th' fuck yer talkin' about," the berserker shot back. "Diavolo Drago!"

"Trompette Sonnerie!" To Cassandra's surprise, Alexander's attack halted Damien's in midair. For a moment, the ball of fire twisted about as if it were coming to life, but soon dissipated on the wind. "You don't know it, but I do, mate. It doesn't look like Morgan can figure it out yet. Why don't you step it up a notch?"

Morgan frowned as his glare shifted between the two pirates. "What are you talking about? What don't I get?"

Damien, on the other hand, merely threw his head back and laughed. "Yer funeral. Tits, yer up-"

The navigator leaned backwards enough to avoid the blade of air that whizzed by his face. He turned his grin towards Lyn, who brought her rapier around and grinned just as happily back. "Naipe Volador! Do I get an arm or a leg?"

"Well, since ya asked…" Damien crossed his hands over his chest and slowly drew them apart. A seething inferno erupted across his upper body, the image of some primal beast forming in the flames above his head. "Ready, strumpet?"

"You betcha! Alexander, do your-"

"Ah!" The musician held up his hands to stop her. "Strictly speaking, this is a fight between Morgan and Damien. We're only backup."

Lyn rested one hand on her hips and puffed her cheeks out in displeasure. "But Morgan isn't going to be able to…" She trailed off and tapped her lips thoughtfully as she gazed at the confused and irritated elementalist. Her eyes brightened considerably and she gave her usual radiant smile. "Oh, I see! Wow, I didn't know Damien was that smart! Oops!"

She was forced to cartwheel out of the way as Damien launched a series of fireballs at her for the insult. She emerged from her acrobatic maneuver at a dead sprint, circling around the pockmarked battlefield and sliding to a stop at Alexander's side. Resting her free arm on the shorter man's shoulder, she leaned in and whispered in a tone that Cassandra's keen ears could barely hear, "Morgie's not gonna figure it out in a million years. Are you sure we shouldn't tell him? In a place like this, Damien could fight all of us forever."

"Stop your whispering over there," Morgan said angrily, facing Damien once more. "It's time to get serious. Alexander, continue producing water for me. Lyn, distract him as best you can."

Cassandra finally figured out what they were talking about. While the crazed pirate's mind was focused on beating on his crewmembers until he was satisfied, an unintended consequence was Morgan would have to learn to work as part of the crew. The pirate captain chuckled and lowered her cowboy hat over her eyes, trying to figure out if Damien knew about this or not. _Of course_, she reflected, _Morgan and the rest of us have to survive. Morgan's just making decisions based on what he knows about his crewmembers. Lyn's right; he's definitely not going to win that way_.

"Okay!" Lyn chirped. "How do you want me to distract him, O grand leader of ours?"

"What do you think? Use your body!"

The cook winced as she poked him in the back with her scabbard. "Stuuuuupid Morgan. You've been with Damien for weeks and you don't even know that won't work?"

Damien snickered as he watched the argument erupt between the two pirates. Knowing he probably wouldn't attack her as she hadn't been included in the battle yet, Cassandra took the risk and walked up to him. "You're not going to attack?"

"When'll you clean th' shit outta yer ears?" he answered good-humoredly. "I'm only gonna coun'erattack. Only rules I 'ave 're tha' fuckfaced swine can' give up 'til I say he can."

"Look, there's no way he won't be distracted," Morgan assured her.

Lyn put a hand to her forehead in exasperation. "You're really not getting this." She leaned in and spoke with that same whisper that Cassandra could barely hear. "Okay, I'm gonna try to distract Damien using _your_ suggestion. At that point, Captain will attack him."

"Oi, oi," Cassandra protested. "I don't want to get involved with this just yet."

"Get involved with wha'?" Damien asked. "The fuck you talkin' about?"

"You'll see," the pirate captain sighed. She would only threaten to attack. He probably wouldn't retaliate if her attack didn't physically connect.

Lyn began doing a series of jumping jacks, allowing her generous bosom to start bouncing. Cassandra rolled her eyes while Damien's amused grin widened. She had absolutely no idea how Lyn's shirt didn't fly open. Mildly regretting her role in this experiment, she lobbed a knife at Damien with such little force that she wouldn't even damage him if he were asleep. Sure enough, he leaned to the side, allowing the blade to pass harmlessly by. He scooped it off the ground and tossed it back to its owner without looking.

"That proves nothing," Morgan snapped. "Neither of you did the best you could."

"Fine." Lyn shrugged off her shirt, eliciting a variety of reactions from hew crewmates. Cassandra covered part of her face with her hand, somehow not at all surprised at the first mate's actions. Morgan's eyes bugged out while Alexander practically collapsed to the ground in shock. Damien's predatory grin merely grew. The pirate captain glanced upwards to see Cain's eyebrows raised, a glint of amusement in his dark blue eyes.

Deciding to prove Lyn's point even further, Cassandra waggled her finger at the giant man to attract his attention. Jerking her head towards Damien, she pantomimed Cain launching an attack. The weaponsmith nodded and crouched down to prepare himself. With one burst of speed, he shot towards the navigator, his armored gauntlet tucked low for a punch. The instant he was about to hit Damien, Cassandra whipped out one of her silenced pistols and shot it at Damien's back.

He moved in the blink of an eye. His left foot flew up, deflecting Cain off to the side with a powerful rising kick. At the same time he extended his wings to catch the bullet before it could hit him. Cain crashed to the ground, but used his sliding momentum to boost himself onto his feet. Cassandra quirked her lips and tucked her pistol back into its holster.

Morgan simply stood there with a dumbfounded expression plastered on his face. "What… what was that?"

"I told you," Lyn said exasperatedly. "You can't distract Damien this way. Trust me; I tried during some of our earlier spars."

"You-you've tried?" Alexander sputtered, climbing to his feet and shielding his eyes with his gloved hand. "What do you mean you've tried?"

"Oh come on, Alexander. You're almost as smart as Captain is. I'm sure you can figure it out."

"And how can you be so cavalier about exposing your breasts like that?"

"I'm not exposing my breasts! I'm just covering every other part of my body!"

"But how can that not work?" Morgan gaped uncomprehendingly at Damien while Alexander and Lyn argued. "What are you, gay?"

That sparked another round of amusement. "Yahahahahar! Fuck no! E'en if I was," his eyes lost all humor as he glared at the elementalist, "where I stick my cock ain' yer fuckin' problem. Yer problem's where imma stick _your_ cock if you don' keep figh'in'. But since you fuckers got a'ead o' yerselves…" He held up his index finger for all of them to see. "I get one attack. After tha', I'll go back to coun'erattackin'."

Cassandra didn't like the sound of that and drew two pistols in preparation. Cain was already making a weapon out of a chunk of stone he had ripped from the ground, his fingers nimbly using his tools to whittle away the rock. The heavily scarred pirate turned to face his captain, his vicious canines glinting in the afternoon sunlight. "Ya know, you were righ' abou' takin a res' from figh'in' too. I got me strength back up ta full. Diavolo Coccodrillo."

He spat a massive fireball at the ground, completely engulfing himself with flames. Cassandra had seen the attack at its peak effectiveness, but had no time to warn the others. Nobody could see the navigator in the flames, least of all her, but she knew him well enough to know he would most likely attack her first. It made sense strategically: she had the fastest reflexes, and the title of third most powerful fighter on the crew. However, Damien's unpredictability was always something to factor in.

Sure enough, he erupted from the flames directly at the woman who could hurt him the least. Lyn swung her sword as the scarred fighter approached, but Damien didn't even bother dodging. He let the blade impact his shoulder while he dove forwards, his right arm hooking around Lyn's stomach. What Cassandra definitely didn't expect was Damien slam one foot on the ground before he actually touched the first mate's skin, slowing him enough that the tackle would only leave a bruise instead of snapping Lyn's spine. An instant later, he pushed off his forward foot, somersaulting to gain some momentum to throw Lyn against Alexander. Cassandra had always wondered how Damien sparred with Lyn without actually hurting her too much. Now she knew.

As he changed direction to face her, she was already sending a barrage of bullets in his direction. He lifted one of his wings in front of his face as a protective shield as he bulled towards her. She managed to dive out of the way, but that same wing slammed into her body, sending her rolling head over heels. She skidded to a kneeling position in time to see Cain take a quick swipe at the navigator with his fabricated mace. Surprisingly, instead of confronting the weapon head on, he ducked beneath the weapon and into Cain's guard. Cain tried to bring the weapon close to ward the berserker off, but Damien caught his chin in a mighty headbutt, dazing the larger man.

To finish off his attack, Damien charged straight towards Morgan. The elementalist hopped backwards before they made contact, one hand going towards Damien's forehead. Cassandra could see the reasoning behind the move, but simply diminishing the force of Damien's attack wasn't enough. The former prince realized this in midair, but had no other option than to be driven into the ground by Damien's attack. Morgan lay stunned in the crater as Damien pushed off and slid to a stop, brushing a few stray dreadlocks out of his face. "Fun, am I right?"

"Tons of fun," Cassandra said sarcastically, flexing her fingers that had been bent the wrong way during her roll. "Are we finished yet?"

Damien seemed genuinely puzzled by this. "Finished? You fuckin' crazy? I wen' so easy on you! Don' tell me yer done after somethin' as small as tha'?"

"He does have a point," Cain boomed. "He didn't inflict any serious injuries."

Cassandra didn't bother commenting on the bruise already beginning to darken on the massive man's chin. While he wasn't anywhere near Damien's level of unreasonable toughness, Cain was able to withstand quite a lot of damage before he threw in the towel, with or without his armor. She looked around to see Lyn helping Alexander to his feet, both of them only sporting bumps and scratches. Even Morgan was able to stand without much difficulty, though the way he held his side indicated he had received the most serious wound compared to what he could handle.

"Well, since I stupidly said that Damien could impose a condition too, I guess it can't be helped. Carry on, Morgan."

The elementalist stood still, his breath coming heavily as he glared at the navigator. Damien made matters worth by giving a cocky grin and beckoning with one hand. "Bring it, shitdick. Y' ain' allowed t' stop yet."

"Morgan!" Cassandra turned to look at Cain with wonder. She had never heard him speak so sharply to his former charge. By the looks of it, her nakama hadn't either. Morgan was the most taken aback, his eyes widening considerably. "Think past your petty anger and use your head. Why are you here?"

Morgan's mouth opened and closed as he fought to come up with a response. Lyn giggled openly at the sight while Alexander hid his smile behind his hand. Cassandra had to hand it to Cain; if there was one person who would get through to the stubborn cook, it was the man he had grown up with. "What are you talking about?" he managed at last.

"Enough fuckin' talk," Damien growled. "Fight me now or I'll attack again."

Cassandra had to quickly think of a way to stall him until Morgan realized what he needed to do. "For every second that passes between now and the next attack, you and I will fight for five seconds in a fight where anything goes."

Damien contemplated this for a moment. "Ten seconds."

"Deal. Lyn, you're the time keeper." After the exuberant artist began counting aloud, Cassandra fixed a stern eye on Morgan. "Figure it out fast. If you take longer than a minute, you're fighting in my place. Do you think you can last ten minutes against Damien when he can fight however he wants?"

"But I don't know what you're talking about!" Morgan shouted, real panic creeping into his voice. "Why? Why am I here? Because I want to be stronger! Because I want to be richer!"

"What about your other dream?" Cassandra asked gently.

"What, to be a better leader? How does that fit in this?"

"Twenty!" Lyn yelled.

Cassandra wasn't terribly worried. Even if Morgan took a few minutes, she knew she would be able to survive for ten times as long against Damien. She didn't want to push her luck though. "But you could be a better leader by doing all sorts of things. You could have stayed on Winter Isle and learned from your father."

"But I didn't want to learn from him!" Morgan looked on the verge of a heart attack. "I wanted to learn from someone else! I chose you for that!"

_Well, not the true point of the fight, but close enough_. "You chose me?"

"Yes, you! I thought you could teach me…" He trailed off, thinking over what he was saying. Cassandra gestured for Lyn to lower her voice to reduce the pressure on the confused cook. "You could teach me."

"A wise man once said the first step on the path of knowledge is knowing you don't know everything." Alexander offered the pirate a reassuring smile. "It's okay to admit you don't know what you're doing. That's why you're here."

Morgan nodded and swallowed hard. Turning to Cassandra, slowly lowered his head in a shallow bow. "I apologize, Captain. Will you show me how to fight this man?"

"Of course!" Cassandra shot at Damien to stop the clock as soon as possible. At fifty five seconds, she would have to fight him later for just over nine minutes. With his regained health, those nine minutes were going to be hell for her. However, they were definitely worth it for Morgan to finally admit his weakness. She was going to show him how a group fight against someone like Damien was supposed to be conducted. "Feuer fangen Angriff: Mark I!"

While Morgan looked around in confusion, the rest of the pirates all burst into action. Cassandra began sprinting away to buy time for the rest of her crew to prepare. They only had one shot at this, and they would have to come up with a new strategy if it even worked. While the new strategy would be able to incorporate Morgan, Damien's growth between now and the next time they would have to take him down without Raven's help was incalculable. As the name implied, it was the first time they had attempted such a risky maneuver, but knowing the berserk rages Damien could fly into, it was a necessary backup plan.

Cassandra started off by showering Damien with a spray of bullets while running. While she was the best fighter of the cooperating pirates, she was also the one who could keep him off her crewmembers for a sustained period of time. Alexander began playing a tune on his trumpet, gathering spirits for an enhanced attack. Cain too prepared for his attack, fashioning a stone gauntlet to cover his left hand. The distance between Cassandra and Damien was closing rapidly, but she just needed to buy a few more seconds. Alexander would reach the end of his tune, Damien would be lured into the proper position, and the true attack would commence.

The instant Alexander played the final note and raised his trumpet, Lyn jumped into the air, waving her hands above her head. "Hi Raven! I thought you were staying at the ship!"

Damien kept one metal wing between him and Cassandra's bullets, his attention flying about as he searched for the elusive doctor. His flames surged mightily, almost blinding the other pirates. Alexander remained unfazed and sent out a colossal blast of sound. As the attack hit Damien, all of his flames extinguished instantly, causing the navigator to glance down at his body in surprise. Cain was already in the air, his metal and stone gauntlets clenched into fists. The massive pirate landed on top of Damien, punches raining down like bombshells.

Cassandra winced at the power of the attack. Even Damien wouldn't be thrilled with that much damage to his system. While it was regrettable to remove the advantage a week of rest had given him, Damien was no stranger to fighting while injured. Cain didn't let up on the flurry of punches, having learned his lesson not to let Damien get a fraction of a second to recover. Only at Cassandra's signal did he stop, planting one combat boot on the scarred pirate to keep him in place.

"Well," Cassandra said lightly as she holstered her pistols. "Wasn't that fun?"

"Oh yeah!" Lyn cheered, glomping onto her captain. "We're awesome!"

Alexander glanced at his longtime friend, his breath heavy. "I have to admit, I didn't think that would work."

"Oh, it won't work again." The sniper moved a few loose strands of blue hair from her eyes. "He'll know it's coming. That's why we're going to be devising Mark II at some point in the near… future…"

Cassandra could not believe her eyes. Ever so slowly, Cain's foot was rising out of the crater he had punched into the ground. Regardless of how strong Cain was, Damien had a much better position. His back was braced against the ground while Cain could only apply his full body weight, which everyone knew was well within Damien's power to lift. "Morgan! Mark 1.5! Get as much rock as you can in the next five seconds and grab onto Cain!"

For the first time that Cassandra could remember, the cook followed her orders instantly and efficiently. He slammed both palms on the ground and had stone coursing up his arms in a heartbeat. After his designated time, he had reached a sufficient height to hug the large man's chest. The elementalist continued to leech rock from the ground, growing more and more massive as time passed. Cassandra walked forward as the rising of Cain's foot slowed to a stop. Alexander was already by the navigator, playing a tune with his trumpet aimed directly at his trapped friend.

Damien glanced up at Cassandra as she crouched by his head, his fangs exposed in a pleased grin. "Fuckin' 'ell, Cap'n. When'd ya come up with somethin' like tha'?"

"Oh, at some point," she said dismissively. "We needed some way to subdue you."

"Gotcha. It took all of ya to' get me down. Lesse if ya can take me out."

Cassandra frowned, not seeing how Damien could escape. With Alexander keeping his flames at bay and Cain keeping him pinned, there was no way he could move out. "You're bluffing."

"I ain' like you, cunt," he snarled. "Mind games don' do a fuckin' thing. Nothin's stronger than power."

And with that, he moved Cain's foot a little bit forward and let go. The large man's foot crashed into Damien's body, driven downward with the combined force of his and Morgan's weight. At first, Cassandra couldn't tell what Damien's plan was. All of his work at pushing Cain's boot away had just been erased. Then she saw the problem and was immediately at a loss for what to do next. Unlike before, where the sole of Cain's boot only kept Damien's torso trapped, the navigator had moved the foot just enough to hit his head as well. Furthermore, he had put his folded arms out above his chest, transferred more of Cain's weight onto his toes. His toes had just struck Damien's head with an incredible amount of force. He had just knocked the navigator out and consequently ridded Damien of any mental restraints he had.

"Fuck," Cassandra muttered, whipping out her Baby Den-Den Mushi. "All right, everyone get back! Raven, we need you now! Get over here!"

"I do not know where you are," the snail droned.

Cassandra eyed the trapped navigator with trepidation as she quickly thought of a plan. If her thought process was right, Damien would be free regardless of how strong the men holding him down were. "Cain, grab the others and get out of here! Make sure to jump high enough for Raven to see you."

"What about you?" Cain asked in concern.

The pirate captain gave a cocky grin meant to reassure herself more than the former bodyguard. "I'll be fine. I don't care how strong Damien gets, I'll always be there to cover your backs. Now move!"

Cain plunged his hand into Morgan's rock elemental and forcibly extracted him, causing the stone to crumble from existence. He scooped Alexander off the ground and caught Lyn as she jumped into the air. With one mighty leap, he soared skywards, leaving the two pirates behind. Damien slowly climbed to his feet, glaring at his captain through half lidded eyes. Flames raged across his body as he gave a crazed grin. Cassandra forced herself to show no fear and began pulling off her clothes. If she had the choice between fighting or returning to the ship with almost no clothing, she would prefer the former. After throwing her shirt and jeans aside, leaving only her underwear and weapon holsters, she cracked her knuckles and eyed the bloodthirsty navigator. "Raven won't interfere for nine minutes and ten seconds. You'll have to try to kill me before then."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Raven dashed past Cain and his passengers without a backwards glance, intent on reaching her final two crewmates as fast as possible. Her legs burned as she kicked off of midair to keep her aerial trajectory away from a tree in her path. She would have preferred to use her extreme speed to reach the two fighters as soon as possible, but if she had, she would be too exhausted to take down the berserk pirate. No matter how strong he got when he unleashed his full offensive power, she had to be available to bring him back. Regardless of her opinion that killing him would be better in the long run, Cassandra trusted her to only go as far as was necessary and no further.

However, she seriously considered breaking that trust when she arrived at the battlefield. Splashes of blood and scorched pockmarks were everywhere. No few bullets could be seen strewn about the ground, some discarded shells, others bullets that didn't find their target, yet more that had been deflected away. Large smoldering craters marred the landscape where Damien had probably driven his captain into the ground.

None of this mattered to Raven. All she focused on were the two pirates locked in mortal combat. Damien was completely blinded by his bloodlust, his limbs moving at incredible speeds as he tried to tear Cassandra apart. The only wounds he sported had been caused by bullets, but most of them had hit his ribs or arm bones. Fire raged across his body, though none of his flames burned intensely enough to damage their wielder. If that were the case, even Raven would have trouble stopping him. She could definitely do it, but it would be harder.

Cassandra, on the other hand, looked significantly worse for wear. Her body was trying to heal all of her grievous wounds at once, and it wasn't keeping up. The gashes across her stomach and chest were merely large scars, but there was a large chunk of her right arm missing. A deep slice trailed from just behind her left eye to past her ear where Damien had attempted to blind her. Her legs were the least damaged, a few bruises and cuts, which kept her mobility up. That was probably the main reason Cassandra was still standing.

Raven darted in with her blades ready when Cassandra held up a hand. "Don't!"

The doctor paused, unsure of what to do. Cassandra was clearly losing the fight, but as captain, her words were law. Besides, Raven had rarely seen the sniper give an order without serious reasoning behind it. "Why should I not intervene?"

"Promised… fight!" Cassandra managed, sacrificing a part of her side to continue her explanation. "Four minutes left!"

Part of Raven wanted to ignore the orders and stop Damien now, but she knew Cassandra would be mad at her if she did. The pirate captain took her promises to the crew very seriously, especially since her blunder on Reichmann Island. The doctor settled for crouching on a nearby rock and mentally counting the seconds while analyzing the fight.

On Damien's side, Raven concluded that he had gotten significantly better at micrododging. The bullets embedded in his flesh were grossly outnumbered by the bullets that had found one of his dense metal bones. Once she was convinced he could use it adequately, she would ponder what other training she could give him. While his muscles weren't as bulky as Cain's, his build was still unsuited for any of her family's techniques. Moreover, she couldn't teach him anything he didn't want to learn. The very core of his fighting style was unpredictability and constant evolution, polar opposites to her precise movements that had been honed to perfection through hundreds of thousands of repetitions.

Cassandra was doing the best she could against the type of opponent Damien was. While the sniper's incredible reflexes had no trouble with the randomness of Damien's attacks, the fact remained that Damien's combined strength, speed, and stamina were unparalleled among the crew. Although Raven's matchless speed and Cain's unbelievable strength gave them an edge over the navigator in one area, Cassandra was weaker than an unconscious Damien in every respect, save for her senses and brain. Unfortunately, tactics and strategy weren't all too useful against Damien.

However, while Cassandra and the other pirates had been planning a combination attack to subdue the berserker, Raven had been analyzing him separately and coming up with her own countermeasures. She hadn't been able to replace her waspknives quite yet, but she had procured two knives almost large enough to be called dirks and slathered them with an extremely potent paralyzing agent. With his fluctuating levels of tolerance towards particular chemicals, she estimated this one would be enough to stop him without stopping his heart.

The instant four minutes of brutal combat had elapsed, Raven sprang into action. Her new blades sped towards his exposed back, but he reacted quickly enough to use his metal wings as protection. His attention fully switched over to Raven, bestial green eyes instantly locking onto his new opponent. Raven couldn't say she enjoyed fighting, or anything for that matter, but using her skills to fight against a man she acknowledged as powerful made all of her training worthwhile.

What Raven didn't expect was Cassandra to keep fighting after the allotted time was up. She wasn't fully engaging the navigator, taking brief pauses to let her wounds heal slightly faster, but she was helping Raven take him down. Raven decided against using her full power. If Cassandra wanted to continue fighting, she wasn't seriously focused on subduing Damien. If Cassandra wasn't seriously concerned, then the fight could just turn into a training fight with no restrictions.

The two former assassins toiled until time seemed to warp, an instant stretching for eternity. Raven didn't even pay attention to the movement of the heavens, for even a moment's distraction could cost her her life. Somehow, Damien was growing ever so slightly stronger with every passing moment in that brief eternity, but that was being counterbalanced by the countless wounds they were inflicting on his system. He seemed to have recognized that the blades were covered in a toxin and didn't allow them to penetrate his flesh too deeply until most of the coating had been wiped off by skillful brushing maneuvers.

Raven was no fool. She knew she didn't have boundless stamina like the other two pirates. She took breaks at appropriate times, letting Cassandra endure the full brunt of Damien's bloodlust. The only thing she did during those brief reprieves was meditate to slow her heartbeat and breathing. In this way, she fought in intervals unlike Cassandra's constant combat. This method of training was as important as fighting for a long time to build up her stamina. Her muscles would be sore in the morning, but it would be worth it.

Finally, Damien collapsed to the ground, chest heaving as he gasped for air. Upon seeing his defeat, Cassandra fell beside him in a similar spread-eagled position. Raven remained standing, though her muscles trembled as they fought to support her. The pirate captain rolled her head around and flashed a weary grin. "It's okay, Raven. Remember, in front of me, you don't have to show weakness."

For a short while, Ravens onyx eyes rested upon the fully unconscious navigator. Realizing that putting up airs was foolish, she carefully lay down on the ground next to Cassandra. She gazed emotionlessly at the sky, noting the absence of any brightening where the sun would rise. "It was a mistake to allow him to heal fully."

"Nonsense," Cassandra said with a chuckle. "Now we really know what we're dealing with. Besides, you were fighting with weapons you were unaccustomed to. By the way, do you know where my pants went? I think my shirt got a bit burnt even though I tried to save it, but my pants should have survived."

"I do not know where they are. Shall I look for them?"

"No, no," Cassandra assured her. "Let's just rest for a bit."

For a long time, none of the three pirates spoke. Raven did have to get up to keep Damien from bleeding out, but otherwise she merely rested on the ground in an attempt to regain her energy as quickly as possible. At some point, Cassandra drifted off to sleep, leaving only Raven conscious. The doctor climbed to her feet and walked towards the nearby treeline. From there, she would be able to watch over the two pirates from hiding.

As she passed by Damien, he gave a small grin. "Took too many breaks, cunt. Y' ain' slackin' off, are ya?"

"I do not have to be the strongest fighter in the world," she droned. "Merely strong enough to keep you in check until you master your temper."

The navigator had no response. She crouched by his head and discovered that he was still unconscious. She glanced around for Cassandra's clothes, swiftly locating them some distance away. Choosing to walk instead of move at her top speed, she retrieved the clothing and returned to Cassandra. She folded the pants and ruined shirt, then placed then next to her sleeping captain. Satisfied, she kicked off and alighted on a sturdy tree branch. She withdrew her personal Baby Den-Den Mushi and plucked the receiver from the tiny snail. She highly doubted that the _Howling Knave_ would be devoid of crewmembers and that there would be nobody awake.

Sure enough, the snail looked at her and began to spit a rapid series of questions. "Hello? Is this Raven or Captain Libera? Are you all right? Do you need help? If you can-"

"Cain." The mere mention of his name caused the former bandit to fall silent. "We are all alive, yet tired."

"Have you moved from where the rest of us fought yesterday? Do you need me to come get you?"

"I do not know precisely where you fought yesterday, but approximately one kilometer closer to the ocean are smooth holes in the ground that indicate Morgan and/or Alexander used their Devil Fruit abilities. I do not think we will require assistance back to the _Howling Knave_, but I will contact you again if necessary."

"Got it. And Raven," the doctor held her hand above the receiver, an instant away from hanging up, "it's good to hear from you."

Raven was slightly confused, as that seemed like a pleasantry unsuited for the conversation. She dismissed it as concern on Cain's part and settled into a more comfortable position on her branch. She needed to be rested enough to travel back on her own.


	9. Tightening Bonds

Cassandra slowly opened her eyes, keeping them at a squint to protect against the strong sunlight. For having gotten the everliving snot beaten out of her, she felt perfectly fine. _I love this fruit_, she mused as she sat up straight. Damien was still slumbering fitfully off to her side, blood still oozing sluggishly from a few of his deeper wounds. Glancing about, she swiftly located Raven perched on a nearby tree limb, her bangs over her eyes to provide shade. As all three of them were alive, Cassandra decided the fight had been a complete success.

"Wake up, lunkhead." She brought her hand down on Damien's least injured leg a few times. "We've got the whole Grand Line to see. We can't spend it all sleeping away."

The brutal navigator yawned widely, exposing his large metal canines. His sleepy eyes found hers and stared dully for a moment. "Yah made it."

"Of course I did," she snapped as she climbed to her feet. "What kind of captain would I be if I couldn't deal with my own crewmembers at their worst? You're not killing me that easily."

"Ain' tha' the truth." With one monumental heave, he stood upright and began stretching his sore muscles. "Where's tha' cunt?"

Sensing no lingering anger or hostility in his tone, Cassandra beckoned Raven over. A split-second later, the doctor landed next to them, her outfit looking unsurprisingly pristine despite the hectic battle it had weathered. It was only then that Cassandra realized she was only wearing her panties. Her first reaction was to feel embarrassed, but that feeling was swiftly quashed when she remembered exactly who she was with. The only person more comfortable with nudity than Damien was Lyn, and Cassandra had been naked before Raven on more than one occasion. She began pulling on her pants, keeping an eye on Damien as she did.

"Wha'?" he snarled when he noticed her stare.

"Nothing," she said innocently, buttoning her jeans and tightening her belt. "I don't mean to pry, but I am curious. I know you said you're not gay yesterday, but you can't deny Morgan's reasoning. You don't show interest in women at all that I've seen."

She definitely didn't expect him to burst into laughter, causing her to start at the sudden noise. "I ain' shown in'erest in women? Maybe no' when I'm fightin'. Ain' nothin' more serious than a fuckin' fight."

"Well, what about outside a fight? You can't deny Lyn is beautiful, but you don't react to her constantly shedding her clothes. And am I not a topless woman in front of you right now, outside a fight?"

"That ain' th' same an' you fuckin' know it. What about you? You ain' like that color'eaded bint. Aintcha ashamed t' be naked before me?"

Cassandra could see his point there. Damien was different from the other men simply because of his psychotic view of things. "Okay, I kind of get it." She tied the remains of her shirt around her chest, protecting her modesty from the journey back to the _Howling Knave_ they were about to undertake. After checking to make sure all of her weapon holsters were full and attached to her body, she began walking towards the city.

As the trio meandered through the sparse forest, it took a while for Cassandra to remember she was the only one who would initiate a conversation. Damien only spoke when he wanted something or to insult someone, while Raven barely even knew how to carry a conversation, much less start one. "So Raven, have you figured out how our darling navigator's fighting style works?"

The doctor remained silent for a moment as she processed the question. "I have a reasonably concrete idea, but I do not remember sharing it with you. This is most likely because I formed the hypothesis when you were infiltrating the Reichmanns. I did not think telling Lyn, the acting-captain, would be useful, so I neglected to pass on the information."

Cassandra waited, then sighed as she realized the curvaceous pirate had technically answered her question. "Would you please illuminate us? I'm sure even Damien's curious."

"Fuck no."

The pirate captain rolled her eyes. "Raven?"

"From what Alexander and I have determined, the spirits Damien commands do not simply manifest in fire. They also help support every system in his body, giving him his remarkable stamina and constitution. That is not to say they are entirely responsible; his body itself is extraordinarily tough, and his stamina even without them is quite extraordinary. Otherwise, Alexander with his better command of spirits would be able to easily incapacitate Damien. This is not the case. His muscles sustain almost no damage from prolonged activity, which is why he can fight without stopping so long as he does not receive too many damaging attacks.

"Furthermore, he loses most of the control on the spirits when he gets knocked mostly unconscious. Since he uses his body as a medium, the spirits run amok. See this pattern of scars?"

Cassandra's fingers lightly traced the grooves crisscrossing Damien's left arm. "I was wondering exactly how that happened."

"The spirits take over any part of his body that begins to fail in combat. That is why those flames burn his skin and threaten his long-term health. Other notable instances of this phenomenon can be seen here, here, along this line, and here. They are relatively easy to locate as they are the only burn marks on his body save for the scars from before his corporeal reconstruction."

"Fuckin' borin'," Damien said irately. "Wha' about tha' fuckin' lobster dinner I saw on deck?"

"That is Rockstar, a lobster fishwoman. She is a bounty hunter was sent by the Net to apprehend Cassandra."

The navigator leaned in at this. Cassandra raised an eyebrow, confused at what exactly had roused his interest. "Boun'y 'unter? What 'appens to th' dumb fucks tha' get caugh'?"

"They go to a local jail owned by the guild," Raven droned. "Every two weeks, the captured bounty holders are transported to a larger prison owned by the guild on a different island."

Cassandra took the opportunity to take over the explanation, wanting to bend the truth just a little. "And every month, a member of the World Government comes to pick them up. What happens past that is beyond the Net's control, so we don't know anything past that."

Damien grunted, his eyes shifting back towards the distant horizon. Raven moved closer to Cassandra and lowered her volume. "That is not the explanation that Rockstar gave."

"That's because it isn't the truth," the sniper whispered. "But if he learns of the role Marines play in it, he might get it through his thick skull to go to that prison himself. Oi, Damien, where are you going?"

"I need ta piss," he snapped. "You wanna fuckin' watch?"

"No, no." Cassandra took the opportunity to relieve herself as well, finding a bush to hide behind despite her keen senses telling here there wasn't anybody around them. They reconvened a short time later and continued walking as if the interruption hadn't occurred. Once again, the sniper observed how her teammates were content walking in silence. Truth be told, it was a welcome change from Damien constantly being at Raven's throat. She still kept a wary eye on him, unwilling to be caught by surprise.

"So I noticed you haven't replaced your waspknives," Cassandra commented after some time.

Raven glanced up at her. "As I become more proficient in my ancestor's techniques, my body will replace my blades. I will likely still need specialized weapons to enhance the techniques, but as I get more practiced, I will rely less on tools."

"But how will you deal with armored targets? All the speed in the world won't get you through those."

"My ancestors created a very specific technique for targets with thick defenses. I executed an untrained version on Reichmann Island in an effort to kill Jeppe Lauritsen, also known as the Otan mercenary Tango. His mechanized battlesuit did well in absorbing the damage, but my technique was not at all concentrated. A proper execution would have pulverized Lauritsen's internal organs. As it was, it only aided in the weakening of the cockpit for Damien's extraction."

"Oh right!" Cassandra exclaimed brightly, throwing an arm over the shoulders of both pirates. "You two had your work cut out for you, didn't you? Nikolai Reichmann and Tango's team. There's no way I'd be able to deal with them. I hear you even had to team up!"

Damien's backhand came so quickly that Cassandra barely dodged out of the way in time. As it was, the heat from his arm still left a tingling sensation on her skin. "Wha' fuckin' teamwork? I ain' like th' rest o' you fuckin' insects. I work with nobody, especially tha' fuckin' cockmonster."

"It is true. Damien was as focused on killing me as he was his opponents. Without the combination of Captain's Orders and your potential death, I would most likely have died. I believe the Albino Panther also aided in Damien's distraction."

The mere mention of the ex-pirate drew a guttural snarl from Damien's throat. "If it weren' fer you, ya spunk-drinkin' concubine, I'da been able ta kill 'im."

"Do not blame me for your loss. I believe that with foreknowledge of his identity, you could have beaten him single-handedly. Your rage in battle boosts the spirits to support you past the barrier of mortality. Had you known that Booyah Spencer-Patrick was a Shichibukai, your resulting fury could well have given you the strength to beat him. It is your fault for acting like a child itching for a fight instead of paying attention to the man holding up the entire army."

Cassandra put her hands between them. "Okay, this is one of the extremely rare times when you're not actively trying to murder one another. Let's not ruin this moment, alright?"

Unsurprisingly, Raven fell silent. Very surprisingly, Damien did as well. Cassandra had learned to just enjoy the brief occasions when the wild navigator listened to her. They walked for quite some time, each wrapped up in his or her own thoughts. Cassandra mulled over her weapon choices for her future battles. Continually buying knives and ammunition was a costly and necessary part of her routine. As much as she tried to spend money reasonably, she didn't have unlimited funds. Perhaps she could convince Cain to take up weaponsmithing for her.

Of course, that would require him having access to a forge. Renting a forge would cost more than replacing the knives and ammunition would, but there wasn't the slightest chance one could be constructed on the _Howling Knave_. Now that she thought about it, her ship wouldn't be with her forever. It was cramped enough as it is, and there was little room for additional crewmembers. She didn't think any more men could fit in the men's quarters without being forced to extend the room into the medical bay. The women's quarters were spacious enough to fit another bed and possibly turn the beds into bunk beds, but even that was a problem. And what if she recruited a woman as large as Cain?

"That is a flaw in your fighting you will have to rectify." Raven's comment seemed to come completely out of nowhere. To Cassandra's further astonishment, the doctor wasn't even talking to her. The petite pirate was staring up at Damien, who looked just as confused as Cassandra and considerably more irritated. "What good does it serve when your true fighting skill can only be directed against Marines?"

"We're in th' Grand Line, no' th' fuckin' New World," Damien growled. "Ain' no pirates tha' could beat us in 'ere."

"Incorrect. Shar D. Bol is somewhere on this half of the Grand Line. As sister to the third Pirate King, it is inconceivable that she would be an easy target. But that is not my point. If you desire to be the strongest fighter in the world, it is not advantageous to be able to beat any Marine, but lose to a pirate of comparable strength to the strongest Marine."

As valid as Cassandra considered Raven's point to be, she was more interested in the reason Raven's question. The Marines were a particularly touchy subject around either of her first two male pirates; most times they were mentioned, Damien looked ready to swim off to Marineford by himself. Cassandra couldn't deny that Raven had chosen the best timing to talk about it with him. Damien was easiest to deal with after a nice battle or with the sea beneath his feet and a steering wheel in his hands.

"Well, tha's why I'm 'ere, ain' it. Ta get better agains' everyone."

Cassandra really did her best to resist making a comment about him not helping her in mock indignation. Witnessing Damien and Raven have a civil conversation was more miraculous than watching the signature of a peace treaty between the seven great assassin families would be.

"It is not a question of whether or not you will get better. I am simply pointing out that you will be better at fighting a certain group of people than most others. Why would being able to best the Fleet Admiral but not one of the Gokou be a part of your dream?"

At this, Damien actually did lunge at Raven. _So much for a civil conversation_, Cassandra thought, deciding against attempting to intervene for a bit. It wasn't entirely Damien's fault that the relationship between the two was so bad. Raven was a bad conversationalist with the most good-natured people, much less those with Damien's temperament. She was too used to dealing with business-like people and just didn't have a grasp on what would aggravate the volatile navigator. Cassandra was sure any of her crewmembers would be able to find out what Raven wanted to know, Morgan excluded. Damien was not particularly talkative, but he wasn't always antagonistic towards other people either.

The fight between the two pirates was a bit less brutal than their usual engagements. While this meant that both of them emerged relatively unharmed, the attacks they had launched at each other would have killed most men. Damien hated holding back, and Raven always gave as good as she got. Cassandra tried to distract them from their mutual dislike of the one another with another chat. "Have you heard what Lyn has been calling the three of us?"

"Nah."

Cassandra definitely didn't expect Raven to silently mirror the navigator's reaction. "Well, we're apparently the three immortals of the crew."

Damien's face split into an amused grin. "Yahahar, that we are. Though no' through lack o' tryin', eh? Yahahar!"

"And who's been the biggest threat to our lives?" Cassandra said in mock accusation.

The navigator's grin only widened. "Tha's only playin' around. Ya don' become a fuckin' immortal without earnin' it."

"My point is that we have a responsibility to the rest of the crew to protect them as best we can. We're the bastions against those that might crush our crewmembers. Now, I'm sure I'd have an easier time talking Cain into fasting for a week than getting you to stay in one place for even a single day, and I'm not going to even try. For now, is it safe to assume you'll be gone for a week at most?"

Damien rolled his shoulders. "Fuck if I know. Migh' find somethin' interesting."

The pirate captain put her hand to her forehead. "And that's why I really think you should carry a Baby Den-Den Mushi. Unfortunately, you traumatized the last one you had with you. I didn't even know that was possible." She glared at his pleased smile. "You do know that the chances of finding a fight are highest if you stay at my side, right? I'll admit that I'm not the most humble of women and can't easily take blows to my pride."

"Dya forget oo yer talkin' to, snot-eatin' cumdumpster? Yer th' one with the 'ighes' chances of findin' a real figh'?"

"And how many real fights did you find while the Net's bounty hunters found us?" she shot back.

"Granted, Damien would have had no trouble with Roco, Roko, Roqo, or Ruffle," Raven droned. "The only fight he might have enjoyed would be with Rockstar. Even then, he would not have had a difficult time."

"Damn you, Raven!" Cassandra said, her fist clenched before her. "You're supposed to be on my side!"

"I do not take sides in arguments," the doctor deadpanned. "I point out logical fallacies."

"Do you think I can't spot my own logical fallacies? I'm trying to convince my lunkhead of a navigator to actually be useful to us besides getting us from island to island!"

"Is that not the job of a navigator?"

Cassandra gritted her teeth, trying not to show her amusement. "He's not only the navigator. He's also our main fighter when it comes to things like this!"

"An' who's a lunk'ead, fuckin' twat?"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

It took Cassandra slightly longer than she expected to get back to the ship. A good portion of the trip back had been spent either running from or chasing after the dark-skinned navigator, not to mention the countless times Damien and Raven had assaulted each other. By the time the trio arrived back at the _Howling Knave_, the two more pugnacious pirates were covered in yards of bandages. For the sake of her sanity, Cassandra had Damien walk ten steps in front of her and Raven ten steps behind. While she would have preferred the small doctor at her side, she didn't want to risk Damien overhearing something that would set him off once more.

"Hey, I can see them!" came a familiar shout from the poop deck. "They're alive!"

"Of course we are," Cassandra snapped. "No thanks to these two."

"Damien!" Lyn catapulted herself off of the rigging and onto the scarred pirate. "You're okay!"

Damien's only response was to ill-temperedly drive the first mate into the ground without even looking at her and leap onto the ship.

Lyn bounced back without skipping a beat, launching herself at her next crewmember. "Raven! You're okay!"

The black-clad doctor used her evasive ability to dodge Lyn's hug. "Damien needs care," she deadpanned before swiftly departing.

Cassandra raised an eyebrow as Lyn nodded happily and began skipping back to the ship. "Oi, oi. What about me?"

Lyn glanced over her shoulder, her face the very picture of innocence. Her electric blue eyes widened as if seeing Cassandra for the first time. "Captain! You're okay! Even though of course you're okay because as long as you're alive and rested, you're perfectly healthy!"

The sniper brought a gloved fist down on Lyn's head. "What happened to the woman who always relieved my stress when I needed her to?"

"She got mad because a certain best friend of hers abandoned her to two wannabe gentlemen," Lyn pouted as she crossed her arms. "And her interesting large friend was busy keeping an interesting fishwoman busy and neither of them could play with her."

"Well…" Cassandra trailed off, trying to think of something to say. "Why couldn't you go out to a bar or something?"

"I couldn't do that!" Lyn said exasperatedly. "I was too worried about you three! I mean, I knew you'd come back, but brains and hearts don't know the same things! I barely got any sleep!"

Alexander glanced up at the pair as they climbed on board. "It's true. And guess who had to endure her all night long?"

"Oh, you know you love my company, Alexander!" Lyn gushed. "I'm awesome!"

From the way the musician's eye twitched, Cassandra had a sneaking suspicion Lyn was not boasting so much as continuing to irritate Alexander. "And thank you for reminding me of it so frequently last night," he managed through an obviously fake smile. "Captain, can you please remind Lyn that she has duties other than pester her crewmates?"

"Okay, this clearly didn't work out as well as I had hoped it would. The fact of the matter is that Raven and I will inevitably have to let Damien cool off multiple times in the future. Otherwise, we run the risk of serious bodily harm to the rest of you and possibly the ship. Alexander, I don't care how much you believe Damien wouldn't actually harm you. If that man's blood gets boiling, there aren't many things on this planet that can stop him."

Lyn wrapped her arms around her captain. "But you can! You're even more awesome than I am!"

Cassandra smiled at this, feeling some of her stress dissipate. "And that's not even half of it. Alexander, you've been talking with Raven, right? She doesn't really understand the impact her words have on the other person. For most of us, that's fine. Only Morgan, who," she paused to look around and smell the air, "I'm noticing isn't even on the ship, would get offended by what Raven says. Fortunately, he's too afraid of her to act out at the moment. Unfortunately, your idiotically fearless friend doesn't share Morgan's restraint."

"You raise a fair point," Alexander admitted. "So we'll monitor the situation and pray Hothead doesn't wreck the _Knave_ when we're a hundred leagues from the nearest island?"

"Brilliant plan." The musician rolled his eyes at her sarcastic remark. "The point is, I will say Raven and Damien have made advancements in their relationship. Damien no longer attacks her every single time he sees her. But keeping them apart for now is still the best option."

"You'd think two people who've known each other for so long and are part of a crew would get along better~."

Cassandra glanced at the forecastle deck, the fishwoman's presence registering for the first time in her mind. "And another question is whatever are we going to do with you, Rockstar?"

"Oh, don't kill her, Captain," Lyn implored. "She's much too interesting for that!"

"Why haven't you left yet, anyway?" Cassandra asked. "Shouldn't you be trying to contact the Net or something?"

The bounty hunter clasped her pincers and hands behind her head and back. "Well~, I tried a few times to escape, but Cain's too strong and Alexander's too smart, so I stopped trying~."

"I am taking none of that credit," insisted the alchemist. "Lyn's cockamamie stories and the fact that Cain could beat you in arm-pincer wrestling kept you here. I only spotted when you were going to try to make a run for it."

"So did Cain not sleep at all to make sure you didn't escape?"

"Of course not," Lyn said as if it were obvious. "When Rockstar fell asleep, so did he. If she was faking or if she woke up and tried, Alex could-"

"Alexander."

"_Alexander_ could have stalled her enough until we woke Cain up," Lyn finished. "Plus, as long as we kept her out of the water, Cain can catch up to her."

Cassandra looked up as Raven materialized crouching horizontally on the mast. "All of the wounds inflicted upon Damien and I are dealt with. I will retrieve Morgan and Cain, and we should depart."

"Agreed," the sniper sighed as Lyn tried to grab Raven's dangling ponytail. "I've had it with this rock. Only decent fight I had was with my own damn crewmember. There's nothing more to be gained here."

Damien's fist burst through the trapdoor leading to the medical bay. He climbed through the square hole, the broken trapdoor wrapped around his wrist. Alexander was clearly happy to see his friend wrapped in clean bandages, a small smile gracing his lips. "Well, it looks like you had a fun time, mate. Would you mind not smashing everything we have, though? It's true that Cain can fix it in a heartbeat, but we shouldn't have to be repairing every damn thing you break."

The navigator's gaze didn't move once he set sight on Rockstar. "Well, if lunch didn' come righ' on fuckin' time."

"Come try it, boy~." The fishwoman smashed her pincer's together threateningly. "You can't possibly be as strong as Cain."

"Whoa there, Hothead," Alexander interjected, putting himself between Damien and Rockstar. "I know you're hungry, but can you at least wait until Captain decides what to do with her? Besides, just by looking at her, do you think you could take her on?"

"O' course I can," Damien snarled. "I ain' tha' black'earted slutbag. Armor don' make a fuckin' difference fer me." His wild glare settled on his captain, and he bared his teeth. "Make up yer fuckin' mind, Cap'n."

In truth, there wasn't much Cassandra wanted from Rockstar. Raven had already interrogated the lobster fishwoman quite thoroughly. As dismissive as she had been earlier, Cassandra did want to go over the analysis of Rockstar's anatomy for the same reason as Raven. However, Rockstar had no more usefulness as a baseline for fishman physiology or as an information source about the Net. A dark smirk crossed her face as she thought of one more way Rockstar could be helpful.

"I know that look," Lyn said with a matching expression. "You're thinking of something smart and mean."

"Oh, but I have found a temporary solution to all of our problems." Cassandra pointed at Damien. "You are going to fight Rockstar."

"Now tha's what I like to 'ear," Damien said, flicking out his claws.

"But!" The navigator half-turned towards Cassandra. "Since we all know you'll kick her ass without any handicaps, you're going to fight her underwater."

"Hey~!" Rockstar protested. "Don't you think you're underestimating me a little here? Fishmen are invincible underwater."

"And Damien's invincible not underwater!" Lyn chirped.

Alexander gave a low chuckle. "That would be on terra firma."

"What's terra firma?" inquired the first mate.

Cassandra lightly ruffled Lyn's hair. "It means solid ground. Anyway, you two should get a move on. Fight or not, we're hauling up the anchor and setting sail when Morgan gets back." She paused as her stomach let out a loud gurgle. "And of course the one absent has to be the blasted cook. Lyn, get off me so I can get some food."

"Nope!" Lyn pressed her cheek against Cassandra's. "I'm not letting go until we set sail!"

"I'm not carrying you around while I cook some food," Cassandra said flatly. "Besides-"

"I'll make some food for you, Captain," Alexander offered. "Why don't you go rest for a bit? I bet you slept on the ground, and only Hothead would find that comfortable."

The pirate captain stretched her arms as best she could with Lyn hanging onto her. "A sound suggestion, my friend. Make me something good." Alexander bowed his head and moved towards the galley. "By the way, has a man named Randy stopped by yet?"

Alexander seemed to recognize the name. "No, but Rockstar did say he was coming for pickup."

"Pickup…" Cassandra glanced overboard as her mind worked quickly and efficiently. "Well, it would have been nice for Damien to work off his aggression on him instead of Rockstar, but no matter. If he comes, tell me."

"Yes, Captain." The pirates scattered to their various destinations. Despite having to carry Lyn up the stairs to the women's quarters, Cassandra found she still wasn't too tired. The Nao Nao no Mi had long since gotten rid of the discomfort from sleeping on the rocky ground and walking for such a long time, so a rest on a bed wasn't entirely necessary. Still, it would be nice to lie down for a bit.

But first, she needed to shower. Her clothes consisted of her boots, jeans, hat, and the tattered remains of her shirt tied across her chest. She unhooked her belt and weapons, tossing them over by her bed. As she removed her shoulder holster, she remembered that she would have to replace its twin. She could do that on the next island.

When it came to removing the rest of her grimy clothing, she ran into a bit of an issue. "Lyn, you're going to have to get off now."

"No." The first mate buried her face in the crook of the sniper's neck. "I'm not letting go until we leave."

"Lyn, you know I'm perfectly fine. No matter what it is, I can just heal it off in a minute or two."

"Doesn't matter." Cassandra was surprised by how quiet Lyn was. "I was so worried. I didn't know if you all would make it back."

_So Lyn wasn't just worried about me_. "The three of us were just having a little fight. It's neither the first nor the last time-"

"That doesn't make it better!" Lyn paused for a moment before resuming her almost inaudible tone. "It doesn't make it better. It wasn't a little fight. Damien doesn't do little fights. Not with you. He'll always go a little beyond what you can handle. That's why I don't get hurt when I spar with him."

"Exactly. That's how it is with Raven and I too."

Lyn tightened her grip on the sniper's lithe body. "But it's not the same! For you guys, a little beyond is death! And I know you won't try to hurt each other too badly, but in a fight like that, anything can go wrong! I know, _I know_ that you all have the control to stay alive. But anything can happen! And if something goes wrong, there are only two of you coming back!"

Cassandra closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Lyn, let go of me."

The artist's arms fell slack. Turning around, Cassandra brought the other woman into a tight hug. "I know I can't stop you from being worried," she whispered. "I would feel the same way in your position. You have a good point; in a fight like the one Raven, Damien, and I have, one mistake or random occurrence would be fatal. We're all fighters with a level of skill where a fraction of a second is the difference between life and death. Damien can lose control, but Raven and I are just as responsible to make sure we don't make mistakes.

"But know this, Lyn Mojigata. We will never let you down. Damien will get more powerful than any of us, but that doesn't matter a bit. Raven may perfect her family's techniques, but that doesn't matter either. Taking advantage of random chance is how Damien and I fight, and both of us expect it to happen all the time. That's why Damien doesn't have to hold back. He knows, just as you do, that I can survive. That's why Raven can aim to kill. She knows that Damien won't be killed in a straight up fight with her. And I use guns to aim for Damien's weaker spots, even though bullets are lethal. We all trust each other's abilities. We all know we can stay alive and have to stay alive.

"And at the end of the day, the three of us will always come back together."

Lyn embraced Cassandra even more tightly. "Do you mean it, Captain?"

"Of course. Besides, things aren't as bad as you think."

The first mate pulled back at this, confusion in her eyes. "Aren't as bad as I think? What do you mean?"

"Believe it or not, Damien and Raven don't hate each other as much as they appear to. Okay, so Raven still thinks we'd be better off without Damien, and she can't go three sentences without accidentally pissing him off. Damien still doesn't like that he can't take her down, and his volatile nature is never going to change. But would you believe it if I told you the three of us actually managed to walk for quite some time without fighting?"

All of Lyn's fear and sadness vanished in the blink of an eye. "Whoa! Really?"

"I wouldn't lie to you about something like that," Cassandra said with a grin. "I think with a little training from you and Alexander, we might even get Raven to be able to talk to Damien without severe damage to each other or their surroundings."

"Yeah, yeah!" Lyn cheered. "And things will get better when Damien can actually beat Raven one-on-one too! He really respects strength! You, Cain, that monk guy, that sword guy…" She trailed off as she tried to think of more examples. "You…"

Cassandra couldn't help but laugh at that. "And what about you, my dear? I think he's listened to you more than anybody else I know, especially when he's angry! What kind of magic do you use?"

"Se-cr-et!" Lyn winked roguishly. "But the problem is Raven can't just intentionally lose a fight. Damien's not stupid enough to fall for that, especially when he's fighting."

"Well, not much we can do about that part now. What you can do is teach Raven how to speak while thinking of how the other person feels. Think you can manage that?"

"Aye aye, Captain!" Lyn released her and scampered off, obviously forgetting that Raven had departed to retrieve the two ex-bandits. Still chuckling to herself, Cassandra shed her remaining clothes and entered the bathroom. While she didn't need a rest, she did badly need a shower. The water felt good as it washed away the dirt and dried blood caked on her skin. All of the wounds on her body had long since vanished, but the red-brown trails were clear indicators of the hell her body had gone through. The largest downside to having all of her senses amplified was her sense of pain was heightened as well. The adrenaline that rushed through her body brought pain down to tolerable levels. Still, when chunks of her flesh were being ripped or seared off, even her tolerance was strained.

She emerged from the steaming bathroom a while later, sleepily toweling her hair dry. The warmth of the shower and the safety she felt while aboard her ship had made her somewhat lethargic. Much to her amusement, a fresh set of clothes lay on her bed. She left a trail of dampness in her wake as she walked over to pick up the note resting in the brim of her cowboy hat.

_Alex said if I did this, he would show me something really cool. If you ruin this top too, I'll have Cain eat all the apples on board._

Cassandra couldn't help but chuckle at this. She hadn't seen the aforesaid top before, a black tank top with a picture of a crown on it, so she concluded it had been a gift for something or other. As she pulled on her underwear, she contemplated various ways to repay her first and second mates. They had been invaluable in keeping the crew dynamics strong and the atmosphere light-hearted. They had a few overlapping interests: art, piracy, and religious practices in particular. She briefly considered consulting Damien, who had known one for almost as long as she had and the other for much longer, but the scarred navigator would not be interested in idle pastimes that didn't involve fighting or drinking.

When she emerged blinking into the sunlight, a twinge of irritation ran through her at the lack of scents from either of her two newest crewmembers. The trail of bubbles that wove around the ship was a pretty good indication that Rockstar and Damien were still fighting. If she could swim, she would have checked up on their progress. She settled for withdrawing her personal Baby Den-Den Mushi from her pocket and contacting Raven.

"Where are you?" she demanded as soon as the snail connected with its brother. "It shouldn't take so long to retrieve two of them. It's not like Cain's hard to spot."

"Morgan is currently arguing with the local police. He refuses to apologize for an action I was not present to witness, and Cain is busy attempting to calm the situation."

Cassandra closed her eyes to pray to the gods for patience. "So just tell him to say he's sorry and get his ass back to the ship. I wanted to be off this island yesterday."

"I have already told him. He obstinately refuses to."

"Give him the snail." She mentally prepared herself for dealing with the onetime prince. Her foul mood had been lightened somewhat by her shower and Lyn's caring actions, but she was still simmering. Morgan was trying to learn from her how to be a leader. Although she was completely making it up as she went along, she felt she usually set a pretty good example. Blowing up at your subordinates was counterproductive and unsightly, two qualities that good leaders never showed.

Chief's expression changed from blank to irritated as Raven's snail switched possession. "What is it, Cass- Captain?"

"We should be on the open sea right now," she told him. "So stop making a scene, say you're sorry, and let's go."

"I won't do that!" Snail-Morgan protested. "This man-"

"Listen well, Morgan," she interrupted. "I don't give a flying fuck about whatever snafu you've gotten yourself into this time. So apologize and get your ass back to the ship."

"But Captain-"

She was suddenly struck by an idea. "Congratulations, Morgan. You're the third person that I've had to say this to. You will apologize and do whatever it is you have to do to extract yourself from that situation. You will march back to this ship. You and I will have a talk about disobedience. After this talk, you will be given the opportunity to negotiate your punishment. These are my Captain's Orders."

There was a long pause. "What?"

"You see, I like to give my crewmembers a fair amount of slack. It makes this hierarchy much more organic. However, there are certain times when what I saw must be followed out promptly and to the letter. When I issue Captain's Orders, they will be carried out. Nobody is an exception to this rule, not Damien, not Raven, and certainly not you. The penalty for not following this rule is dismissal from the crew. I cannot have any crewmembers who would ignore my commands when I need them."

"But this is not a life or death situation!"

"I will not repeat myself, Morgan Zematsal. You have ten minutes to arrive back on this ship. If you are not here, I will leave you behind. That's all I have to say on the matter."

She hung up the receiver and pocketed the Baby Den-Den Mushi. Just when she had calmed down enough from Damien's antics, Morgan had to go and ruin her mood again. She was tempted to let the two aggravating pirates go at one another, but that would just be a more one-sided version of the fight that happened the day before. Besides, she didn't want to delay their departure any longer than it had to.

Her senses detected the first mate's approach, but she chose not to react. Lyn hopped off the poop deck and landed beside her. "Whassa matter, Captain? You look like you could use a hug."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "It's not easy being captain of this crew," she admitted freely. The days of hiding anything from her nakama, Lyn most of all, were over. "You, Alexander, and Cain make my life much easier, but our other three tend to make it more difficult."

Lyn stared off into the distance as she mulled this over. All of a sudden, she grabbed the blue-haired pirate, her hands roving over Cassandra's body. The sniper squirmed as she attempted to free herself, but Lyn didn't let up. Cassandra finally managed to escape, but only after Lyn found what she was looking for. "What are you doing?" the captain asked.

"Relieving you of duty," Lyn said matter-of-factly, placing Chief on her scabbard. "You need a break."

"Reli- you can't just do that!"

"I just did!" The artist ran back to the poop deck, Cassandra hot on her heels.

Alexander looked up from his newspaper, the sun reflecting off of his glasses obscuring his eyes. "And what do we have here?"

"Lyn, get back here!" Cassandra shouted as they ran laps around the poop deck. "I need that!"

"No! I say you need a break, and I'm giving you one. I'm gonna be Captain for a bit!"

"I can't take a break! And with what authority can you give me one? I outrank you!"

Her attention was temporarily diverted as Alexander let loose a round of laughter. "Well, if Lyn's captain now, then she outranks you. I'm afraid you can't go against that."

"That's mutiny!" Cassandra protested. "You can't just strip me of my rank!"

"In all seriousness, I agree with Lyn." Cassandra slid to a stop, willing to hear the musician out. While Lyn's antics were dependent on the artist's ever-changing whims, Alexander's decisions were usually based on firm logic. "If you need a break, then by all means, you should take one. Don't worry about what asinine things Morgan got himself into. Put that from your mind. Lyn, Raven, and I are perfectly capable of handling it. We'll talk to him when he gets back. You just sit this out."

Cassandra couldn't help but show her confusion. "But…"

"No buts!" Lyn was suddenly in front of her face, planting a light kiss upon her nose.

Before Cassandra's brain could even begin to process what had happened, Lyn had stolen her cowboy hat and bounced away. She raised her fingers to her face, her mind still too shocked to function properly. Alexander chuckled at her perplexed expression and folded his newspaper up. "Looks like you forgot a lesson that Lyn had to learn the hard way. Sure, you're the head of the crew, and you're supposed to be the one everyone depends on for support, but you have to rely on us too."

"Evidently." She stared at the energetic pirate running erratically across the ship. "Are you sure that you'll be all right with me taking a break?"

Alexander bopped her lightly on the head with his rolled-up newspaper. "Of course, Captain. Hmm, it wouldn't do to call you that when you're temporarily relieved of command." His eyes roved about for a moment as he thought before falling on her black top. "Well, it's obvious, isn't it? The entire world will be calling you that. Shouldn't we get a head start?"

Cassandra gave a light grin. "Oh, but Morgan won't be too happy about that."

The musician laughed in agreement. "You're completely right. But you leave Morgan to me and Lyn. You just sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself."

"Will do, my friend." She snatched the newspaper from him and went over to the throne that had been relocated to the poop deck. They would need to move it indoors once they set sail, but the warm weather had allowed them to leave it out. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, right?"

He looked over his shoulder, his hand going to his forehead in a salute. "You got it, Queen."


	10. Venomous Relationships

Lyn ran along the railings of the _Howling Knave_, keeping her balance despite the slipperiness of the wood and the rocking of the ship. She was trying to keep up with Damien and Rockstar's fight from out of the water, and it wasn't an easy task. There were way more bubbles than the breath in Damien's lungs, the reason for which became evident whenever they breached the surface. The navigator had a tight hold on an antenna, enabling him to keep with the fishwoman despite her underwater advantage. His skin was clouded by steam before erupting into flame every time the pair resurfaced.

When she reported this finding to Captain – she would always be Captain in Lyn's mind no matter who was temporarily in charge – the sniper had an explanation. "My guess would be he's boiling the water around him to move more quickly than he should be able to. Smart man."

"Not as smart as you!" Lyn shouted. "How'd you know?"

Captain shrugged. "As I said, it's just a guess. How're things coming along, _Captain_?"

"Ah ah ah!" Lyn admonished. "That's not for you to know! Mere crewmembers aren't part of the planning process!"

"What on earth are you talking about? I include Raven whenever I'm concocting a plan."

Lyn rolled her eyes. "That's cheating, Queen. You and Raven have known each other forever."

"Well, wouldn't it make sense to involve the brightest minds?"

"Nice try, but nope. You're on enforced break. If I say you have to relax, you have to relax. So relax."

Captain sat back in her throne and threw one leg over the chair's arm. "Fine. No planning or ordering. You got it."

The acting-captain resumed running about the ship to follow the progress of the fight. Growing frustrated that she couldn't quite see what was going on, she leapt overboard so she could go underwater. Quite unexpectedly, her aerial momentum was reversed, and she found herself speeding back onto the ship. She turned around to see Raven staring blankly right back at her. "It would be unwise to go into the water. Rockstar can move quite quickly and could collide with you dangerously fast."

Having explained herself, Raven zipped over to Captain to deliver her report. Before the black-clad woman could speak, Lyn leapt forward. "Uh-uh, Raven! Queen's on a forced break. I'm captain for a while so she can relax! She's been really tense!"

Raven's onyx eyes moved quickly between the two female pirates. Captain shrugged and continued reading her newspaper without a word. The doctor looked unsure about how to proceed. Lyn sighed, knowing that Raven's reports were always the kind that made Captain angry or sad. The artist definitely wouldn't be able to handle things like that on her own. She wouldn't even know what to do. "If it's really super important, you can tell her."

"It is not." Raven flitted back to Lyn's side. "I approve of the vacation you have given Cassandra. With this arrangement, we return to the state on Reichmann Island with you as acting-captain and Alexander as first mate. Why do you call her Queen instead of her given name?"

"Because she's still Captain. She's just not the captain." A perfect explanation. "Plus, Morgan might be less cooperative if he gets used to calling her Cassandra. Alexander agrees, and Cain'll probably find it funny. And you can keep calling her Cassandra. You just wouldn't be you if you called her something else."

Raven only blinked. Lyn had a sinking feeling the smaller woman didn't understand. "Okay, never mind. Just keep calling her Cassandra. But she doesn't give orders. She's not supposed to worry about anything."

"Then you will assume the responsibility of deciding Morgan's punishment?"

"Huh? Morgan's being punished? For what?"

"He disobeyed my orders." Captain looked up and flashed a smile. "Crewmembers are allowed to share information with the captain, right?"

Lyn wished she had something to throw at the stubborn gunslinger. Apparently, Captain couldn't part with her role as leader so easily. "Well, did he disobey Captain's Orders or the orders coming from the captain?"

"The second," Captain admitted.

"Oh. Well, that's not so bad then. I'll have him swab the decks or something."

"Deck swabbing? That's pretty light." Lyn stared at her expectantly. "Captain."

The acting-captain beamed. "Well, it's my call! Oh, and you can't undo any of the things I did when I'm captain!"

"No retroactive commands."

Lyn didn't know what retroactive meant, but she assumed Raven was just restating her decree. "Exactly. Now." She decided that topic was finished and her mind already searched for another. "Aaaah, I'm bored. Someone do something interesting."

"Hello there!" came a shout from the docks. "Is there anybody on board?"

The artist ran over to the railing and leaned overboard to get a better look at the newcomer. A powerfully-built man with skin darker than Damien's stared back at her, a stern expression on his face. What interested Lyn more was his shirt, primarily yellow with large black splotches on it. "I like your shirt! It looks pretty!"

"Pretty is not what I was going for." Lyn's cheeks puffed out in displeasure. This man was no fun. "I'm looking for the captain of your crew."

She immediately knew the man was looking for Captain. She also knew that Captain had definitely heard him. The gunslinger's hearing was astoundingly good. "That's me!" Lyn exclaimed. "I'm the captain!"

The man narrowed his eyes. "Are you really the captain?"

"Uh-huh! I even have the captain's hat! Which, in my opinion, should be replaced by a cooler one."

"You are the Insidious Amaranth?" the man clarified.

"Mmm, sure."

"Sure? That doesn't sound sincere."

Lyn gave a radiant grin. "Don't you know what insidious means?"

The dark-skinned man gave a grim smile of his own. "Of course. It nice to meet you at last."

"Meet me?" She cocked her head to the side. "Who are you?"

Lyn didn't understand what happened next. One moment, she was chatting with this man. The next, she was crashing into the deck. Raven had her arms wrapped protectively around the larger woman, indicating she had been the cause of the abrupt action. "What the he…"

Her words died in her throat as she saw that the place she had been standing was merely a shower of splinters. She hadn't even seen the attack coming. That had been even faster than Rockstar's punches. She scrambled to her feet to see the man standing with his hands in his pockets. "What was that?"

"Lyn, go to Cassandra. Now." Lyn's eyes widened. Whenever Raven issued an order, she remained as laconic as possible. The added "now" indicated the gravity of her request. The artist scrambled to her feet and dashed over to Captain. More bursts of wooden shards erupted around her, but Raven seemed to be keeping them away from her.

Captain grabbed Lyn in her arms and brought her into a tight hug. "Now, Raven!"

Lyn had only a brief second to wonder what was happening before the doctor acted. A terrible feeling, the most horrible feeling she had ever experienced, seized her heart. Every part of her body screamed to escape as quickly as possible. A cold sweat broke out on her skin, and her limbs trembled mightily. She squeezed her eyes shut as her heart went into overdrive, thudding so loudly that she was sure Captain could hear it. The other woman didn't react quite as badly, only tightening her arms around Lyn's torso. She pressed Lyn's face into her chest as the acting-captain quivered in fear.

The hissing of steam barely registered in Lyn's mind. Captain slowly moved over to the railing so she could get a better peek at what was going on. Lyn shakily turned her head to get a look as well. Damien was standing on the docks, trails of white steam seeping from his scarred body. An angry expression clouded his face, his lips drawn back to expose his fangs. "Th' fuck you want, whore?"

"Hey~!" Rockstar shouted, bursting from the water at him. "Don't lea-"

She was sent flying into the air by Damien's punch. He didn't even look at the fishwoman; his green eyes were focused on the doctor perched on the railing. "Ya better 'ave a fuckin' good reason ta in'errupt me fight."

"I have found a more suitable opponent for you," Raven responded. "Your arrival is not unexpected, Ranit O'Meya."

"Please, call me Randy," he said. "But I'm surprised you know my name. I'm afraid I don't know yours."

"And you will not learn it. Damien, I will not be able to assist you for some time."

"Like I give a fuck," the navigator snarled. "Diavolo Gorilla!"

Damien moved forwards at incredible speeds, but Randy was faster. Lyn didn't even see him move. The two fighters met with a brutal clash, the sounds of rapid hits reverberating through the air. After a few seconds, the pair leapt away from each other. Randy looked focused, his muscles tensing beneath his brightly-colored shirt. Damien, on the other hand, merely looked angrier. Lyn would have thought that an opponent like Randy would have made Damien happy. The berserker loved nothing more than fighting.

The reason behind Damien's rage soon came to light. "You 'old back one more time, cockpouch, an' I'll rip out yer fuckin' 'eart thru yer ass'ole."

Randy looked surprised at Damien's threat and bowed his head briefly. "Very well."

Lyn's eyes widened as Randi began to change. His chin and neck vanished as his head descended to his chest. A thick web grew between his fingers, and his skin changed to a vivid blue with the occasional black patch. His nose melted into his face. He soon towered head and shoulders above Damien, his shirt stretched to its limit to accommodate his new size. "Whoa…"

Damien only bared his teeth in a pleased grin. "Tha's more like it. Don' die too fuckin' quickly now, maggot."

The navigator darted forwards, only to be knocked backwards by some unseen force. He charged again, this time anticipating the attack. His left arm flew out, grabbing at something Lyn couldn't see. He drew his wings protectively around him, then set them alight and threw them apart. The resulting wave of flame surged forward, reminding Lyn strongly of a bird diving after its prey.

Much to her amazement, Randi dodged the attack by leaping so high into the air that he vanished to a mere speck. Damien gave a bestial roar, his flames surging wildly. Lyn had rarely seen Damien in action when he got serious, but it was a beautiful, terrible sight to behold. The spirits he commanded were every bit as angry as he was, and their anger combined with his to grow exponentially larger. Such a combination of mind, body, and spirit was amazing.

But more importantly… "What's going on?" Lyn asked. "What's with Randy?"

She turned to see that Raven had disappeared as well, leaving Captain to be the one to explain. "Randy's troublesome. He ate the Kero Kero no Mi: Model Posion Dart Frog. As you might expect, he secretes an extremely potent paralytic toxin."

"Well, that's okay then!" Lyn said, finally letting go of the other woman. "Damien doesn't get poisoned!"

"That's where you're wrong." The artist frowned at this. He always seemed to be fine after Raven hit him with something. "Damien isn't immune to specific poisons or drugs, but once he survives them, his body becomes extremely resistant to them for a while. Since this is his first exposure to Randy's toxin…"

"Oh… Oh!" Lyn stared at the scarred man running off after his prey. "Wait! That means he's gonna die!"

Captain lightly rapped her on the head. "Don't be silly. Do you think I'd let him die just like that? Raven's going to collect some of the poison and synthesize an antidote. She has until Damien can't fight any more to give it to him."

Lyn pondered this for a moment. "Hey, wait a second! Who's the stupid one? Go help him!"

"I thought I was on a break?" Captain asked, amusement in her voice.

"I'm the captain, and I say you have to fight," Lyn said. "You don't need any antidote."

"All right then." Captain closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Voluntas Carnae."

Lyn couldn't help but love it when Captain did that. The onetime assassin always looked so full of life after boosting her body. Her eyes sparkled with energy, and her grin grew confident and proud. "Go get 'em, Queen!"

Captain nodded and leapt onto the railing. Before departing, she glanced at Lyn over her shoulder. "And you're not allowed to relinquish control right when we get back. You're going to be the one to explain to Damien why I interfered with his fight."

"Have fun!" Lyn said with a wave. Captain rolled her eyes, but put two fingers to her forehead in a brief salute. Lyn couldn't help but admire how awesome the lithe pirate looked standing on the railing with her black overshirt flapping in the wind. As Captain took off, Lyn stretched her arms above her head as she thought of how to soothe Damien's inevitable ire. He probably wouldn't hurt her too badly, but her role of acting-captain made it hard to predict what he would do. Not that Damien was easy to predict in the first place.

"Oi~, what happened?"

The artist looked over to see Rockstar climb from the wreckage of what had been a small ship. The fishwoman looked redder than she had previously and her body was covered in bleeding gashes. Damien had probably tried to tear her apart and boil her alive. "Umm… Randy came, so Damien and Queen decided to play with him. No hard feelings?"

Rockstar pursed her lips. "Who's Queen?"

"Well, I decided to give Captain a break because she needed one, so I'm captain now. We can't keep calling her Captain, so she's Queen."

"I see~. You don't have a bounty, do you?"

"Nope!" Lyn said cheerily. "Who am I a danger to?"

This seemed to persuade Rockstar. "Right. Well, there's not much else to do now that it's just you and… Where's Alexander~?"

"Where is that lazy bastard?" Lyn wondered. "Probably gorging himself in the galley. Hey Alex! Alex! Where are you?"

"My name is Alexander." The musician emerged from the galley, a faint look of irritation on his face. "I know you just do it to annoy me, but I do wish you'd stop calling me that."

"Maybe later. Your girlfriend wants a goodbye kiss!"

"My girlfriend…?" Alexander's confusion vanished as he caught sight of Rockstar. "I see. Well, I probably won't ever see you again, so this truly is farewell."

"What are you talking about~?" Rockstar asked. "Just because your captain is the only one with a bounty, you think we'll let pirates go free?"

The musician adjusted his glasses. "No, it wouldn't appear so. I'm guessing the triplets and Ruffle are going after Cain and Morgan?"

"That's right~. And the triplets' power gets stronger exponentially, not linearly when they're together. It's true that Ruffle needed to get new swords, but he's just itching for round two."

Alexander looked unconvinced. "Well, I see two reasons why they can't have succeeded."

"Oh?" Rockstar frowned. "And what might those be?"

The alchemist only needed to raise his finger. The lobster fishwoman looked hesitant at first, but slowly turned her body while keeping her eyes on Alexander. Lyn couldn't blame her; it wouldn't be the first time the bounty hunter was tricked by the wily pirate. After judging that Alexander wasn't playing a trick on her, she turned around and let out a noise of shock. Cain and Morgan were striding purposefully towards the _Howling Knave_, both of them carrying large bags filled to the brim.

"No!" Rockstar shouted. "They can't have failed twice~!"

"Hey now, Rocky," came a voice from somewhere Lyn couldn't see.

"Who said we failed?" The same voice came from somewhere else.

"We just found them right now." Again, from another place.

A man Lyn didn't recognize landed on the street, the stone ground cracking from the force. Two wickedly-curving scimitars were clenched tightly in his fists, one of which was leveled at Cain. "You there. You have something of mine that I'd like you to return."

The massive pirate looked expressionlessly down at him. "They are the spoils of war, Ruffle. They belong to me. You can only reclaim them if you defeat me in battle."

The swordsman gave a dark sneer. "Then what are we waiting for? Smash the ship and grab the pirates! Bounty or not, the World Government would be glad to have you off the seas!"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Cassandra had no problem following Damien's trail. Even if she ignored the smell of salt water and burning blood that dominated his unique scent, even if she ignored the screams of terror from the people who beheld the bloodthirsty pirate, the flaming trail of cracked paving stones were more than enough to tell her where he was. Her legs pumped furiously as she sprinted through the streets. Her stamina boosted near Damien's level by her fruit enabled her to run without needing a break for as long as she wanted.

She soon caught up to him, as the navigator had slowed to a slow prowl. Evidently, he had lost sight of his prey. When his blazing green eyes fell upon her, his hackles rose. "The fuck're you doin' 'ere? This is my fuckin' fight."

"So it is, but you seem to have lost him," she said offhandedly. "He is a frog, you know. He can jump a lot farther than you can."

"Fuckin' obvious, ain't it cunt?" he snarled. "Now find 'im so I can tear out 'is fuckin' ballsack an' feed it to 'im."

For a moment, Cassandra contemplated simply following his command. It would certainly be easier in the long run and definitely the more intelligent option. However, it seemed nobody could go through any situation involving Damien without irrationality tainting their actions. "Now now, Damien. Lyn may temporarily be captain, but that doesn't give you the right to order me around."

In the blink of an eye, his hand was around her throat. She could have dodged if she wanted to, but she knew she was in no danger. At least, she had a very high chance of not being in danger. "Don' fuck with me, Cap'n. Tell me where 'e is."

Luckily, his grip wasn't tight enough to prevent her from speaking. "Yesterday, you inadvertently taught Morgan that he had to work with his crewmates to survive. I understand that you don't work well with most other people. It'd be meaningless for almost anyone else to partner with you. But Raven and I are around your level. There will be times when you'll have to accept our help."

His claws dug into her skin as he squeezed a little harder. After some time, he slowly released his hold and dropped his arm. "I fuckin' 'ate you, you know tha'?"

"No, you're angry with me," she said, rubbing her neck as it healed. "But you're always angry at something, even though you're usually happy too. But now's not the time. How about we show Randy the true power of the Black Glove Pirates?"

"Just point 'im out and stay outta me fuckin way, 'arlot."

"As much as I like to relax by reading and doing nothing, having a nice fight is another way of relieving tension. Looks like it's a race to Randy's death."

Damien gave a dark smirk. "Aye. Now where is th' catamite?"

She was about to answer when she heard something off in the distance. She immediately identified it as Alexander's trumpet blast, indicating that her nakama were under attack. Curiously, Damien's glare was also on the docks behind them. "Go fuckin' 'elp them."

"How did you know?" she asked. "There's no way you heard that."

"Spiri's, concubine. They c'n feel it."

His attention was once again diverted as Raven landed on Cassandra's other side. "Rockstar began an attack on the _Howling Knave_, but Cain and Morgan showed up. Ruffle, Roco, Roko, and Roqo followed them. Do they need assistance?"

"No, they should be fine," Cassandra said dismissively. "You're going to be busy anyway, Raven. How are your antidote-making skills?"

Before the doctor could respond, Randy exploded through the façade of the building behind them. The three pirates were already moving, each with their own independent goals. Damien was wreathed in flame, a bonequaking roar shaking the air around them. Cassandra had her pistols out and was already backpedaling to put some distance between her and the Zoan user. Raven darted in, her incredible speed unmatched by the other fighters.

However, Randy was no amateur. There was a reason he excited even Damien's bloodlust. His prehensile tongue was astoundingly fast and strong, able to push back the weighty navigator. His powerful legs gave him even greater speed. Cassandra speculated that both his legs and tongue moving in the same direction could snap even Raven out of midair. The thin film coating his variegated skin stank of something she knew she didn't want to touch. Unfortunately, Damien operated almost exclusively in hand-to-hand combat. Raven would need that antidote synthesized as quickly as possible.

Another problem was revealed after her first few shots. His amphibian skin was unusually elastic, causing her bullets to ricochet away. She would need a direct shot to have a chance of penetrating it. She instantly dashed forward, holstering her pistols and drawing two knives. Damien was already throwing erratic punches and kicks, flames raging across his body. It was weird seeing him fight without a speck of blood on him, but Randy didn't use anything sharp and Damien hadn't landed any hits with his claws.

"Diavolo Salamandra!" Damien drove his elbow towards Randy's wide mouth, something the Frog Man was more than willing to receive. However, the bounty hunter didn't expect Damien to torque his body and wrench his shoulder around, allowing the side of the pirate's gauntleted fist to connect with Randy's chin in a bizarre hook punch. Randy was launched into the air, giving the navigator another opportunity to attack. He leapt up after the bounty hunter, intent on tackling him out of midair.

Randy had other plans. His tongue shot downwards, digging deep into the cracked pavement. Using the outstretched appendage, he maneuvered around in midair, easily avoiding Damien's lunge. He swept around in a wide arc, body slamming Damien into a nearby building. He drew his tongue from the ground and fell to the street, landing lightly on his webbed hands and feet. The long dripping tongue swirled around his body as he brought it back into his mouth.

Cassandra was impressed by the dexterity with which Randy used his tongue. That and the poison he secreted made him a very dangerous opponent. The instant he began opening his mouth, she dodged to the side to avoid the attack she knew was coming. "Punta de Flecha!" Even with her preemptive evasive maneuver, the tip of his tongue still tore off a large patch of her jeans and bruised her thigh. More pressingly, her leg instantly became numb, and a feeling of icy fire spread through her body. Her head felt a little fuzzy by the time her Devil Fruit had successfully stopped the spread of the poison. Despite her half-functional leg, she was able to dive over the sweeping curve of Randy's next attack. It seemed that he could only move his tongue at its top speed when it moved in a straight line. That was useful information.

However, it was that top speed that still posed some problems. Randy also used a micrododging technique similar to Damien's to stop her bullets. Instead of moving to put a metal bone in the bullet's path, he inflated part of his body or moved enough to catch it at an angle. She set off another few shots which only confirmed her theory. Her sniper rifle would be definitely too much for him to redirect, but she didn't have it at the moment. She reached for her Baby Den-Den Mushi, only to remember that Chief was currently in Lyn's possession.

"Well, isn't this a blast," she muttered darkly to herself. She shook her leg out as she glared at the Zoan user.

Randy looked equally irritated. "It seems Ruffle was not lying. He really did stab you through the chest, and you lived to defeat him in combat. Pity. I had hoped to end this sooner."

"Ruffle doesn't hold a candle to Damien in terms of bodily harm inflicted on me."

The man in question burst out of the building he had been knocked into, fully demolishing what remained of its façade. What surprised Cassandra was the right arm he had used to block Randy's body slam. It looked pale and waxy, and he held it stiffly against his body. After he lumbered forwards a few steps, Cassandra realized that the arm was actually locked into place. While Damien's body had slowed off the poison to some extent, his arm had been severely crippled.

The Frog Man's anger grew as he saw the seemingly invincible navigator. "And you should be dead. What kind of people do you get on your crew, Amaranth?"

"The kind of people who avenge the damage given to their allies. You better hope my other nakama synthesizes a cure before he dies, or the death you'll suffer will be agonizing and slow. Ira Iunonia!"

"Diavolo Drago!"

"Cerbatana!"

The animalistic burst of flame forced Randy to twist his tongue out of the way, significantly reducing the power behind his attack. A hail of bullets filled the street, zipping in all directions. While they seemed to be flying completely randomly, Cassandra was calculating the trajectory of every shot before she pulled the trigger. Randy's bulbous eyes widened as the entire barrage bounced off of various surfaces in their surroundings and honed in on him. He hopped backwards hard enough to damage the street, leaving the pavement to explode in a shower of bullets.

Damien was already charging after him, flames licking the navigator's body as his battle rage grew. It was odd to see him running bipedally, but Cassandra couldn't dwell on it. Her mind was preoccupied with aiming her flurry of bullets. She only slowed down when she had to reload, a feat she managed singlehandedly while taking potshots with her other pistol. This kept Randy on the run despite the bounty hunter's desire to end the fight quickly. Whenever he tried to counterattack, Damien pushed his tongue away with either a blast of fire or by assaulting the speedy appendage.

Randy's frustration was clear on his semi-amphibian face. "Enough of this." He shot into the air with one powerful leap, but nobody could leap high enough to escape Cassandra's keen eyes. She took her time to reload all four pistols before resuming her barrage. Her brow drew together as the distant Zoan user extended his tongue and ran it along his body.

She was only confused for a brief moment before she realized the problem. She and Raven had been operating under the assumption that he only secreted one poison. It now made sense that when his tongue struck her, she was dazed and numb while Damien's arm was completely incapacitated from body contact. Granted, he had only grazed her, but his saliva and the poison oozing from his skin were evidently different. Fortunately, Raven was making an antidote for the deadlier toxin, so Damien most likely wouldn't die. Still, she didn't know what the combination would do. While she knew she could handle it, she didn't want her navigator to have to.

"Ah, Damien, try not to get hit." She leapt into the air to minimize the damage she received from his punch. She had the wind knocked from her and she was sent tumbling through the air, but she had recovered by the time her shoes hit the street. "I'm serious, you bastard. He's got something up his sleeve."

He blinked a few times as he rid himself of his bloodlust enough to coherently respond. "Y' don' think I fuckin' know that, 'arlot? Where the fuck is tha' black'earted spunkbubble?"

"I have no idea." She had to dodge his flaming claws once more as he tried to tear her head off. His claw bit into her cheek, causing her to wince in pain. "Your enemy is that way!"

As if to reinforce her words, Randy's tongue zipped down with frightening speed. Damien barely had a metal wing in the way to deflect it in time. Cassandra couldn't fault Randy's decision; the navigator was already crippled. Taking him out would make it easier to claim her bounty. Her bullets were effective at keeping him off guard, but she wouldn't be able to land any decent hits without being close. Her sniper rifle would change matters, but there was no use wishing she had it.

Following this train of thought, she realized that Randy's strength lay almost entirely in his tongue. He was still strong and fast without it, not to mention covered in poison, but his ranged options would be severely limited. That would even the odds. "Damien! Rip off his tongue and feed it to him!"

The berserker gave a wild laugh at the barbaric command, showing little of his previous omnicidal fury. "Now yer talkin', shitty Cap'n!"

Based on that response, Cassandra decided to take a risk. She sheathed her guns and drew her knives. Damien looked confused by the action, prompting her to flash a malicious smile. "I'm tired of his games, so I'm gonna fuck him up with my own two hands."

The air darkened slightly, and his flames formed the faintest outline of some horrifying creature. His eyes were filled with bestial rage, and his smile was bloodthirsty. "Jus' wha' I was thinkin'."

Cassandra had one more tactic she wanted to try to boost her navigator's spirits. "Remember, it's still a race. First one to him wins! Zorn des Mars!"

The two pirates pelted towards the bounty hunter. Even without all of his limbs functioning, Cassandra could still only barely keep up with the navigator. With her heightened senses, she could feel the muscles in her arms and legs tear as she pushed them beyond their limits, only to be healed by her power. The adrenaline postponed her exhaustion until the danger was over, and her heart was beating many times faster than it should be able to. By all rights, her body should have destroyed itself.

Randy evidently realized the danger he was in. He hopped backwards to put some distance between them and shot out his tongue. Damien deflected it off towards Cassandra, who was forced to somersault out of the way. Her hand flashed out, digging one knife into the side of the tongue. Before Randy could react, she stabbed the other side in a firm scissor grip. He swiftly retracted his tongue, which was fine by her. She wanted to get in close.

He tried to shake her off as he drew his tongue back, but she would have none of it. He slammed her against buildings and the street, still hopping backwards madly to keep away from Damien. None of his blow could hold a candle to one of Cain's punches. He even managed to smash her face against the slimy appendage. Her cheek froze and her eye squeezed shut, but her Devil Fruit drove the poison out in no time.

He added a little forward speed as she approached him, intending to catch her in a similar body slam to the one that had incapacitated Damien. He might even try to swallow her; his mouth was certainly large enough. She yanked out her knives at the last second and aimed her feet at his face. Randy accepted her challenge and pushed his head forward, her feet crashing into his forehead. Much to Cassandra's surprise, she was the one to receive the worse end of the deal. She bounced off at a crazy angle, her helplessness making her the perfect airborne target. "Punta de Flecha!"

What she didn't expect at all was her aerial moment to change direction by a means other than Randy's tongue. She looked down to see Damien's claws sunk into her calf, staining her jeans red. She was thrown out of his way as he bulled towards Randy. The Zoan user tried to escape with one of his explosive jumps, but his feet merely punched through the roof he was standing on. This provided Damien the opportunity he had been seeking. With a furious roar, he plunged in after the Frog Man, flames heating the air around him to an extremely uncomfortable temperature.

Cassandra bit back a curse as she crashed into the street, several of her bones moving in directions she didn't want. She took the time to recuperate until she could rejoin the battle. She batted out the fire licking the bottom of her overshirt as her keen eyes stared at where the two fighters would be in the building. Her enhanced senses gave her a pretty good idea about what was happening even though she couldn't see them. She caught herself subconsciously checking to make sure her black tank top was undamaged, and she allowed herself a small grin. _At least Lyn won't be angry with me_.

Much to her surprise, it was Damien who was sent flying from the building first. He crashed against the opposite house and fell to the street. He staggered to his feet, his mouth set in a lopsided snarl. The side of his face and a large patch of his flank had the same waxy pallor of his right arm. Even knowing the unstoppable navigator, it surprised Cassandra that he was able to stand. That much poison would have killed anyone but herself ten times over.

"As I said, it is useless to resist." Randy appeared in the hole Damien had punched through the building, his multicolored arms crossed over his chest. He was bleeding from a multitude of slashes, but ignored the injuries. "You are not long for this world. Stand down, Libera, or you will suffer the same fate."

"I ain' gonna die. If I do, tis gonna be after I tear yer fuckin' leg off an' eat it!" Cassandra's eyes widened as his flames began acting peculiarly. Instead of behaving as flames should or even taking the vague shapes of animals, they began almost solidifying and descending around his wounds. The waxy patches of skin blistered as the lines of fire slithered through them. That only meant one thing: if she didn't act soon, the spirits Damien commanded would claim his life before Randy's poison could. There was only one silver lining to the situation: Randy would be dead in a few minutes regardless.

"I really wish you wouldn't do that," she sighed. If Raven had trouble stopping him when he was like this, she would have no chance. She winced as he moved his right arm, the sounds coming from his paralyzed muscle sounding wholly unpleasant. "You may not care for your life, but some of your nakama do."

His only response was an inhuman that shook the air around them. His eyes moved between Cassandra and Randy as his flames pulsed across his body. The decision of who he would attack was made from him as the Zoan user lashed out with his powerful tongue. Damien tried once more to grab onto it, his gauntleted fingers even managing to graze the slimy appendage before Randy moved it out of the way. Cassandra dodged, but the tip of his tongue caught the edge of her shoulder, numbing her arm instantly. Her knife fell from her limp fingers, its clatter against the street reminding her how this was a life or death battle. At least one person would die, but there was no guarantee that anyone would live.

Damien's large wings were outstretched, poison sizzling on the metal mesh. Randy leapt forward, intending to finish off the fight once and for all. The bounty hunter was surprisingly agile for being twice the size of a normal man, dodging the flaming claws by an extremely narrow margin. This sent him directly into Cassandra's reach, resulting in a lengthy slice down his thigh. He counterattacked with a strong slap, but the sniper was even more nimble than he. She avoided his hand, her knife slicing the webbing between his fingers.

Her keen senses enabled her to detect the attack coming from behind, but she still couldn't fully dodge it. She let out a clipped cry of pain as Damien's claw sliced through her neck, sending a fountain of blood into the air. She flipped her knife around and stabbed blindly behind her. Her attack against her own crewmember almost caused her to miss Randy's multicolored fist flying at her head. She tilted to the side and could swear that the very wind from his fist rushing by was toxic.

Much to her surprise, Damien didn't even bother to dodge. He twisted his body so his already paralyzed arm would take the hit and failed to turn back in time to grab the fist. Cassandra had seen him move much more quickly than he was now, especially when he was knocking on death's door. Raven really needed to arrive with the antidote before her crew lost its navigator. The only way to keep Damien from getting poisoned further and consequently accelerate his demise was to take the hits with her own body.

"Voluntas Carnae! Manus Lavernae Cruenta!" Her already boosted system received another surge of energy. While her body wasn't as overloaded as it was before she killed Tolstoy Reichmann, she still moved even faster than she usually could. Her two knives flashed in the sunlight, sprays of Randy's blood flying through the air. While she didn't know where any of his arteries or veins were, she was bound to hit something important if she didn't let up.

However, he hadn't entered close combat because he thought he had a chance of losing. He weathered the countless slices and gave as good as he got. His poison-covered fists were extremely dangerous, but she wouldn't dodge most of the ones aimed at the navigator still fully engaged in the fight. It didn't help that he was as focused on fighting her as he was with killing Randy. He had retracted his claws, meaning his fingers would gouge out chunks of her flesh instead of a clean slice she could easily regenerate. Furthermore, his clawless fingers would get no purchase on the Zoan's slimy skin. Sometimes she truly wondered about Damien's true intentions.

After realizing that the two pirates were absolutely not going to fall, Randy tried to put some space between them again. He puffed out his chest to an absurd size, completely absorbing Damien's punch and bouncing away. The berserker was after the bounty hunter in an instant despite the patches of venom covering most of his body. Cassandra followed directly behind, wiping Randy's toxic blood from her skin as she went. Her Devil Fruit couldn't fight the poison off if it remained on her body.

_This bastard just doesn't die_, she thought angrily as she ran. She wasn't quite sure who she was referring to, but both of the fighters in front of her qualified. Randy was bleeding from a substantial number of wounds and his movements were slowed, but that was counterbalanced by the poison slowly robbing Damien of mobility. This battle was going to end soon one way or another. "Damien, just grab him!"

The sadistic pirate wasted a crucial second casting a green-eyed glare in her direction. Randy seized the opportunity and threw a punch that solidly connected with Damien's neck. The navigator reacted by trapping his adversary's fist with his chin. Randy succeeded in extracting his fist, leaving a copious amount of poison on Damien's throat, but Damien managed to dig his claws into the bounty hunter's bicep. After dragging Randy closer, his gloved hand darted forward with brutal accuracy.

Randy let out a bellow of pain as his bulbous right eye was ripped from its socket. Damien took a deep breath, the last he would be able to draw in so easily with his throat about to solidify. He had one breath to finish off his opponent, and he used it in his typical cruel manner. After flooring Randy with a fist to the bleeding hole where his eye used to be, Damien planted his feet on Randy's shoulders and extracted his claws. Randy tried to shove him off with an incredibly fast tongue strike, but Damien was prepared. He caught the tip with his gauntleted hand and wrapped the slimy appendage a few times around his scarred arm.

With a mighty roar, he tore Randy's tongue off.

The Zoan floundered on the street, the blood filling his mouth and throat preventing him from screaming. Damien threw aside the long pink organ and brought his flaming claws around. However, his arm slowed as if fighting through molasses until it came to a complete stop a few inches from Randy's variegated skin. After not moving for a moment, he slowly stepped off the fallen bounty hunter and fell backwards onto the street. "Fuck."

"Are you okay?" Cassandra ventured as she approached. The network of flames across his body was fading, leaving only grooves of burns in its wake. According to Raven's report, that meant he was going to have serious medical problems if left unattended.

"No," he growled. The poison gave his voice a weakness that overrode his usual ferocity, and he was having trouble breathing.

"It looks like you need to think before you act," she scolded. "You should have let me fight more. I could heal that off without much difficulty."

"Fuck… you… I-" His body creaked sickeningly as he tried to force himself upright. Cassandra instantly detected what was wrong and spun around. Randy was standing behind her, his remaining eye clouding over in death. His cheeks were puffed out as he prepared to spit out the contents of his mouth: a deluge of toxic blood that even Cassandra would have difficulty surviving.

"Sacrae Luae!" She darted forward, slicing open one swollen cheek and releasing a spurt of the vile fluid. She leapt into the air and kicked his opposite cheek as hard as she could, sending most of the blood through the hole she had cut. Quite a bit splashed out towards Damien, but not nearly as much as Randy had intended. To ensure the bounty hunter really died, Cassandra put two bullets through his head and followed him to the ground. She placed her pistols at the base of his skull and fired once more. "Finally. Are you still alive?"

With some difficulty, the navigator slumped onto the street, his body stiffening as the poison set in with a vengeance. "Fuckin' shit… Where's tha'… cumdumpster?"

"If you are talking about me, you should be grateful I am as skilled with poisons as I am." Raven materialized next to him, her empty obsidian eyes taking in his paralyzed form. "Were I anyone else, you would be dead. Then again, if you were anyone else, the poison would have killed you when he first hit you."

Damien tried to either snarl or smile, but the poison that coated most of his face prevented him from doing so. "Fuckin' fantastic… Gimme… antidote."

Raven glanced over at Cassandra. In a heartbeat, the black-clad pirate was crouching by Damien's head, a knife pressing against his throat. "You attacked her even though you had a more dangerous opponent before you."

"You off… yer tits? I-"

"Do not deny that you attacked her." Raven's breathy voice chilled Cassandra to the bone. "Her clothes are burned, and she was bleeding. Ranit O'Meya's attacks involved neither tearing nor burning. I should let you die for your transgressions."

"Raven!" Cassandra objected. "That's enough!"

The doctor's words only seemed to invigorate the fallen pirate. "If yer thinkin'… abou' killin' me… do it soon. Else… I'll see fer myself… 'ow black yer fuckin' 'eart… really is… when I rip it from yer fuckin' chest!"

The doctor withdrew the vial of antidote and held it over the street. "If I broke this, I would not be able to synthesize enough in time to save the poisoned parts of your body. Even if by some miracle you did not die, you would live the rest of your life unable to move on your own."

"Enough!" Cassandra commanded. "Raven, administer that this instant!"

Painstakingly slowly, Raven turned around to face Cassandra. "You are not currently the captain."

Cassandra couldn't even believe Raven would use that as an excuse. Not half a day ago, Raven and Damien had been conversing civilly, yet now each seemed to wanted the other dead more than ever. Furthermore, she had absolutely no idea how to mend the ever-changing schism between the two. She wished she could dwell on the issue, but other matters were more pressing. "Raven, if you think for a second that Lyn would ever want you to let someone die, least of all one of her nakama, you have been spending time with a very different woman than I have. There are limits to forgiveness."

"I do not require forgiveness. The hatred of those allied with me does not bother me."

"You will not let him die," Cassandra seethed. "The Black Glove Pirates do not kill one another, doubly so for the doctor. Letting him die would count as killing him."

"And if he kills Morgan or Cain in one of his episodes?" Raven countered. "If he kills Lyn?"

"Don't you dare try to cloud my judgment by bringing her into this. Give him the antidote this instant, Raven. If he kills any of us, then I give you permission to kill him. Only if he kills. Anything too severe that does not include loss of life will merit a different punishment. He's inflicted no damage to me that I could not recover from. Heal him. Now."

Raven stared at her for a long moment before going to work. Cassandra watched carefully to make sure the doctor didn't do anything unnecessary. By the time Raven was done, the pale patches of Damien's skin were already shrinking. Raven got to her feet and gazed emotionlessly down at the injured pirate. "You are quite fortunate that Cassandra would endanger the lives of her crewmembers without a fathomable reason."

Damien heaved himself upright as gingerly as possible. "Aye, and yer lucky… I can' tear out yer fuckin' eyes. You better wash yer fuckin' neck, concubine, cuz y' ain' always… gonna be better than me."

The small pirate departed without a word, speeding back off towards the ship. Damien rolled his right shoulder, his arm still much paler than his regular skin color. He began limping towards the docks, casting an angry eye over his shoulder. "Comin'… shitty Cap'n?"

"I am." She released the boost to her system and exhaled deeply as the weariness set into her body. She could move a little faster than Damien's hobbling gait, but not much. It wasn't that her muscles were sore; she just didn't have the energy to move them. She rested an arm on his shoulder to steady herself. He acknowledged her action with a grunt, but otherwise ignored her. The pair made their painstakingly slow way through the city, no few passersby whispering to each other about them. Cassandra's paranoia was flaring up, but she knew that she could probably boost her body one more time before Damien had to carry her back to the _Knave_.

By the time they arrived at the docks, most of the poisoned patches on Damien's body had somewhat darkened, though they were still far too stiff for Cassandra's liking. The navigator must have thought so as well, showing none of his usual carelessness for his surroundings. Instead of leaping aboard the ship like he usually did, he stared up at the deck as if it were an obstacle as insurmountable as the Red Line.

"Cain!" Cassandra called. "Where are you, Cain!"

The enormous man's footsteps shook the ground behind them as he approached. Cassandra turned around and raised her eyebrows in surprise. Unlike the usual fabricated weapon she was used to seeing him with, the massive green-white axe Basilikos rested on his shoulder. "I see you were busy."

"Rockstar and Ruffle make quite a team," he boomed. The slices on his chest had already been stitched, indicated that Raven had already seen to him. "However, Yo- Morgan and I make a better one."

"What about the triplets?" Cassandra asked.

"Alexander's area attacks nullified their tricks, and Lyn dealt with them from there. No bystanders were harmed too badly." His eyes hardened as he looked at the damage her clothing had sustained. "However, it seems there was one team that did not work as well together."

"Give it a fuckin' rest." Damien's voice was filled with an uncharacteristic weariness. "Le's jus' get outta here."

"I'm fine," Cassandra assured the onetime bodyguard. "Just get him aboard and leave."

The instant that the two pirates were lifted onto the ship, the galley door was flung open. "Hey, it's Damien and Queen! You're back!"

"Aye." He winced as Lyn grabbed onto his body, but didn't fling her off. "You cocksuckin' broad. 'Oo told you t' fuckin' in'erfere with me fight?"

"Oh, don't give me that! I heard from Raven; you nearly died!"

He bared his teeth angrily. "Aye, but nearly dead ain' dead. Do yer cuntin' job, an' le's get the fuck outta here afore th' tide comes in."

Cassandra sighed, wishing she possessed whatever remarkable quality Lyn had to deal with Damien so easily. Then again, the navigator's behavior only grew more violent when faced with a stronger opponent. The fact that Lyn couldn't harm him if she tried probably helped him not blow up at her. "As unusual as it is for a certain hotheaded comrade of ours to give sensible orders, I'd suggest we follow them." Lyn glanced at her, eliciting an eye roll from Cassandra. "Captain."

"Ah?" The scarred man turned around in confusion. "Th' fuck you callin' 'er cap'n for, Cap'n?"

The sniper hit him lightly in the least wounded part of his arm she could find. "You really need to pay more attention to what I tell you. Lyn has temporarily assumed command of the ship as she insisted I need a break."

Damien looked between the two women, confusion evident in his eyes. "Wait, wha'?"

"Don't fret over it," Alexander said as he exited the men's quarters. "Just go down to the sickbay and get some rest. You look like you're about to keel over."

The navigator still looked like he had trouble understanding what was going on. The antidote probably hadn't neutralized the poison fully. Cassandra would have to talk to Raven later. "Don't worry about doing any sailing!" Lyn chirped. "One of us can do it! Alexander, raise the anchor! Raven, I know you're there, so you get ready to do medicine stuff when we're at sea! Cain, we'll need a push!"

The various pirates scattered to do their assigned tasks, leaving only Lyn, Cassandra, and a dazed Damien on the deck. The acting-captain glanced about, her lips pursed unhappily. "Hmm, I think we're missing one. Where's Morgie?"

"I am here." The elementalist landed on the deck, looking as imperious as ever. His clothes were pristine despite the battle Cassandra hoped for his sake he had taken part in. His grey eyes focused on Damien, who looked like he had fallen asleep standing up. "I see he's back."

"Hey now." Cassandra snapped her fingers a few times to draw his attention. "What punishment did you receive for your insolence?"

"Well, after Lyn proposed traditional piratical punishments such as keelhauling, flogging, or walking the plank, it was settled that I would swab the decks, check the rigging, do the men's laundry, check the bilge valves, and I must take first watch until the next island."

"Aaaand?" Lyn prompted.

The former prince gritted his teeth. "And I must do them without the Maki Maki no Mi."

Cassandra mulled the punishment over. While none of the individual chores were particularly difficult, they were tasks that he found demeaning. The blow to his pride was the true punishment. "I like it. Well done, Lyn."

"Thanks!" Lyn's brow furrowed as she realized something. "Hey, I don't need your approval! I'm captain!"

"Right, right." The ship gave a lurch as Cain shoved it away from the docks. "Well, that island wasn't too bad. Sure, there were near-death experiences, but we survived and that's what counts."

Morgan's simmering glower focused once more on the swaying navigator. "And if it weren't for you, we would not have had to endure these near-death experiences."

"If you wanna argue, do it with yer fists, pederast." Damien looked up at the enormous man stepping onto the forecastle deck. "Oi, beastbuggerer. Build a fuckin' deck 'atch fer the med bay, aye?"

"Yessir." The words were undoubtedly reflexive, but all of the pirates donned expressions of surprise. Cain was no less shocked than the others, a hand going to his mouth as if to drag the words back in.

Damien nodded slowly. "Riiiiigh'. Anyhow, get tha' cunt t' fix me up properly."

With that, he fell forward with his elbow outstretched, punching a hole clear through the deck. Lyn bounced over to check on him while Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Hey Lyn, I'm mutinying against the mutineer and regaining command." The artist waved her hand dismissively as she stared into the hole. "Morgan, as much as you'd like to take Damien on, know that no matter what, he will be able to beat you in a fight unless he is absolutely certainly dead. Cain, get that hatch installed. It's a good idea, not just because that idiot goes straight to his destination, but so you can transport us inside if the injuries are too severe. You did get that spare lumber, didn't you?"

Cain bowed his head. "Yes ma'am."

Cassandra smiled at the echo of his previous slip of the tongue. "And see to getting used to being the same rank as that bastard. Unless you want to go purely by seniority, in which case I want you to start ordering Morgan around a bit. It'll be good for both of you."

The massive man glanced at his former charge, only to look away from Morgan's furious glare. "I'll see what I can do."

"Lovely. Alexander, am I forgetting anything?"

"As if you would forget anything, Captain."

The sniper's grin widened. "Flattery will get you nowhere. Time to hit the open sea once more and continue our adventure!"

Cain, Lyn, and Alexander all raised their hands in the air. "Aye!"


	11. Solidifying Plans

Cassandra awoke to a peculiar situation. The ship was not moving. She couldn't think of a single situation about why the _Howling Knave_ wouldn't be bobbing with the waves. She couldn't smell or hear anything peculiar. Even in a perfectly flat ocean, the shifts of the contents of the ship caused it to move. She stepped out of bed and stretched in an effort to wake herself up and ponder the situation. When the proved fruitless, she decided to simply investigate herself.

When she looked outside, all she could see was white. After putting on her gloves, she opened the door and raised an eyebrow. She couldn't see the deck. She couldn't even see the floor outside the women's quarters. It was as if someone had just covered the door in a white sheet. She extended her hand and found it immersed in some sort of liquid. It felt like snow was blocking the way, but it wasn't cold enough to be snow. However, anything else should have come into the room through the open door, especially with its consistency.

"Hmm." It was obviously a quirk of the Grand Line weather, but she couldn't figure out what exactly it was. "Lyn. Lyn!"

The artist shifted slightly. "Purple blue mouse chopstick water…"

Cassandra had long since given up deciphering Lyn's nonsensical half-asleep ramblings. "Wake up for a moment."

"Why are you so cruel," Lyn moaned. "Is it the mutiny? I promise, never again, if you'll let me sleep…"

"It's not that," Cassandra assured her. "There's something interesting I think you'd like to see."

The only time Lyn's seemingly boundless energy was absent was when the first mate was waking up. Lyn put as little effort into getting out of bed as she could and would have fallen facefirst onto the floor if Cassandra hadn't caught her. To Cassandra's amusement and annoyance, the first mate had somehow fallen back asleep during her drop. Deciding against attempting to wake the woman again, Cassandra set her back into her bed. The captain couldn't help but smile at the sleeping pirate's face. She brushed a few strands of hair from Lyn's closed eyes before shaking herself and returning to the problem at hand.

She decided to just grab a handful of the white substance and shove it into her mouth. Her sense of taste was just as keen as her other senses, and her Devil Fruit would heal off any damage that would come to her body if the substance was harmful. All she could taste was water, which again led her back to the snow idea. However, the ease with which her hand passed through the whiteness indicated that it wasn't snow. She scooped out another chunk and pushed it into the cabin. The amorphous blob quivered slowly in midair as it leisurely descended towards the floor. Cassandra had absolutely no idea what to do about it, but she knew who might have a better idea.

"Raven!" she called through the doorway. Much to her surprise, the name was just absorbed into the white without bouncing back. An idea about using it for soundproofing came to mind, but she wouldn't use it until she knew what it was. She put out her hand once more to confirm it wasn't solid. After seeing her hand vanish into the whiteness, she stepped out into the door.

It was as if the world had disappeared. She couldn't hear anything, see anything, smell anything. The only things she felt were the wet clothes on her body and the wooden boards beneath her bare feet. She brought her hand close enough to tickle her eyelash, but she would never have known it was there were it not for her proprioception. The heartbeat pounding in her ears was the only sound she could hear. She tried to breathe, but found that she couldn't. It was so disorienting that she had to throw herself backwards just to escape that nothingness. She landed hard on the bedroom floor, staring out of the doorway in wonder. It was as if the _Howling Knave_ had drifted into the afterlife.

The only reason she knew she wasn't dreaming or dead was the woman slumbering behind her. After glancing back to reassure herself that Lyn hadn't gone anywhere, she gathered her courage and got to her feet. She was glad her crewmembers couldn't see her discomfort at this situation. While she knew they would think no less of her, such a harmless situation shouldn't frighten a pirate captain. With that thought in mind, she ventured outside once more.

To get past her uneasiness, she decided to think of it as a challenge. While she could wander about the ship blindfolded, she could still use the creaks of the boards, the snap of the rigging, and the undulating of the sails to give her an idea of where she was. Without her keen hearing, she would be tested to see if she truly knew her ship as well as she should. The captain of a ship should know it better than the back of her hand. Grinning slightly as she rubbed her thumb over the Jolly Roger stitched on the back of her glove, which in turn lay on her moon-shaped birthmark. She certainly knew the back of her hand well. It was time to see if she knew her ship.

Cassandra extended her leg and placed her foot on the railing on the first try. Using it as a boost, she leapt towards the main deck. For a brief moment, it truly felt like she had gone to the afterlife. She held no delusions that she would go to the blessed fields, yet she had not atoned enough to avoid damnation. Her only chance would be the lands as neutral as the whiteness around her. Of course, her name would go down in history as the First Queen of the Pirates before she died. Her ambitions wouldn't settle for anything less.

Her feet landed soundlessly on the wooden boards significantly after she thought they would. She was able to adjust her balance instantly, though it was still difficult being so disconnected from the world around her. She assumed Raven was in the medical ward, as the doctor would have surely woken her for this bizarre phenomenon. She cautiously made her way over to the hatch, using her toes to test the ground before she stepped. Upon finding the recently-repaired trapdoor, she pulled it open and practically fell inside.

The return of the world was disorienting, but it was easier when she expected it. She staggered down the stairs, prompting the occupants of the room to look at her. Raven was at her side in an instant, the doctor's small hands steadying her descent. "What is wrong?"

"Have you seen the weather? I don't know what's going on."

"I saw nothing unusual when I woke Alexander for first watch. However, it seems that a morning fog developed. It continued to thicken until it reached its current density. Alexander nearly drowned exiting the crow's nest. He is recovering inside the galley, which is currently the warmest room in the ship. I did not deem it necessary to appoint another watchman or wake you as it will be impossible to detect anything until the fog lifts."

Cassandra pursed her lips. "Well, that's unfortunate. Hopefully we won't get hit by a battleship or something. Switching topics, I noticed you two haven't tried to kill each other."

Damien tore the bandages from his face, revealing the scars he had recently acquired. While the poison itself had been neutralized, it had left still small starburst-shaped markings in its wake. She could see only two, one on his cheek and one above his eye, but she knew there were larger ones beneath the rest of his bandages. "Watch yer fuckin' mouth, dyke. Don' think fer a second I won' crush yer fuckin' ribs until y' can't 'eal 'em back."

While a large part of her was annoyed at his recalcitrance, she was glad to see he was recovering. His voice had gained a harsh, guttural undertone from the damage to his throat, but he seemed to have no trouble breathing. "You'll be up and about in no time. It looks like we'll have to find some more dangerous opponents."

Curiously, Damien's response was a pleased grin. "I already know 'oo th' most dangerous motherfucker alive is. Can' wait to kill 'em. Yahahar!"

"Hear that, Raven? You're at the top of his hit list."

Raven sped over to crouch on the wall above Damien's head. "If you believe I am the most dangerous adversary you will ever face, you are sadly mistaken. I know men and women who could kill you instantly."

His wild grin didn't fade in the slightest. "Aye, no doubt. But 'ooever said I was talkin' about you, you arrogant cunt?"

"I do not understand."

"Nobody understands him," Cassandra interjected. "I've seen children with more consistent thought patterns." She mirrored his upraised middle finger. "Anyway, so it's only abnormally dense fog? That shouldn't be too bad. Did Morgan start breakfast yet?"

"He is in the galley with Alexander. Until the fog lifts, I do not think Cain should exit the men's quarters. He could very easily damage part of the ship unintentionally."

Cassandra could see her reasoning. If the pirate captain was cautious about moving about, Cain would be countless times worse. Even walking from one end of the deck to the other would be dangerous. He could snap the mast with his monstrous strength without even noticing. "That's unfortunate. I really do hate excluding him like that. We really do need a bigger ship that will allow him to move about more. Think you could handle a new set of boards under your feet?"

The navigator opened one eye to glare at her. "Oo the fuck do you think I am? I c'n sail any fuckin' ship on th' seas."

"I'm sure you can." She did her best not to sound patronizing. She didn't trust Damien not to attack her regardless of the wounds he had suffered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go pester Morgan into changing the breakfast plan."

"Tell 'im t' prepare somethin' raw."

Raven leaned in closer from her position above his head. "Raw meat is not the healthiest option for you at the moment."

"Fuckin' 'ell, 'arlot. Gimme a fuckin' break."

"So long as you are not sentenced to death or dead, it is my duty to keep you as healthy as possible."

"Oo are you, me cuntin' mom? Gonna tell me t' brush my fuckin' teeth next?"

The voices faded slightly as Cassandra closed the door behind her. The relationship between Damien and Raven was so frustrating. Unfortunately, the only foreseeable outcome was death for one or both of them. No matter how well they got along one moment, that tolerance of the other's existence was inevitably replaced by an even greater desire to kill each other. It was the polar opposite of her first and second mates who bickered constantly, but meant no real harm.

"Knock knock," she called before opening the door to the men's quarters. "Female senior officer entering the room."

From her perspective, Cain looked larger than he ever had before. The usual scale of his body to the room was as disorienting as ever, but she was usually at least at his eye level. Standing in the bottom of the men's cabin and looking up at him made him seem gigantic. "Good morning, Captain Libera. I hope you'll forgive the mess. It's always a bit of a hassle to rearrange everything when I wake up."

Cassandra donned a skeptical expression. "I'm guessing you haven't seen my room. It's a disaster area."

"I'm surprised. I would have thought that you and Raven would keep it organized."

"Okay, the only place Raven keeps organized is the sickbay. Now that I think about it, she doesn't ever enter the women's quarters. All of her clothes are in the sickbay, and she sleeps there too."

"I wasn't aware she slept at all."

"She doesn't need to usually. She does need to recover from tough ordeals just like the rest of us, though. Granted, you'll never catch her sleeping, and she'll always be there if you call her." Cassandra waved the matter aside. "Anyway, I came to inform you that due to the weather, you must remain in here until further notice."

"Not a problem," the massive pirate said instantly. "I knew I would have to endure situations like this."

"Yes, but you shouldn't have to. I don't like leaving you out like this. Metaphorically speaking."

"Don't worry about it, Captain Libera. I've been trapped in smaller spaces for a lot longer. Military training and all that."

The gunslinger looked around for something to throw at him. "Yes, but you're no longer a soldier. You're a pirate."

"Aren't I a pirate serving under a captain? I'm glad you're concerned for me, but as long as you're comfortable, I'm happy."

Cassandra sighed. As compliant as Cain was, he could be awfully stubborn at times. "Well, as the shipwright, feel free to draft some designs about a roomier ship."

"I can repair anything on the _Knave_, but I barely know anything about shipmaking, Captain Libera."

"Well, start learning. You can't be in a space like this forever. Plus, when we get new crewmembers, where are they gonna fit?"

"Point well taken. If I'm confined to here, could you please find some way of bringing me some food? I'm a bit hungry."

Cassandra leveled her gaze at him. "I've never seen you just 'a bit hungry', but I'm sure Morgan wouldn't mind putting in a little extra effort on your part."

"Oh, don't do that. He's still quite upset about last night's card game."

The pirate captain couldn't help but hide a smirk. "To be fair, he firmly advocated for it. It's not our fault that we're pirates."

"You three completely humiliated him. I didn't think you'd cheat like that. Even Alexander came up on top."

"Okay, first of all, only Raven and I cheated. Lyn and Alexander won through incredible luck and skill, respectively. If we're caught, we'll forfeit the hand, but that's up to the rest of you. Second, don't blame me for the introduction of chore slips in lieu of money. That wasn't the first time we did that. Even Damien accepts the chores he gets if he loses. I'd offer Morgan a chance to shift some of those chores around, but I don't think he'd go for it and he probably wouldn't succeed anyway."

The large man leaned back, causing some of the timbers to groan under his weight. "That's true. He was still pretty mad when Raven woke him, but Alexander should have calmed him some. That man can calm anyone down."

"That's the fortunate truth," Cassandra said with a smile. "And that reminds me that there's a certain someone who would love to see this fog before it burns off."

Cain's scarred lips drew back in a wide grin. "Yes, she would. Say good morning to the little lady for me."

"Will do." She gave a parting wave that he returned with a smart salute. She wandered through the medical ward to get to the main deck, only to pause to better look at the situation. Somehow, the two pirates were able to fill the room with hostility while completely ignoring each other. Cassandra ascended to the main deck, careful to take a deep breath so she would make it back to her cabin. The moisture clinging to her body immediately began sapping her strength, not as quickly as when she was completely immersed in water, but still enough that she barely made it back to the women's quarters.

"Hey, Lyn," she growled as she shed her shirt to wring it out. "Time to wake up."

The artist rolled her head around and cracked open one bleary eye. "You gave me five damn minutes, Captain…"

"I gave you at least ten," the sniper shot back. "Besides, there's some fog outside so dense you can't even see your hand."

"Too tired…" moaned the first mate. "Carry me…"

"I'm not carrying you." Cassandra glanced over while she toweled her hair dry. "I still can't believe you got that tattoo."

That certainly woke Lyn up. "Of course I would! I want the whoooooole world to know which crew I'm on; the best crew in the world!"

"I'm glad you think so. Though now that I think about it, it's also your own artwork. You designed it without me even asking."

Lyn rolled her eyes. "I was bored. You should get a tattoo too! I know you can even with your healing thing."

"I'll think about it." Cassandra knew she would probably put it from her mind in favor of more important matters. "Anyway, there's super dense fog outside. If you decide to play in it, try not to fall overboard. We'll never find you before you drown."

"Come with me!" Lyn tackled her through the open doorway and into the whiteness. Once again, Cassandra lost all perspective of the world around her. All she could sense were the wooden boards her back rested against and Lyn's arms around her torso. The latter vanished as Lyn let go to admire the whiteness around her. She still had about a minute of breath left, so she decided to humor the first mate. Lyn abruptly leaned back down, pressing herself fully against the pirate captain. Cassandra was about to protest, but Lyn put her lips beside Cassandra's ear.

"Wow, you were right!" Lyn's mouth was close enough to convey her words clearly. "This is pretty amazing! I'm so glad you brought me here, Captain!"

"We're just outside the room."

Lyn's lilting laugh was muffled slightly by the fog. "No, I mean to the Grand Line! We'll stay together forever and see the whole world!"

"Lyn…"

"Yeah?"

"Forever's gonna come whole lot sooner if you don't let me breathe."

She was suddenly yanked back into the women's quarters, her chest heaving as she gasped for air. Lyn was breathing heavily as well, her face lit up with joy. Cassandra tried to speak, but could only produce a few fierce coughs as she tried to regain a normal breathing rhythm. She was nearly sent to the floor when Lyn pounded on her back in an attempt to cure her coughing. "I'm fine!" the pirate captain managed.

Lyn stretched her arms above her head as she gazed about. "Well, I'm gonna play some more. I'm not like some people who would drown in something as silly as fog." She dodged Cassandra's retaliatory swipe. "Have fun in here all by yourself!"

Cassandra sighed as the first mate bounded outside and instantly vanished. There was just no stopping her when she got started. The sniper leaned back against the bed and chuckled to herself. She would never have expected to meet a woman like Lyn no matter how far she traveled. She felt the chill of the moisture on her bare skin and sat bolt upright. "Wait, Lyn! You have to get dressed first!"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

It was rare to have such a moment of peace aboard the _Howling Knave_. None of her crewmembers were fighting each other, the weather wasn't actively trying to kill them, and there were no enemies in sight. They were half a day away from the island by Damien's estimate, which was a relief on Cassandra's part. While no physical combat was occurring, tensions had only risen as their journey had progressed. It didn't help that certain crewmembers couldn't be trusted around each other without more levelheaded crewmembers near. Still, so long as nobody was being sent to the medical bay, Cassandra could tolerate their displeasure. She was sure it would dissipate when they got to the next island.

She looked up from her book to confirm that no fighting was taking place. Four of her crewmembers were present, though Raven and Alexander's absence didn't raise any alarms in her mind. The visible pirates were engaged in an amusing bragging contest concocted by Cain to keep Morgan and Damien from antagonizing each other. It helped that the navigator had been out of the medical ward for a few days and that Morgan had managed to impress the crew with a fabulous spread the night before. Cassandra couldn't remember eating more in her life.

"I once saw a dragon flying overheard, so I leapt up and caught it! It had scales tougher than seastone and claws sharper than Captain Libera's mind. Hellfire couldn't compare to this beast's breath. But I wasn't afraid, so I caught it and kept it for a pet!"

"That's nothing, Cain. I once stole a gold coin from every noble that came to Alamentia! It was a whole fleet, thousands of men and women, all coming to get blessed and all guarded by people from the Grand Line, but I got 'em!"

"Thievery is all well and good, but there's less impressive than smarts. I once bet a king that I wouldn't be able to touch the moon with my feet on the ground. I bet a billion Beli, but he upped the stakes to his entire kingdom. Guess who's now short an island to rule?"

"Yahahar, tha's a fine job for a royal brat. Ain' nothin' like th' time I swam th' Line backwards without stoppin'. Visited every fuckin' island an' made my mark too, so everyone knows I've been there. I'll point 'em out to yah on each one we visit!"

Cassandra shook her head in amusement. Their boasts were as absurd as they were obviously groundless, but they were enjoying themselves immensely. She hadn't known that Damien would have fun with such a non-physical activity or that Morgan would have fun at all, but she was glad they were cooperating. If things started to go badly, she could be there in a heartbeat to intervene. With the help of the two more peaceful participants, she would surely be able to defuse the situation before it got out of control.

"Did you know I once channeled the spirit of the Third Pirate King and learned the location of One Piece?"

The pirate captain looked up at the bespectacled eyes of her second mate. "That may be true, but I've already found One Piece. I'm just taking another path to make things interesting."

Alexander smiled as he sat down beside her. "I'm sure you did. That would explain how you know everything about every island we visit. Your information gathering is something to be feared, Captain."

"Save your compliments, my friend. Besides, the gathering I do is nothing compared to what Raven does. She's the one who doesn't stop working until she's found every possible threat on the island."

"Yes, but you're the one who makes use of the information to decide the best course of action. Truly a remarkable skill, that is. I'm sure Morgan will want to learn that to become a good leader."

"Information isn't always useful, but I see your point. I'm sure you too could pick up enough to make my forced vacations more relaxing."

Alexander nodded in agreement. "It was a hasty solution to a temporary problem, but that solution has merit if it's fleshed out some more. Lyn may appear naïve, but she definitely knows when would be a bad time to give you a break. Nevertheless, the idea is to let you put everything from your mind. If we had to wait until Raven learned everything she needed to, you thought about that information, then gave your orders, there would be almost no chances for you to take a break."

Cassandra mulled this over. "I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing. The first few days at sea or on land tend to be pretty uneventful. It's only when we're stuck waiting for the Log Pose to switch or the islands are particularly far apart that tensions get quite high. And you're acting like I can't handle my own crew all the time."

The musician raised his hands placatingly. "I don't doubt your leadership in the slightest. Lyn and I are fully aware that you could lead us to the end of the Line perfectly well without any breaks. We're just trying to give you another option because we care about you. There's no shame in taking help when it's offered to you."

"Now if you'll get that through your friend's thick skull, we'll be alright." Cassandra closed her book with a snap. "But you're right. Just because I can doesn't mean I should. Besides, it might help newer crewmembers and more hierarchy-oriented people like Cain to get used to Lyn as first mate. She certainly doesn't act like she's in charge."

"Ah, but that's because you're looking at it from a commander's perspective." Alexander glanced at the rambunctious artist and lowered his voice slightly. "She works as hard as you do, but in a very different way. With you taking care of keeping us safe from outsiders, she's been given the ability to make sure we all don't kill each other. You can't deny that the threats from within are just as dangerous as the threats from outside."

"I've never denied that. You're the one who says Damien's not a threat."

"I'm not just talking about Damien, though I admit I've misunderstood his motives in the past. He at least has a place in this crew, as bizarre as that place is. Morgan is the loose-fitting puzzle piece that has yet to find its niche. He may not be as cunning as you, but he's not above keeping a few tricks up his sleeve."

"I realize that. However, I can't say he isn't a crewmember, no matter how much he doesn't fit in."

"And I'm not saying he isn't. He's worked the hardest to get into this crew, after all. I'm just saying he's not nakama yet. That's all."

Cassandra accepted this. It took her quite some time to start thinking of her crewmembers as nakama, and the recent additions came just after that. While it would be easier to add people to her list of nakama now that she had a list, it wasn't an easy list to get on. "I see your point."

"I'm not completely finished. Now, this I know you'll contest, but Raven is dangerous too."

This caught the pirate captain off-guard. "What do you have against Raven?"

"I personally have nothing against her. She's as dear to me as any of my nakama. But just as with Damien, her motives aren't quite lined up with ours. She works to keep the crew alive; it's impossible to deny that. But she puts you above everything else. As unclear as I am about how you saved or spared her life, she views that as a life debt. She will do anything for you. That's not a bad thing; it's actually quite reassuring to see her care for someone that much. However, it's what she's capable of doing when she takes her own initiative to protect you that concerns me."

Cassandra opened her mouth to protest, but knew the truth behind Alexander's words. If it weren't for her repeated commands against it, Raven would have killed Damien long ago. Cassandra knew that when Raven acted of her own accord, the petite pirate was a truly fearsome force. The pirate captain was mildly surprised that Raven hadn't taken it upon herself to eliminate the Net singlehandedly. "Okay, I see your point."

"Well, my original point was Lyn is the largest counterbalance to all of their craziness. You really lucked out when you recruited her, or you'd never have managed to keep the rest of us from tearing the crew apart."

She gave a small smile. "Hey, I only recruited Lyn. The rest of you just attached like barnacles and are just as hard to get rid of. You could almost say it's because of Lyn that I attracted such a variety."

"Fair enough. I wonder who the next recruit will be? Have you given it any thought?"

"As I've discussed with one of you previously, I'd like to have a wide variety of talents available to me. I already have quite a broad spectrum of skills in almost any area I can think of, but that's the point. I want people skilled in things I can't even conceive. That way, I can take any combination of you and do anything."

"A skill for any situation, eh? Spoken like a true captain. I'm glad to be such a useful addition."

Cassandra threw an arm around his shoulders. "And not just because of your Devil Fruit or your summoning, though those are incredibly useful hidden tools. After all, only Raven could talk about such things with me, but she can't see beyond the logical part of things. I think that's why you and Raven make such a tricky team. Your combat skills are on entirely different levels, but your minds give you an extreme versatility that most of the other combinations of crewmembers don't have."

"What was it you said, Captain? Flattery will get you nowhere?" He gave a mock wince as she swatted his arm. "Anyway, I'm glad to be of service. You could become Queen of the Pirates by yourself, but that would be significantly harder and a lot less interesting for the rest of us. It is a privilege to sail alongside the future Pirate Queen."

"And I will get to sit in the front row of a concert viewed by the entire world."

Alexander gave a mischievous grin. "Now now, Captain. Those seats will be extremely expensive. Are you sure you'll be able to afford it?"

"What, you can't even give your captain front row seats? Where's the gratitude?"

"Land ho! Land ho!" Lyn shouted from the crow's nest. "I see the next island!"

"That's usually what 'Land ho' means, Lyn!" Alexander called up to her.

Cassandra got up from her chair and stretched her limbs. "This isn't over," she murmured threateningly. She smiled at Alexander's false look of terror. She marched down to the main deck, where the two former bandits were sitting at the table with a pile of empty plates before them. Cain was leaning against the mast, a look of satisfaction on his face. Knowing the large man, that satisfaction would last a few minutes before he got hungry again.

"Okay, so this island is called Brickwork. I don't think there's anything dangerous past the usual Grand Line pirates, so going about in pairs won't be necessary. I'd certainly prefer it if you do because that's a lot safer, but it's not mandatory."

"Oh, oh!" Lyn cried, landing lightly on the deck. "That's perfect! I have a game we can play when we get there!"

With some degree of trepidation, Cassandra put a hand to her forehead. "Okay, Lyn. What's this game you want?"

"It's called Bounty Hunter!" the first mate announced. "I wanted to call it 'Super Awesome Hide-and-Go Seek Monster City Team Reverse Incredible Tag', but I talked to Raven and she said it probably wasn't the best name."

Cassandra glanced at the black-clad pirate who had materialized at her side. "Well done."

Raven bowed her head in response.

"Anyway, here's how you play. Raven already volunteered to stay on the ship because she would break the game, but the rest of us play. There's one of us that's the target and the rest of us are bounty hunters. The bounty hunters all have Baby Den-Den Mushi, and that works out with the additions Captain got on Fyuchrzend. Pupil will stay with Raven and Omni will stay on the ship in case Raven has to leave or something. That leaves us with Chief, MD, Fraidy, Extra, and Spot for the bounty hunters."

"So how do we play the game?"

"I'm getting there, Captain. Relax." Lyn took a deep breath before resuming her explanation of the game. "The target gets a head start of their choosing to hide in the city somewhere, then the bounty hunters have to catch them. That head start is subtracted from their final hiding time, so shorter head starts are better. No hiding inside buildings, because that would make the game last forever. But the fun part is that when a hunter finds the target, the hunter has to catch the target. The hunter can use the BDDM to call the other hunters to help them. The target is considered captured when one of the hunters puts their glove on the target. Without breaking any bones."

Damien rolled his eyes when everyone looked at him. "Fine. Pussies."

"Other than unnecessary force, you can use anything to hide or defend yourself if you're the target or to find the target if you're the hunter. Now, when the target is caught, we all gather together and choose a new target. The game repeats until everyone got to be the target and whoever lasted the longest is the winner! Any questions?"

"I do," Cassandra said. "How in the world did you come up with this?"

"I'm a supergenius!" Lyn exclaimed. "Any other questions?"

"Why should I play?" Damien snarled. "Ain' no fuckin' fightin' in this cuntin' game."

"Because Captain's gonna do whatever the winner wants for a day!"

Cassandra straightened at this. "Hey now. Don't volunteer me without my permission."

Lyn sped over to the captain and whispered into her ear, "But this is the only way I could get Damien and Morgan to play. Besides, this way you get to try your hardest too!"

The blue-haired pirate saw no fault in her reasoning. "Fine, Lyn. I'll do it. Only because there's a chance some of us will learn more about teamwork."

"Yay!" Lyn gave her a firm kiss on the cheek. "So what do you say, Damien? Are you in?"

The berserker's burning gaze rested upon Cassandra for a while. "I get t' fight both Cap'n and yonder fatass."

Cain couldn't help but smile when Lyn turned to him with pleading eyes and a quivering lip. "You got it, Damien. I'll get to pay you back for that beating you gave me."

This elicited a round of laughter from the navigator, which was far better than the ire Cain's words could have provoked.

"And you, Morgan?" Lyn inquired. "Do you want a bonus prize too?"

"No, a day with our Captain will be just fine with me."

Cassandra didn't like the look in the onetime prince's eyes when he said that. Perhaps she had been too hard on him. However, the most important reason the chores had been so difficult for him was his excessive pride and complete lack of humility. In that respect, she hadn't been hard on him at all. "Okay, so we're all clear on the rules? Who would like to start us off?"

"I will," Alexander volunteered instantly. "Considering that you're all stronger than me, might I be granted fifteen minutes?"

"O' course!" Damien said. "Ain' no fuckin' fun if we catch ya instantly."

The musician chuckled. "And you're not concerned that I'll outlast you, mate?"

Damien gave another round of amused laughter.

"So it's settled. A game of Bounty Hunter masterminded by our resident supergenius Lyn will take place starting tomorrow morning. Divvy up the snails for tomorrow – no, Damien, you're not allowed Fraidy – and let's get ready for the next island. Lyn, a moment."

The first mate hung around as the other crewmembers scattered about the ship to prepare themselves. "What's up?"

Cassandra drew the pale-skinned woman into a tight hug. "Just wanted to let you know that I really do appreciate everything you do for me."

Lyn gladly returned the embrace. "Silly Captain! We all love you, but I love you most of all! Of course, I'm going to do things to make your life more interesting!"

The pirate captain frowned. "What about making my life easier?"

"Where's the fun in making life easy?"

Cassandra couldn't help but laugh at this, and Lyn gladly joined in. It never ceased to amaze Cassandra at how her crew functioned. Each part was unique and worked in ways she never would have originally guessed. It didn't matter how they had all come together, fate, divine will, or chance. What mattered was they were a crew, her crew, and regardless of how often they fought, they were able to enjoy themselves once in a while.


	12. Hide and Seek

When the Black Glove Pirates arrived at Quoin, their thoughts were mostly occupied with the upcoming game. Upon reaching the harbor early in the morning and completing the usual docking routine, Alexander had bid them farewell and left into the city. A tavern by the docks had provided a good distraction to keep an impatient Damien from starting too early. Each pirate contemplated how they would best pursue the musician. His fifteen minute head start was to benefit his lack of superhuman physical prowess, but none of them thought for an instant that Alexander would be an easy target.

As soon as the time was up, Damien bolted off to look for the alchemist without making plans with the others. Strangely, Lyn departed without saying a word as well. Her parting wink was supposed to be reassuring, but didn't cheer Cassandra up at all. Cain said he would just roam the streets and use his height to keep a good lookout. Morgan hadn't been too keen on finding Alexander until Cassandra reminded him that the faster he caught his targets, the less time he would have to avoid his crewmembers and still achieve victory. That had persuaded him into coursing through the streets with his water armor.

Cassandra simply returned to her natural assassin mindset. She inhaled deeply, but found that Alexander's scent was coming from multiple places at once. No doubt he had scattered his clothing to deceive her. He also wouldn't risk speaking too loudly or using his sound attack so she could track him by hearing. That left only her keen sight. She settled for locating the tallest building around and using that as a vantage point. She had little trouble scaling the tower with the aid of her rope, soon reaching the steeply-sloped roof. After pulling herself onto the tiles, she unholstered her sniper rifle and began panning over the city.

She knew perfectly well that she had nothing to fear if she had to spend the day under Alexander's command. He would most likely do nothing out of the ordinary, save for possibly asking her to accompany him to a concert hall. Even then, he wouldn't extend the offer to her alone. That was just the type of man he was. Nevertheless, she wouldn't go easy on him just because of that. He wanted his only handicap to be an extended grace period. Anything else would offend his honor.

She began to grow puzzled as time passed. Nobody had located Alexander yet, which was surprising. While she knew that his only chance was avoiding detection, as any of her crewmembers could easily catch him, she hadn't expected him to do it so well. Her enhanced senses should have picked him up by now, even with the distracting tingling in her left hand. She hopped off the roof and slid down the side, the harsh brick surface scraping skin off as she descended. The landing didn't hurt as much as she thought it would, which indicated her body was getting used to such brutal drops. After making sure all of her injuries were healed up, she took off at her top speed.

Cassandra crossed paths with a few of her crewmembers once or twice, but none of them had seen hide or hair of the elusive musician. She was beginning to worry that something had happened to him, but she knew he would value his safety over winning the game. She had checked everywhere his smell was coming from, but had only found decoys. Nobody had seen a man matching his description either. It seemed like the alchemist had vanished from the face of the earth.

She heaved a sigh of relief when Chief rang. She picked up the receiver and, sure enough, Alexander had finally been caught. They all congregated on his hiding place with varying degrees of amusement. Damien and Cain were beside themselves with laughter. Lyn was fuming, but Cassandra could tell she was also impressed. Morgan was the one who was truly livid, having had his plans disrupted by the wily pirate.

"Hiding aboard the _Howling Knave_ is cheating!" the cook protested.

"Alexander never boarded the ship," Raven droned. "He sat on the docks, which is property of the city. He was clearly outside with no roof above his head. The harbor is one of the most open places in the city. He hid in plain sight."

"That's why I couldn't smell you," Cassandra said with a smile. "I wouldn't check the place where you sleep. And none of us would ever have recognized you dressed like that."

It was true. Instead of his usual formal attire, Alexander had donned a bucket hat, a sleeveless shirt, and jeans. Furthermore, he had been without his glasses, which rendered him even more unrecognizable. He had also drawn a rough mustache and beard on his face with ink. After making sure that his crewmates had scattered sufficiently, he had returned to the docks and struck up a conversation with the dockmaster. Raven had identified him in an instant, but as she wasn't part of the game, she hadn't contacted the others.

Cassandra looked over her crew. "Well, that was fun. Who's up for round two?"

"I'll fuckin' do it."

All eyes turned to the grinning navigator. "Okay," the pirate captain said cautiously. "What do you want as a head start?"

Damien casually tossed his Baby Den-Den Mushi to Alexander. "You fuckin' kiddin' me? I don' need no fuckin' 'ead start! Yahahar!"

Cassandra and Lyn reacted fastest, gloved hands outstretched to tag the navigator, but he had already bounded away. Cain lunged after him, but Damien easily evaded the larger man and dashed away on all fours. Morgan was about to start after him, but Cassandra's hand on his shoulder held him back. "What?" he snapped irately.

"Let's face it: we're not going to catch him just by chasing him down. He can run faster than all of us indefinitely. Lyn, did you specify that he had to stay in the city?"

The artist cocked her head to the side as she tried to remember. Her face lit up, and she flashed a cheery smile. "Nope!"

"Don't say 'nope' with such enthusiasm," Cassandra deadpanned. "He could be gone, for all we know."

"I wouldn't put it past him to do that to get a fight with us," Cain agreed.

"Let's work under the assumption that he stays inside the city." Alexander replaced his glasses and discarded his hat. "The trick isn't finding him; it's actually catching him. The only way we'll do that is by heading him off."

With that in mind, they set about devising a plan to tag the navigator. Cain was the one who could best keep pace with Damien, even if it were only for a brief time, so he would be the one positioning Damien in the general area of the trap. Curiously, Lyn said she still couldn't participate in the bounty hunting this time, but definitely would help the next. Cassandra accepted this, as Lyn probably wouldn't be too much use in catching Damien anyway. Alexander and Morgan were the ones moving him into position for Cassandra to catch him. With gloves on both hands and her incredible reflexes, she was the one with the best chance of tagging him.

Most fortunately for them, Damien had abided by the unspoken rule and stayed within the city. Despite this, setting up the trap in a location that he would go to was quite difficult. The bloodthirsty pirate's body seemed to be a perpetual motion machine, constantly running without rhyme or reason. He took the most erratic path through the city he possibly could, including paths Cassandra hadn't expected. He also leapt over buildings from street to street without missing a beat, something only Cain could do with equal ease.

After what seemed like ages, but was still shorter than Alexander's time, they moved him into a suitable position. However, another problem soon became came to light. Lyn had called the game 'Bounty Hunter' for a reason. With the rule that the full gloved hand had to tag the target, mere touches from fingertips wouldn't suffice. The target had to be more or less subdued. Right when victory seemed in their grasp, Damien muscled his way out. Cassandra had two fingers on his chest before his pushed her into the ground. Cain reached out, but his hand was deflected away with a spin kick. Morgan was backhanded into a wall, not hard enough to break bones or the wall, but still hard enough to shake mortar loose and split the prince's lip open. And after all of their troubles, all they had was Damien's wild laughter as he sped away once more.

They tried twice more before they finally caught him. Cassandra and Morgan received the most injuries for their efforts, though Cain was not far behind. In the end, they all gathered on the street, nursing their various injuries. Damien wasn't even breathing hard despite having not stopped moving for hours. Alexander's clothes were soaked with sweat, and Cain looked ready to pass out. He had been the one sprinting after Damien the entire time. Raven had visited to provide Morgan with an icepack to keep the swelling down on his face.

"Aye, fuckin' longer than Songbird, I'd say," Damien said with a nasty smile. "You two cocksuckers ready t' fight?"

"Don't assume you've won yet, Damien," Cain boomed. "The rest of us haven't gone yet."

"Don' think I'm some stupid fuck like some of us." Morgan returned the navigator's hostile glare. "I fight 'til th' fuckin' end. You little shits'll 'ave t' work fuckin' 'ard t' escape me."

"I assure you, Damien, that not a single one of us thinks otherwise." Cassandra frowned as she realized something. "Hey Lyn, what happens if I win?"

The attractive pirate put a finger to her lips. "Well, according to the rules, you'd just be the captain as usual, but that's no fun. Hmm. I guess I'll just leave it up to you if you win."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "_If_ I win? You really think I can't avoid you all for longer than Damien?"

Lyn gave her most radiant smile. "I think you can't avoid us longer than I can!"

"Yahahahar! It's fuckin' on!"

"I hope you haven't forgotten about us," Cain interjected. "I'll go next. My size gives me away, but catching me won't be as easy as you think. Even for you Damien. Although I will need a head start. Five minutes should do."

The massive man lumbered off, his boots leaving deeper and deeper footprints as he picked up speed. The remaining pirates stared off after him, all thinking their separate thoughts. Cassandra, Lyn, and Alexander plotted amongst themselves, trying to figure out how Cain would avoid them. His monstrous strength was a big contender, enabling him to leap several streets without missing a beat. Alexander also related how quickly Cain could move even without jumping. Morgan had his contributions as well, offering various possible weaknesses Cain had. Damien completely ignored them all, doing vertical pushups with only one thumb and index finger.

After the allotted time, the pirates scattered to locate the enormous weaponsmith. As with Damien, the trouble would be catching him instead of simply finding him. Cassandra was surprised how they located him. Although he had a much less distinctive smell than his crewmates, she knew his general location. However, it was Lyn who learned of his position first.

The collective jaws of the Black Glove Pirates dropped when they learned exactly how she had found out so quickly. While the others had been searching for Alexander and chasing down Damien, she had been busy creating a makeshift information network of her own. She had somehow convinced buskers, beggars, and thieves from all over the city to relay the location of her nakama at all times. When asked about how exactly she had accomplished such a feat in such a short period of time, her only response was a sly wink. Cassandra couldn't help but be impressed. While the information Lyn learned wasn't as deep or important as what Raven gathered, Cassandra would have never expected Lyn to accomplish that.

As spectacular as Lyn's network was, the trouble was still tagging Cain. Damien pursued him relentlessly, always directly on the shipwright's heels. Morgan was slightly more strategic, attempting to move in front of his former bodyguard instead of tagging him from behind. Alexander was only good at making plans for the others to execute, though his plans had led to several very close encounters. Cassandra's body was once again pushed past its limit as she tried to tag Cain.

Unfortunately for them, Cain was almost as difficult to engage as Damien. While the others had superior mobility on the ground simply because they were less than half his size, he was seemingly untouchable in the air. He was able to swat his crewmates away from him according to what they could take. Lyn received little more than gentle nudges while Cassandra and Damien were sent hurtling away into rather painful reunions with the ground. Even Morgan wasn't spared a rough treatment, forcing him to wrap himself in the street the instant he made contact to avoid damage.

In the end, it was Morgan who did land the winning blow. He propelled himself up with vines and switched to water in midair. Cain tried to push him, but Morgan simply slid away. His water elemental encircled the massive man, leaving Cain nowhere to escape. When they landed on the ground, Cain was just as protective as ever, ensuring that Morgan wasn't jarred by the impact. While he hadn't lasted as long as Damien, he was still a little ahead of Alexander.

"Man," Cain said as he heaved another deep breath. "That was tiring. I need to eat something before I die of starvation."

Cassandra's stomach gurgled at the mere mention of food. "I agree. Let's take a lunch break. Oi, Damien. Where do you think you're going?"

The navigator shot a baleful glance over his shoulder. "I ain' eatin' with you dipshits. Call me when you're ready for th' next round."

"I wonder what made him upset," Lyn mused aloud. "Well, whatever. Morgan! You're the cook; find us a good restaurant!"

"Last time I found a good restaurant with one of you, I was nearly sliced up because I was dragged to the other end of town for pizza."

"Aww, you had fun! If you won't find one for us, I'm in the mood for hamburgers."

Alexander put a hand on her shoulder. "I think it's only fair that the chef chooses the food in this case. Morgan, anything you choose is fine with us. Just remember that we're going to be eating outside."

Lunch was as chaotic as usual. Even with the volatile navigator's absence, Lyn was rambunctious enough to draw some looks of disapproval. Morgan and Alexander tried relentlessly to keep her quiet, but random people kept coming up to her and telling her useless pieces of information. Cassandra ate with one hand hovering over her pistols, prepared to shoot at anyone who looked ready to harm her first mate. Cain was too focused on wolfing down as much food as he could to pay attention to the others.

After they were all done eating, it was decided that Morgan would be the next target. Cain handed him a Baby Den-Den Mushi, and the elementalist took off. Unlike the previous targets, Morgan could be both difficult to locate and to catch. Despite this, Cassandra didn't feel that a plan was necessary to catch him. He could move within his elemental to dodge Cain and Damien, but he couldn't avoid them forever once they had him cornered.

Five minutes later, Cassandra told the navigator the name of his target, and the pirates split up. Alexander remained with Cain, as the musician had was the least able to move quickly through the city and his alchemy was a useful counter to Morgan's elemental armor. Lyn spread Morgan's description through her network, and soon most of the city was keeping an eye out for the cook. Cassandra pursued him the same way she always did, using her acute senses to detect him. It was a personal challenge to see if she could beat the citizens to locating him. As much as she acknowledged Lyn's work, her competitive pride pushed her to try harder than she would have ordinarily.

Much to her amusement, she spotted the elementalist just as Lyn called her. Having also received the call, Cain could be seen leaping in the distance and Damien's unmistakable scent came barreling in from the opposite side of the city. She raced along the rooftops, trying to keep an eye on the prince. He didn't seem to know he had been found, but she wanted to give him as little warning as possible. His scent completely vanished when he wrapped himself in armor, and finding him again would be harder the second time.

It was Damien who gave it away. Morgan saw him charging on all fours and immediately bolted in the other direction. A potential source of concern arose as Cassandra caught sight of a canal in the distance. Morgan could probably use that much water to escape her, especially since she would just drown. She slid off the roof she had landed on and alighted perfectly on Damien's back. The sadistic pirate didn't even acknowledge her presence, his mind focused completely on Morgan.

Right before they arrived at the canal, Morgan dumped his vial of water onto his hand, and his water elemental reared up. Its foot left the street and touched the surface of the river, easily doubling in size. Just as the cook was about to depart, Cain landed with an earthshaking crash, dislodging his two passengers. Lyn had Alexander in a firm embrace as they flew towards the river. The two pirates were absorbed in the base of Morgan's elemental as the richly-clad pirate took off.

Cassandra was surprised at how the first and second mates stopped him. Lyn lifted Alexander out of the water, giving him a precious second before he would be sucked back in. The alchemist used that time to turn the entire elemental into stone, freezing it in its tracks. Damien leapt forward and crashed through the middle, breaking it in two. Cain caught the top half while the bottom part crumbled from existence, releasing Lyn and Alexander into the canal. The part in Cain's hand disappeared as well as Morgan tried to escape. Cassandra had seen that coming and was already airborne to intercept him. Both hands grabbed onto his arm, confirming his defeat.

All of the pirates looked impressed at what just happened. Lyn was swimming back to shore, one hand firmly gripping Alexander's collar. Cain scooped them from the canal and deposited them beside the fuming elementalist. Damien strolled up, his pleased grin exposing gleaming metal teeth. Cassandra couldn't help but laugh at the teamwork they had showed.

"That was really good," she said. "All of you. You astounded me too, Morgan. You would definitely have escaped if any of us had been missing."

"I still did worse than him," Morgan spat, gesturing at the dripping alchemist.

"Yes, well, he really hoodwinked all of us," Cassandra said. "Granted, he probably wouldn't be as successful if he tried now. Lyn's friends would probably find him with ease. Actually, did you know she would do that?"

"Of course not," Alexander said. "I just wanted to get being the target out of the way. What Lyn does is up to her."

Cain crouched down to better join the conversation. "The way your fruit synergizes with Morgan's is quite interesting. Not only can you help him by creating more, but you can also hinder him by abruptly changing."

"Alexnder and I will work on that," Morgan stated.

Cassandra smiled sardonically. "Because you're planning on fighting him again?"

"No-not just because of that," the cook protested. "It would be a useful battle trick to catch an opponent unawares."

"Okay, I'll admit you have a point there." Cassandra would have to think about that later. She did like his point, but she knew that he was primarily focused on not being caught by Alexander's alchemy again. "But I think we should start the next round before one of us goes berserk."

"He wouldn't do that!" Lyn said cheerily as she glomped onto the scarred navigator. "Probably. Maybe. But yeah, it's my turn now! Remember Damien, no killing anyone!"

"No promises, shitstain."

Lyn did her best to glare at him, but her exuberance prevented her from pulling it off. "Damien, it won't be fun otherwise."

"'Oo needs yer fun, bitch? I'm fuckin' winnin'."

"Mate, if you won't abide by the rules, we're not contacting you when you find her," Alexander warned. "You'll have to work on your own."

The navigator's lips drew back menacingly. "Fine. I'm goin' back t' the _Knave_, then comin' after you, spunkbrain."

Cassandra caught the snail tossed in her direction and watched after the departing pirate. "Poor choice of words, Alexander. You should know better than to give him the option to work alone. Anyway, let's just pray he doesn't go on a killing spree. Hopefully, he'll have changed his mind by the time we meet again. Let's get this show on the road. Lyn, how many minutes do you need?"

"Fifteen. No, ten. No, five! Yeah, that should do! Happy hunting!" Lyn waved as she ran off, drawing more eyes than Cassandra was comfortable with.

One hand still resting on her pistol holster, the pirate captain turned to her remaining companions. "The city is Lyn's playground. We'll have to be on our guards too. Split up and keep a level head. I may enjoy spending a day with Lyn more than trying not to get killed, but that doesn't mean I'll go easy on her. You shouldn't either."

Alexander and Cain saluted before starting off. Morgan merely clicked his tongue in annoyance before wrapping water around his body and arcing into the air. Cassandra sidled up to a nearby bookstore and perused the shelves. A few titles caught her eye, but she wasn't interested in buying anything at that moment. There was no use lugging unnecessary weight around, especially when chasing someone. She rapidly thumbed through a book on sailing, her keen eyes scanning through the lines at an incredible speed. Sentences that stood out were stashed away in her brain for further processing at some future point. She didn't learn nearly enough as she would have reading it regularly, but she picked up a few good points.

Five minutes later, she snapped the book shut and replaced it. Upon departing the store, she inhaled deeply. Unsurprisingly, Lyn's scent was scattered even more than Alexander's had been. She hadn't expected Lyn to forget, but it still made her job harder. However, she did know that Lyn had connections all over the city. All she had to do was to interrogate one of the myriad of street performers and beggars scattered through the city.

To her annoyance, Lyn was a step ahead of her in that respect as well. Firstly, the novice had not befriended every busker in the street, forcing Cassandra to roam for some time to find a man who knew Lyn more than the 'hot crazy chick.' Her search was greatly accelerated by her ability to read body language to detect lies, but some of the beggars had poker faces to rival some assassins she knew. She barely hid her relief when she found one of Lyn's network agents.

This was where the second frustrating circumstance came to light. Lyn had told everyone that the pirates would not hurt them and to report any who did. While torture was a coin flip anyway when it came to accurate information, not being able to do more than verbally threaten the busker made her task very difficult. She tried everything from mentioning how she was Lyn's superior officer to how she would double whatever Lyn offered to warnings of retribution when the game was over, but the busker refused to budge. Even firing a shot by his foot didn't faze him. She was seriously tempted to main the man, but that would make her no better than Damien.

After trying and failing to intimidate any of Lyn's newfound friends, she was growing impatient. It shouldn't have been difficult to find her. A quick check with her crewmembers revealed a similarly fruitless search. Morgan was especially livid, as he had given up some jewelry, only to find he had been duped. Alexander had managed to get a lead by impressing some street musicians, but it turned out to be a false trail as well. In the time it had taken them to play three rounds of Bounty Hunter, Lyn had set up a seemingly impermeable web of deceit. Cassandra was torn between being proud and irritated, which only revealed that she had been underestimating the first mate as much as the others.

Finally, after Morgan's, Alexander's, and Cain's times had been passed, Cassandra finally spotted her. Lyn was in a crowd of street performers, clad head-to-toe in a clown outfit that masked her appearance almost completely. Cassandra didn't even have good reasons to believe it was her, but lunged forward on gut instinct. Sure enough, the clown dodged and sped away, laughing gaily all the way. Cassandra attempted to give chase, only to find the rest of the troupe obstructing her path. It took her almost a full minute to extract herself without grievously harming any of them, but she almost completely lost track of her first mate in that time.

As she sprinted after Lyn, she called the rest of her crew in. Morgan retrieved Alexander as Cain came in from another direction. Her Devil Fruit gave her an edge in speed over Lyn, but the first mate had helpers. Whenever Cassandra was within ten yards of her, followers seemed to sprout like weeds. Even when she managed to avoid them, Lyn was only too happy to show off her fearless freerunning. She seemed to glide over everything in her path without the slightest bit of trouble, even scaling buildings and leaping across streets to lose her pursuer. The namesake brick buildings of the city gave Cassandra little trouble with vertical ascents, but she was still hard-pressed to keep up.

Gradually, the other pirates entered the picture, closing the gap between them and the elusive first mate. While Lyn didn't have Damien's natural stamina or Cassandra's artificial one, she could still keep moving for some time. She artfully dodged the attempted tags of her nakama, frequently including random citizens in her evasion. Although Morgan and Cain were stronger, Lyn's agility surpassed theirs greatly. Alexander even tried to help by transmuting pools of water for her to fall into, but she deftly avoided his traps every time.

After what seemed like far too long, they got her. Morgan and Cain herded her back towards Cassandra, who managed to grab her in a full body tackle. Lyn tumbled to the ground, laughing as happily as ever. She hugged Cassandra tightly in turn, refusing to let go even after the pirate captain confirmed the tag. Cassandra decided against attempting to dislodge her in favor of making sure the rest of the pirates were gathered together.

"I have to say, little miss," Cain said between mouthfuls of roasted nuts. "I didn't think you'd last this long. I expected you to beat Alexander and Morgan-"

"You thought _she_ would beat _me_?" Morgan seethed. "How could you?"

"I didn't mean that I came to this island thinking she would beat you!" the massive man said placatingly. "All I meant was given your time and Alexander's, I thought she would last longer than that. I never expected her to beat me."

Cassandra gave a small grin. "Not only that, but you beat Damien's time as well. Not by enough that you can lord it over him, but certainly enough that Cain and I won't have to spend tomorrow being beaten to pulps."

"I wouldn't say that," Alexander said offhandedly. "He may just decide to beat on you regardless of rules."

"He's a gem, isn't he?" Cassandra asked, unable to keep a hint of irritation from her voice. "He's going to get us killed one day. Still, the fact that you beat him is still very impressive."

"Yay!" Lyn cheered. "I'll be doing whatever I want with you tomorrow!"

"Hey," the pirate captain cautioned, "not all of us have gone yet. We always save the best for last, don't we?"

The artist pouted cutely at this. "But I'm the best! If you win, nothing will be different! That's so boring!"

"Well, that's why we'll have to decide what happens when I win," Cassandra said. "I'll only need a two minute head start. Someone contact our darling navigator and tell him I'm next."

She took off at a dead run, swiftly leaving her crew behind. Just as with tracking, her senses would be invaluable when evading her fellow pirates. She didn't know the city as well as the citizens of Quoin, and by extension Lyn, did. However, she could still move very quickly and her reflexes could send her down paths the other pirates wouldn't easily follow. Although she could almost match Morgan's strength for few seconds when her body was boosted to its limit, she wouldn't be able to push her pursuers away like Damien and Cain had.

Her pace picked up when the two minutes had elapsed. The mere knowledge that she was being chased caused her body to provide its own natural adrenaline boost. She zigzagged through the streets, keeping an eye out for any of Lyn's street performer friends. However, it seemed like the first mate's influence had spread far and wide. People seemed to get in her way more than before, and no few citizens were sent sprawling to the ground. Cassandra really would have to ask Lyn how she did it. The sniper had a sinking feeling that Lyn had once again promised her captain would do something. There was no way so many people would do something so unnecessary without some form of compensation.

She contemplated disguising her appearance as Alexander had, but that would be difficult. While she didn't consider her figure to be anything special, her hair color wasn't terribly common, even for the Grand Line. She had only seen a smattering of blue haired people throughout the city, but none that could be mistaken for her. She could only evade her crewmembers for so long before they found her. After that, it would be up to her leg strength and reflexes to prevent them from planting a glove on her body.

As she suspected, Cain was drawing closer to her with every passing second. Alexander and Lyn were with him, as the former couldn't move very quickly and the latter was exhausted from the previous chase. Damien seemed to be coming in from a completely different direction, but he seemed to be slightly off-course. His obstinate refusal to cooperate with his crewmates meant their paths wouldn't cross. Just to be sure, Cassandra veered away from the wrathful navigator and slipped down a few side alleys.

She was glad that she had decided against donning her red cowboy boots, instead wearing a pair of durable running shoes. Her feet would have been killing her after all of the sprinting she had done. She risked a glance backwards to see Cain's unmistakable form soaring towards her. She had tried to move towards more tightly packed areas where the massive pirate would have trouble maneuvering, but her unfamiliarity of the city was working against her. A brief check of a nearby clock revealed she had only surpassed Morgan and Alexander. Her time was dangerously close to Cain's but her slight head start put her behind his, even with his head start factored in. She could handle losing to Lyn, but her pride still pushed her to at least beat the other two men on her crew.

The excited shouts of her crewmembers only spurred her onwards. She flew along the streets, doing her best to shake them. Her enhanced senses almost didn't detect Morgan in time. He had been disguised as a damaged stone statue, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Cassandra refused to believe that Cain and Damien had herded her towards the cook. It was sheer coincidence that he was in her path. She used the barrel of her pistol to keep his hand at bay when he leapt at her, making sure to press it exactly around the wound the glove concealed. His blue eyes lost their color as joy turned to rage. She had to bite back an antagonistic smirk as she slid beneath him and continued on her way.

Cain continued to close in, his passengers shouting encouragements in his ears. Morgan used his water elemental to course through the street, crashing through like the river he emulated. Cassandra did note that the prince took care to avoid people as best he could given his momentum. Hopefully, it was another sign that he was maturing. Unfortunately, her experience with her navigator had taught her that a temporary lack of hostility did not indicate a change in temperament.

It inevitably got to the point where Cain was directly on her heels. His massive footfalls shook the ground beneath her feet, but her long hours of sparring aboard the _Howling Knave_ had only improved her balance. She tried dodging down an alleyway, but Lyn dropped off the huge pirate's shoulders to go where he couldn't. With Lyn at one end of the narrow street and Cain at the other, Cassandra opted for the much smaller option. She doubled back in an instant, catching the first mate by surprise. Kicking off an empty dustbin, she soared clear over Lyn's head, making sure to give her a cheeky wink in midflight. She landed with a roll, knowing she had only postponed her fate for a few seconds. She was pretty sure she had beaten Damien, but she wasn't quite sure about Lyn.

It was because she was so focused on her crew that she didn't notice the person walking by the alley's entrance. She collided full on, bouncing off hard and tumbling behind a nearby bench. She knew she couldn't avoid her crewmembers any more. As boundless as her stamina was, Cain could easily move faster than she could. He could probably reach her in a single jump if she tried to run. She quickly pulled her overshirt over her head and curled up, trying to buy as much time as she could. It was a pathetic hiding position, but she might go unnoticed in the rubbish beside the alley.

To her surprise, her crewmembers began running away from her. After making sure they were a suitable distance away, she got to her feet and brushed herself off. She inhaled deeply to make sure one hadn't stayed behind in an attempt to trap her, but she smelled all four of her cooperating crewmembers moving in some random direction. Damien was still on the furthest limits of her nose, but showed no signs of moving towards her. She sat down on the bench she had landed behind and began to try to puzzle through this mystery.

The sun was descending towards the horizon before she decided to head back. She still couldn't figure out why they had stopped chasing her. All of her crewmembers were near the docks. They probably considered the game over. She couldn't for the life of her imagine why they thought it had ended. They had come within inches of catching her, so they obviously didn't deem the task impossible. Most of her crewmembers wouldn't give up until nightfall at the earliest. She ambled towards the docks, too absorbed in her thinking to pay much attention to her surroundings. Her hands were ready to grab a pistol and fire at the slightest provocation, but she was only prepared to counterattack.

As she finally approached the _Howling Knave_, she observed that all of her pirates were present. Cain was standing against the mast, Lyn balanced precariously on his shoulder. Damien, Morgan, and Alexander weren't visible, but their heated argument could be heard by normal ears. Raven was crouched on the yard, impassively staring at the pirates below her. It was too normal a situation to make sense. The only explanation she could come up with was they were attempting to lure her back and tag her that way. The obvious flaw in that plan was that Cassandra's time had passed Lyn's long ago. Perhaps they had decided that her winning was unimportant as Bounty Hunter's prize for the winner was a day with her. There was no way Damien or Lyn thought that way.

"You daft fucktard! There ain' no way Winter Isle was fuckin' better than Summer Isle. Pira's're better than bandits. The fuck was yer fuckin' island's feature, some shitty town? Fuckin' lame compared to a battlefield where real men fight t' the death."

"It was the architecture of the living mountain itself. One such as yourself couldn't begin to understand its majesty."

"One such as meself? Th' fuck you mean?"

"I think he means you never saw it. Morgan is making an argument based on his opinion, accompanied by a fair bit of pride."

"And what about you, Alexander? You saw both the arena and the city. Can you make an objective choice despite an obviously piratical upbringing?"

"I'd like to, but I can't. As you said, I do value being a pirate above almost all else. Besides, I'm not the only one who's seen them both. What do you think, Captain?"

Cassandra frowned. It was impossible that Alexander knew of her approach. Her confusion skyrocketed when a voice that was unmistakably hers responded. "Both places have their benefits. The arena was more focused on fights while the cities on Winter Isle center more on their military cohesiveness. It makes sense that our resident living bomb would prefer the arena while Morgan prefers the city."

The pirate captain began running, desperate to know what was going on. On one hand, that explained why they had stopped chasing her. On the other, her crewmembers would not mistake her with another person. Cassandra had a hard enough time on her own keeping her crew from killing or offending each other. An impostor wouldn't be able to deal with her very unique pirates. So how had they accepted this fraud so easily?

She vaulted onto the deck and froze. Her six pirates all stared at her with varying degrees of shock. Lyn's eyes were sparkling with curiosity while Morgan's were clouded with confusion. The way Damien expressed his confusion was by baring his glistening fangs. Cain crouched down to get a better look at her while Alexander's head moved back and forth. The impostor realized they weren't the focus of the attention and turned around to see what was going on.

Two identical mouths dropped open simultaneously. The face Cassandra was staring into was unquestionably her own.


	13. The Traitor and the Infiltrator

Cassandra didn't even know where to begin. Her hands reflexively drew her pistols and aimed them at the woman who looked like her in an attempt to buy some time to think. She barely registered the doppelganger doing the same. Her eyes roved over the impostor, attempting to find some flaw in the disguise. Everything matched perfectly: the hair color and length; the color of her eyes; the shape of her nose, face, lips, body. The only differences lay in the clothes, but even those were definitely hers. She recognized the faded orange undershirt, the jeans she had bought when shopping with Lyn, the red cowboy boots, the black and gold dragon belt from Reichmann Island, the pistols the impostor was holding, and even her gloves. The left glove bore her Jolly Roger. She couldn't fault her crewmembers for mistaking this person for her.

The better question was who wanted to impersonate her? Her crew knew no dangerous secrets that an outsider would want. Her eyes widened as she realized that was not entirely true. Raven knew the world of assassins forwards and backwards, and the pirate captain couldn't help but feel there was more to the background of her two summoners than Alexander had told her. She didn't think Alexander had lied, just that he hadn't told the whole truth. Either wouldn't hold back if asked directly by her lookalike.

There was a bigger problem that she had to deal with. Somehow she had to convince the Black Glove Pirates that she was truly their captain. Appearances alone wouldn't do it, as even Raven, who Cassandra thought would have detected a doppelganger, was clutching a large knife. Her lack of movement meant she couldn't tell them apart either. This concerned Cassandra greatly, as did the increasingly antsy navigator on the far end of the deck.

"Who are you and what are you doing on my ship?" she asked finally.

"I am Cassandra Libera," the impostor responded immediately. "Who are you? What do you hope to achieve by impersonating me?"

"Wait, I'm Cassandra Libera. Who are you really?"

"As you say, that is not my real name." Well, that was easy enough. "My birth name is Cassandra Negras, but my father managed to get my last name changed on my bounty poster-"

"That's my line!" Cassandra couldn't think about where this fraud had learned her real surname, or even that her father had been the one to change it. Her eyes widened as she realized the most likely option. "I know! You're a-"

"Changeling Assassin!" interrupted the impostor. "That's the only family who would know that and could imitate me to such a degree!"

"Excuse me?" Cain interjected. "What's a Changeling Assassin?"

"They're-" Both Cassandras paused and looked at each other. "The L-" They paused again. "It's-" They both donned expressions of frustration. "Stop copying me!"

The first mate clapped her hands delightedly. "It's a comedy show!"

"Please, Lyn," Alexander said firmly, "this is a serious matter. One of these is the real one and one of these is a fake. The fake did really well to fool all of us, but we can't tell for sure who it is."

"She's the fake!" both Cassandras shouted and pointed at the other.

"Okay, let's settle this by asking questions only the real Cassandra would know," Alexander proposed.

Raven darted between them. "I will not ask any questions about before Cassandra became a pirate because whoever is the impostor is a Changeling Assassin."

Cain raised his hand. "Again, what is a Changeling?"

Both Cassandras attempted to speak again. "They're-"

"Okay, only one of you can talk at a time," Alexander said, ignoring Lyn's noise of disappointment. "Raven, what is a Changeling?"

"There are seven main families of assassins that all specialize in different areas. The Changeling Assassins are impersonators without equal. I assume that whoever is the impostor infiltrated the crew to eliminate the real Cassandra. Even though Cassandra is no longer an assassin, she was going to be heiress to the head of the Black Glove Assassins."

Alexander nodded his head as he mulled this over. "Okay, so… who is Rickard Slatch and why did Damien kill him? You, the one who was with us."

"_I_ killed Commodore Rickard Slatch so you would join my crew."

The musician turned to the real Cassandra. "And why did Raven join us on Reichmann Island?"

Cassandra had to admit that she liked the musician's way of falsifying the question. "You met Raven on Summer Isle, and she didn't join until Spring Isle. Reichmann Island is only the place where Raven was confirmed to have joined the crew by the assassins."

"My turn, my turn!" Lyn shouted. "Umm… you! What did I do when you first saw me?"

"You grabbed me and I nearly choked you to death," real Cassandra responded flatly.

The rest of the crew looked at the pirate captain in surprise. "Well, that's true," Lyn said slowly. "You had just stopped being an assassin. Okay, other Captain. Why did you get locked up with me?"

"My mind, body, and soul were tainted," the impostor answered.

"Correct! Morgan, your turn!"

The prince frowned at the exuberant first mate. "My turn for what?"

"To quiz them, obviously."

He turned to the fake Cassandra and slowly rubbed his mouth in thought. "How did you convince my father to let you go?"

The doppelganger narrowed her eyes at him. "You weren't there, so you can't verify my words. Can we stick to the questions to verify my identity and show this double's façade?"

"What's the matter?" real Cassandra taunted. "Don't know what I said?"

"Of course I do. Lord Zematsal and I had a nice chat about gender relations and my history, then he tried to execute me and I killed one of his guards. He was impressed and postponed my execution by a day-"

The fake Cassandra cut her explanation short with a yell of pain. Damien had sunk his claws into her shoulder, staining her shirt red. With one smooth movement, he plunged his hand into her back and out through her stomach. Lyn shouted in terror and the others looked equally shocked. After flexing his fingers, he withdrew his hand and let the doppelganger fall to the deck. Blood dripped from his glistening claws as he stared impassively downwards. Everyone else was too stunned to do anything.

Cassandra was the first to move. She holstered her pistols and slowly walked over, staring at the navigator suspiciously. "Well, I can't say I'm displeased, Damien, but how did you know that I was the real one?"

By the time she realized her mistake, it was too late. She tried to dodge to the side, but his fingers wrapped around her wrist. He painfully twisted her arm around and broke it with a sickening crack. He stabbed his hand through her torso as well, and she was forced to dull her senses or pass out from the pain. To finish her off, he lowered her until her knees touched the deck, then stomped on her ankle. He then threw her beside the fake as if she were no more than garbage.

Through half-lidded eyes, Cassandra could vaguely make out Raven appearing at the scarred sadist's side, her knife at his throat. "I see why you did it, but it was unnecessary to go so far."

"Fuck off, you stupid bitch," he snarled. "Riddles ain' gonna make a fuckin' difference. This 'ere's the bes' way t' tell."

"I don't get it," Cain said cautiously. "What is?"

"You should know, shitty Songbird. An' you, royal cocksnot."

A noise of recognition Cassandra guessed was Alexander's filtered into her dulled ears. "Oh, I see. Then I completely agree with Raven, mate. We could have used a simple cut."

"Fuck cuts. Now th' bastard won' run away."

"Yes, but now I cannot interrogate why he or she decided to impersonate Cassandra."

"I don't give a flyin' fuck about interrogation."

"Guys…" Lyn whined, still sounding scared. "I don't get it…"

Morgan sighed. "Oh, that's it. All Devil Fruits are unique. I'm the only elementalist alive, and Alexander is the only alchemist. The only person with Captain's regeneration is the real one."

Cassandra couldn't fault Damien for his logic, but she wished he could have been slightly less brutal about it. She pushed herself to her knees, her ankle and arm twisting back into their natural positions. Her breath still came in pained gasps as her ribs repaired themselves. She extended a hand to her crewmembers, knowing the identity of their real captain was clear now. "Okay, Damien. You figured it out. Painfully, I might add. Can you help me up now?"

None of her crewmates moved. She looked up and saw they were all staring to her left. The sniper turned to see the other Cassandra also sitting up, the hole in her stomach inching closed. Her bare shoulder was already devoid of claw marks, only the blood remaining on her pale skin. She looked at the real one and her face fell. "Oh, come on. I'm the only eater of the Regeneration Fruit. Did you eat a Logia or something?"

"Do you see any flames or water or anything?" the real Cassandra snapped. "I'm a Paramecia. Unfortunately, you seem to be one too." Her hand nursed her mending ribs. "Raven, did that mad scientist make any advancements on Devil Fruit cloning?"

"Not that I am aware of." Raven extended a hand to both Cassandras. "We will need another method of discovering who the real Cassandra is."

Both Cassandras looked surprised at the proffered hand. Raven was rarely initiated any physical contact. Nevertheless, as they were both still recovering from the grievous wounds Damien had given them, they allowed the smaller doctor to help them to their feet. Cassandra barely registered the slight tingling in her hand before she realized the reason behind the black-clad pirate's peculiar move. "Very smooth, Raven. Don't think you can fool me, though. Tell everyone which is the real Cassandra?" The other Black Glove Pirates looked confused. "Which of us is the real Moon Sister?"

Raven stared at her hands for a moment, then looked up at both of them. Cassandra's mind worked as she tried to figure out why Raven hadn't answered. All of a sudden, everything came together. She lashed out at the fake Cassandra, who was still too wounded to avoid the blow. The tingling in Cassandra's fist as she knocked the impostor down left absolutely no doubt in her mind. She couldn't help but begin laughing, eliciting only more confusion from her crewmembers. "You are one crazy bitch, you know that? I should have known it was you. There's only one person alive who could have fooled even Raven."

The impostor grinned back. "C'mon, Cici. You know you had fun. How'd you like the healing trick? I knew that would come up, but I didn't quite expect it like that."

"Oh, I'll want to know all about that," Cassandra said happily. "That was some trickery you did there, Jay."

"Uh… excuse us?" Alexander interjected. "Could you please explain what the hell is going on?"

Cassandra pulled her lookalike up and threw an arm around her shoulders. "I'm really sorry for the confusion. This is one of my best friends and one of my Moon Sisters."

"Why don't you introduce me, Raerae?" the fake said, removing Cassandra's gloves. "After all, you love listing full titles."

All eyes turned to the small pirate. Raven's black eyes rested on the impostor's for a moment before looking at the crew. "She is the fifth of seven, child of Thousand Face-"

"I'm not just the child of Thousand Face; I'm Hundred Face now too."

This drew Raven's attention away from the introduction for a moment. "The fifth of seven, Hundred Face the named heir of the Changeling Assassins, the Shemale Rat, Jordan Lovat."

The assassin glared at the small pirate. "Hey Raerae, you didn't need to include that last one. We were supposed to leave those names behind at the Academy."

"Nice to meet you, Jordan!" Lyn said as if the two identical pirates weren't still covered in blood. "I'm Lyn!"

Alexander extended his hand, which Jordan graciously accepted. "I'm Alexander-"

"I know who you all are," Jordan said. "You're all famous where I come from. The working assassins know more or less the truth, but the rumors spreading through the Academy are hilarious. Still, I don't think there's an assassin of importance that doesn't know your names. The problem lies with the exaggeration rumors tend to have."

"Why d'you look like our fuckin' Cap'n?" Damien growled.

"As I said earlier, my family specializes in impersonation. Are any of you familiar with the technique Life Return?" All of the pirates shook their heads. "Well, it's something vaguely related to that. My family has perfected it to the point where we can copy the appearance any human alive, along with some other races. We can't do it instantly, and it requires some preparation. I'm not yet good enough to grow to Cain's size and maintain it for any length of time, but I could imitate his looks pretty easily."

Morgan leaned in suspiciously. "But you're a woman. How could you imitate a man?"

Jordan wiped her hand across her face, altering it as it went. Her hand continued to move down her body and her physical stature changed as it passed. Her skin darkened slightly, and her hair shrunk into her head. Her breasts flattened into pectorals, and her hips straightened out. She rolled her shoulders as they broadened. Her clothes strained under the increased size of her body, accentuating her new muscles.

If Cassandra hadn't seen the assassin perform her transformation countless times before, she would have been as awestruck as her crewmates. Where a perfect imitation of herself had stood, there was a handsome man a little taller than Morgan. The newly-changed assassin leaned in; the voice coming from thin lips was deep and strong. "And when did I say I was a woman, little man?"

The chef was completely lost for words. Lyn seized the opportunity to counter the question with her own. "Doesn't matter you only look like a man. What's downstairs, I wonder?"

Jordan turned to the first mate, a mischievous smile on his lips. "Would you like to find out?"

Lyn moved forward until her breasts pressed against Jordan's torso. "That sounds like a delightful idea."

"Okay, that's enough, you two," Cassandra scolded. "All Changelings hide their gender, and Jay is no exception."

"Then why do you call her a Moon Sister?" Cain asked

Cassandra cast a skeptical eye in his direction. "Because the seven Moon Sisters sounds better than the six Moon Sisters and one Moon Genderfluid Person. She likes to blend into the crowd, don't you, Jay?"

"That's how I kill," the man said cheerfully.

Cain nodded slowly. "So are you a he or a she?"

"Or a single they or a ze or a hum or a-"

Jordan held up his hand to cut short Lyn's rant. "It seems you've met more like me before, Lynlyn. I prefer he or she over the others, but it doesn't have to reflect what I look like. When I'm a man, I can be 'she'. When I'm a woman, I can be 'he'. Just know that for me, gender is another piece of clothing for me to wear."

He did another wiping motion and changed to the form Cassandra was most used to seeing. It was a blend of man and woman so androgynous that Jordan's gender was impossible to accurately guess. The assassin's skin turned to a dark olive tone that complemented her brown eyes. She remained the same height, but slimmed down slightly. She ran her hands through her shoulder-length hair, turning it a dark brown.

"What's the point of the hand thing?" Lyn asked.

"Well, it's just a concentration thing for my body." She flipped her hands out, sending blue drops flying from her fingertips. "I don't need to do it, strictly speaking. It's easiest for me to change if I do it. And there are some colors that I can't quite pull off yet. I needed dye for your hair. I can only change colors so much."

Alexander frowned. "Well, how did you manage to fool us all, even Raven?"

"Were you not paying attention?" Jordan asked with a laugh. "I'm a Moon Sister. I've known Cici for far longer than any of you. Before you say a thing, Raerae, you count too. You knew of her; you didn't know her personally before I did."

"Captain's changed since I met her," Lyn protested.

Jordan fixed her with a cold stare. "People don't change. Not that much."

"Untrue." Jordan's gaze slid to the portly musician. "I've seen a man who, while prone to violent outbursts, was a good man. He turned into a sadistic psychopath."

"I wonder who you're talking about," Morgan muttered darkly.

"He sounds mean!" Lyn announced. "Who is he?"

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "Do you really have to ask?"

She was very forcefully moved out of the way by her irate navigator. He brought his face a hairsbreadth from Jordan's, his glare literally burning. "Fuck yer face-stealin' shit.'Ow did you 'eal away me fuckin' 'and thru yer gut, 'ore?"

"My my my. A whore, am I? Did I fool you on an escapade of yours, Didi?" The pirate captain had never seen Damien move so quickly. Jordan was sent flying from the ship before anyone could react. In an instant, she was brought back to the deck, Raven's arms wrapped tightly around her body. The assassin wiped blood from her lips, but steadily met his glare. "Okay, that was my fault. Remind me not to get on your bad side."

"That would imply he has any other side." Cassandra managed to dodge his punch, but his knee crashed into her groin, causing her pelvis to explode with pain. She sank to her knees, her hands on her injured crotch as it healed.

"His question has merit," Morgan said, unable to keep a look of satisfaction from his eyes. "Devil Fruits are unique. Does your impersonation skill give you the ability to heal quickly?"

Jordan poked him in the chest. "That is something we'd love to do. It'd make botched assassinations much easier. No, the reason for that healing is much cooler. I, too, ate a Devil Fruit, but not the Regeneration Fruit." She wiped some blood from her torso and clenched it in her fist. The Black Glove Pirates gave shouts of surprise as blood exploded around her arm, soon growing across her body and encasing her entirely. She rose into the air, towering over them in a crimson humanoid.

"Hey, that's Morgan's Fruit!" Lyn exclaimed. "So that means…"

The sanguine liquid disappeared as it splashed back to the deck. Jordan alighted softly, her clothes devoid of blood. "Exactly. I ate the Waza Waza Fruit. I can copy abilities by touching them. This way, I can fully impersonate someone, as you saw with Cici. It's a combat fruit, but suits my needs just as well. After all, what if the person I'm copying shows up? If I can't do what they can, they'll figure me out instantly. Just as Didi tried to do."

The berserker leaned in once more. "Aye, but can ya copy things that ain' Fruits?"

"Sorry, Didi. It doesn't work that way."

Damien grunted and looked away, his interest in the assassin waning. "Wait a second, hang on," Cassandra said. "When did you have a chance to touch me? You were clear across the deck."

Jordan gave a toothy grin. "I bumped into you when you were scurrying about looking for Lynlyn. You thought I was just another one of her hired street urchins. It's no secret that you have a Devil Fruit, after all."

"Hey, let's have a welcoming party!" Lyn shouted, glomping onto the assassin. "Morgie, make some food!"

"It's Morgan," the cook said through clenched teeth.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Let's just have dinner and enjoy ourselves. You and I are going to have a talk after that, Jay."

"I was counting on it, Cici."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

The party went down in typical Black Glove Pirate fashion. Cassandra was surprised they didn't receive a noise complaint from the dockmaster. Lyn and Jordan drank and danced around the deck while Cain wolfed down anything that was put in front of him. Damien was enjoying himself as well, as Alexander had managed to procure a bottle of Clam Special for him. The musician played tunes on his trumpet, and Morgan joined in after toiling away in the kitchen. Cassandra interacted with all of her friends, making several attempts to bring Raven into the chaos. The black-clad pirate would have none of it, simply perching on the yard above them all.

When the celebration showed signs of winding down, punctuated by Damien's departure and Cain's drink-induced stupor, Cassandra and Jordan left the ship to go for a walk. At the genderfluid assassin's request, Raven accompanied them as well. The three Moon Sisters ambled slowly through the streets each collecting their thoughts.

"So what does bring you to Brickwork, Jay?" Cassandra said at last. "As much as I've missed seeing you, assassins do not get to pay friendly visits."

"That's true. You are in a different world now, one in which you're a whole lot happier."

Cassandra threw an arm around the taller assassin's shoulders. "Now, I would have been just as happy as an assassin. I would have the six of you to keep my life interesting."

"No, you would not."

The pirate captain glanced at Raven. "Yes, I suppose you're right. It would be six Moon Sisters, wouldn't it?"

"Ah yes. We wouldn't have the Gloomy Ghost, wouldn't we?"

"I thought you did not want to use the nicknames we had at the Academy," Raven droned.

Jordan smiled. "You started it Raerae. Oh, did I tell you what the Academy brats are calling you, Cici?" Cassandra shook your head. "Well, your old nickname was cast aside. You're the Traitor Duchess, the one who grew too interested in death. You left and acquired a speaker for the dead to help you in your quest. You visited heaven and met an angel, visited hell and met a demon. You even stole the most powerful deathdealer of our year. After that, you set out to conquer the entire world. When you were slighted by a king, you stole him and even managed to keep his loyal mountain giant from killing you. Now you're on a rampage through the Grand Line, ready to eliminate anything in your path."

The pirate captain laughed delightedly at this. "Well there's a rumor spawned from truth. Is the Traitor Duchess a fearsome name?"

"Oh, but it is. You're the bogeyman scaring the little assassins into line. Don't neglect your training or the Traitor Duchess will find you! The Traitor Duchess comes to collect the souls of those who hesitate! To the older and wiser ones, you're the person not to be. Make friends and you'll wind up like the Traitor Duchess."

"Friends! Ha!" Cassandra couldn't help but be amused by this. "Two of my crewmembers want me dead, two want to protect me, and two actually care about me."

Jordan frowned. "So why do you have them with you?"

"Who knows?" The sniper stared at the merrily twinkling stars. "I can't explain it. I love them all, even the ones I hate with equal strength. But enough about me. You never answered my question."

"So I didn't." Jordan stopped by a nearby man leaning outside a bar. "Hey man, could I bum a smoke?"

Cassandra frowned as the man offered her his pack of cigarettes. "And when did you start smoking?"

"You sound like my damn mother would if she gave a shit about smoking," Jay grumbled as they continued down the streets. "I had to pick it up two jobs ago, or was it three? Either way, three weeks undercover as a king's aide who was trying to smoke, drink, and fuck his way into an early grave. I managed not to get addicted to one of them."

"And you didn't have too many drinks."

Jordan winked roguishly. "Hey, for an assassin, a few vices aren't too bad. It's not like we have long lives anyway."

She cupped one hand around the cigarette and snapped her other fingers. To Cassandra's surprise, the tip of her thumb burst into flame, allowing Jordan to light the carcinogenic cylinder. "I thought you could only copy Devil Fruits."

"I lied." Jordan slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke, a look of bliss on her face. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this. I didn't have one for five days so you wouldn't smell it on me at all. Sure, it mostly sticks to clothes, but your nose is better than a bear's."

"I'm sure you did." Cassandra dulled her senses so the scent of tobacco wouldn't overwhelm her. "Won't smoking affect moving easily?"

"Nah, I can do a purge to get rid of it. Nifty thing about my family's skill. Hurts like a bitch and takes about a day, but I can breathe like I'd never set foot near smoke of any kind in my life."

"Why did you lie about your ability?"

Jordan looked down at the petite pirate. "Didi punched me off the ship for a light jest. You think he wouldn't like to fight someone with exactly his power?"

Cassandra laughed at this. "You owe him that fight. I'm ratting you out when we get back to the ship. You'll see the shit I have to deal with every damn day. You're just lucky he fights hand-to-hand. You'll constantly be able to keep up with his changing skill."

"There's no way that-"

The pirate captain held up her hand. "Underestimate him, and there will only be six Moon Sisters. Still, we'll talk about him another time. Why are you in Brickwork?"

"You just will not let that go. Fine." The tall assassin blew a stream of smoke into the air. "As you suspect, I'm here for work, not pleasure. Although nothing says I can't enjoy myself while I'm here. C'mon. We're going somewhere more private."

"What work do you have?" the gunslinger asked. "Is there some monarch here who needs to be culled?"

"Now now, Cici. Just because I'm an assassin doesn't mean killing is all I do. You should know that we also lend our services to other areas when necessary."

"My family does not."

Jordan sighed. "Yes, we know that, Raerae. Anyway, the Black Gloves are almost politicians in their own right, along with tacticians and strategists, but the Changelings are almost at the level of spies. Sure, it earns us the disdain of you more powerful families, but we're proud of our skills. Getting back to the point, I was hired to infiltrate a certain group on this island. Not because I know you two would be here, but because of my ability to copy any skills and technique a person knows."

"Okay, so what group needs to be infiltrated?" Cassandra asked. "Is there any way we can help?"

"See, there's the thing," Jordan said. "The group is another assassin family. They aren't too happy with you being gone and want you back, by force if necessary."

Cassandra frowned. "I was banished, and my father changed my name. What could they want with me?"

Jordan gave a wide smile. "And who said I was talking to you?"

Raven met both of their gazes evenly. "It is not unexpected. My family is not on good terms with the rest of the main assassin families at the best of times. My accompanying Cassandra will not have made those bonds stronger."

"Oh, it's a lot more fun than that," Jordan said gleefully. "See, Shishi's grandfather bit the dust about month back. He went berserk as usual, and someone managed to cut off his head. Of course, he single-handedly destroyed the entire palace, the army surrounding the palace, and most of the countryside until he was stopped, but that's her family for you. Anyway, with Shishi's mother as the new head, the heirs were all declared. Six families had no problem choosing their heir, but one had a little trouble."

"Mine."

The assassin bowed her head at Raven. "Exactly."

"I do not understand. Why does my father want me to be the heir? I am skilled, but my elder brother was twice as good as I am when he was half my current age. Surely, my father would choose him."

"Well, there are a few problems with that. First, the Son of the Eighth isn't terribly happy that Cici's absconded with you in the first place. He wants you back regardless of whether or not you're the chosen heir. Second, your dear brother seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. That leaves your father in the uncomfortable position where he has to choose your younger brother or take you back."

"Storm is unsuited to be the heir," Raven said instantly. "His skills are as good as Silver's, perhaps even more so, but he learns the techniques far too slowly. When I left, he had only mastered akat and ran irz. He was far worse than I was at all the others. If he survives long enough to be a grandfather, or possibly even a great-grandfather, he will be the strongest assassin my family has ever seen."

Jordan laughed at this. "He's not gonna last that long, and your father definitely won't. That leaves the title of Granddaughter of the Eighth on your shoulders."

"Do you have any idea of Silver's whereabouts?" Raven asked. "It is almost impossible that he was killed. One of the heads themselves would have had to kill him, or you with your recently-acquired Devil Fruit."

The androgyne raised her hands disarmingly. "Hey, I had nothing to do with his disappearance. I swear that on my father and mother's lives."

"And which one is your father?" Cassandra inquired. "Payton or Harley?"

"Funny. All anyone knows is that he disappeared sometime before you did and hasn't been seen since. Not a peep from anyone, not even his contacts. Everyone thought he was on an assignment-"

"Silver would not take more than a week to kill his target, no matter who that target was. My father would know that as well. I can see why he has been declared missing."

"This family drama is all well and good," Cassandra interjected. "But I still don't see why you're here."

"Ah, well this is the fun part for me. There are Skris on this island, right now, moving towards Quoin. They're here to retrieve Raerae. I was hired by my own family – technically by the Engineer, since I get paid that way – to make sure she doesn't leave with them. They want Soso to be the heir."

Raven shook her head. "That makes sense. If my father dies and Storm becomes the Son of the Eighth, he will not command the same respect as the other heads. My family will become significantly less powerful, allowing one of the others to rise to the top three families. That also explains why the Engineer hired you and Brighteyes did not."

"Raerae, you're my Sister and all, but I really hate the rest of your family. Especially since they're the reason I only have one blood sibling."

The petite pirate gazed up with empty eyes. "I do not have an attachment to my family aside from what I owe them for teaching me what I know. However, if I am called upon, I do have a duty to accept my title as heir. I will not allow you to meddle in my family's affairs, Jordan."

Jordan gave a nasty smile. "Meddling in the affairs of others is what Lovats do best, dearest Raerae. My family has a vested interest in making sure you do not return with the Eighth's men."

"The title Moon Sister does not mean anything to me. I will not hesitate to kill you if you try to stop me."

"I thought you paid more attention. I can fight with your skills. My body will know everything you do. You can't win against that. Short of freak accidents, fights with me end in a stalemate."

"That would require you to touch me. Since I learned of your Devil Fruit, I have ensured you have not done so."

"Did you forget that I have Didi's power? He can't beat you, but I bet I can get a touch off."

"I do not think you will be able to touch me before I inflict enough damage to disable you, even if you have my abilities."

The bickering women were silenced when two gloved hands clamped over their faces. Cassandra applied enough pressure to show her irritation and glared at both of them. "Enough. Stop acting like spoiled children. Jay, you're going to explain your assignment as unambiguously as possible. Raven, you're going to keep silent until Jay is finished. Are we clear?"

"Yes, mother," Jordan said sarcastically. Cassandra waited until Raven nodded to release them both. "There are some Eighth's Assassins on Brickwork already. They should be arriving in Quoin soon. They have a ship carrying one of your father's best men on it. We – the Engineer, my parent, and I – don't know who. They will, in no uncertain terms, be taking you back. I was sent to impersonate you so you can continue to go with Cici. Even if they try to kill me and make it look like an accident, I can fight anyone off, especially if I have your skills. That's it."

Cassandra pointed at Raven. "Your turn."

"If the situation with my family is as you say, then I must decide whether to go along with your charade or not. I have a duty to my family, yet I am also a Black Glove Pirate. If I leave, the crew will be without a doctor. Alexander can pass as a healer, but I believe that if I am absent, Damien will kill you all. That being said, I have no connection to the rest of the crew. What matters is whether you live or die. I do owe you my life, but you cannot rejoin the world of assassins even if I do."

The pirate captain sighed. She was glad at Raven's indecision, even if the reasons weren't what Cassandra wanted. "Well, you have until this super Eighth's Assassin gets here to make up your mind. We might get a few visits from some of your relatives, but they can't make you do anything."

"What should I do?"

Cassandra looked down at Raven in surprise. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jordan choke madly and sink to the ground, pounding at her chest. "Why do you want my opinion? It's your life."

"You have extremely good decision-making skills most of the time. I trust you to be objective even though we are Moon Sisters."

Cassandra sighed as she ran her hand through her hair. "Whether you go or stay will be up to you. How about you talk to the rest of the crew individually? You can explain as much or as little to them as you want."

"I do not understand," Raven droned. "Their responses will not be objective at all."

"Of course they won't. Do it anyway. After you do, think about it and ask me again. I'll give you my answer then."

"I can predict their answers even without asking them."

"Now that," Cassandra emphasized, "is a completely untrue statement. Well, it technically isn't. You can definitely predict their answers. Your predictions will just be wrong. Still, do it anyway. You can ask them now or tomorrow or the next day or the next. Just know you have a time limit."

Raven stared at her for a long moment, then bowed her head and disappeared. Jordan stared at the spot the petite pirate had previously occupied, still attempting to clear her throat completely. "Well, won't the others be thrilled to hear about this. Still, I have a mission to do. You know what happens if I fail it."

Cassandra did know. Failure was not a desired quality in assassins, doubly so for close relatives of the family heads. "Well, if all goes as I hope it will, you won't fail. In the meanwhile, try to enjoy yourself. Pretend you're that king's aide, and continue all of your favored vices."

Jordan gave a wide grin. "And that first mate of yours has a body to die for."

The androgynous assassin froze when a knife was pressed against her neck. "Lyn is a grown woman, and she can do whatever she wants. But if you get her involved in this, Moon Sister or not, there will be hell to pay."

Jordan reacted remarkably calmly for being a millimeter away from a slit throat. "I just wanted to take her out for drinks. After that, who knows."

"She'll love that. I'll wait until you're done to tell Damien about your power."

"So cold, Cici. I thought being a pirate would let you loosen up a bit."

"Being a captain to my pirates was like being the eldest Moon Sister. As much as you all love each other, you'll tear each other apart without me."

Jordan laughed at that. "Maybe I should be getting you drinks."

"The night's young, and nobody's out for my blood," Cassandra countered. "I bet I can outdrink you."

"You're on."


	14. Visitors in the Night

Lyn hadn't been so excited in almost a full day. She was practically bouncing with energy, barely managing to walk normally down the street. Her bright eyes were gazing around, but mostly remained on the woman beside her. Jordan was a full head taller than Lyn, long blond hair shining in the streetlights. The assassin had just copied the shape of Lyn's body and scaled it up a bit. Her wine-red dress clung tightly to her frame, drawing no few looks from passersby. Lyn's outfit was similarly skimpy, allowing the cool night breeze to wash over her skin. She hummed happily to herself as she walked, simply enjoying the moment.

As happy as she was to be with Jordan, she was also a little nervous. Jordan could pass as her twin sister, but Lyn knew how dangerous the assassin really was. She wasn't dangerous like Damien, whose temper could flare up without any provocation, or like Raven, whose heart was completely sealed away. She wasn't even dangerous like Morgan, who was still too proud to let slights pass by. Jordan was as lively as Damien and as sure as Morgan, but as detached from killing as Raven. She was a person who, had it not been for Captain's word, Lyn would have been as careful as she possibly could around. As it was, she decided to treat her mysterious companion like she treated her crazy navigator: keep smiling and show no fear.

"Do you know why I asked you out after meeting you only yesterday?"

"Hmm, I dunno. You wanted to show me a good time?"

Jordan gave a throaty laugh at that. "Oh, we'll get to that. But out of all of Cici's crewmembers, she cares about you the most. Did you know she put a knife at my throat just for mentioning you too close to a certain fiasco us Moon Sisters have to deal with?"

The first mate laughed loudly. "Sounds like something Captain would do! She's very protective of those of us who aren't as strong as she is!"

"She is a strong woman, one of the strongest I've ever met. But I know her. Even if she seems to have changed, she's still the same on the inside. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Then what is?"

Jordan indicated a nearby bar with her head. "Can't I show some sisterly concern? I want to know the kinds of people she has on her crew."

Lyn frowned. "Well, why don't you just ask her? She knows better than me."

"No, Cici might not tell me the bad side, and Raerae doesn't see the emotional connections. That's why I wanted you."

"Fine with me! I get to ask you all about Captain too!"

Jordan glanced down at her. "What are you talking about?"

"She doesn't like talking about it because it makes her sad, so I don't. But I'm reeeeeeeally curious!"

"Fine. We'll exchange stories. Either way, I get to find out more about the woman who stole dear Cici's heart."

"Who stole whose heart?" Lyn's eyes widened as she remembered something. "Wait, whose power do you have right now?"

"Well, I wanted to have your abilities and be closer to you," Jordan said suggestively, "but Cici would have my head if anything bad happened to you. I can't take Didi's without him finding out I don't only copy Devil Fruits. So I've taken Caicai's. That man is amazing. Over five meters tall and the strength of a giant. Impersonating him would be so much fun."

"Framing him, you mean," Lyn corrected. "Cain doesn't do anything fun, so we'd know it was you."

"Sadly, I cannot grow that large. Yet. His tattoo would also be a bit tricky."

"Oh right, Cain has a tattoo! Wait, why would you have trouble with it?"

Jordan's lips widened slightly. "I'm not a magician. I can't just change my skin color to whatever I want. Even when I'll be able to, tattoos are tricky business. I have a special ink that doesn't need a needle to be applied. Of course, it fades more quickly than a real tattoo, but still looks fine for a month or so."

"But what if you have to change?" Lyn asked. "Like, if you were changing from me to Alexander?"

"I have an agent that removes it quickly. Stings like hell, but does the trick."

The assassin pushed open the door, and Lyn couldn't help but relish the liveliness of the bar. There was a jovial atmosphere, though there were still a few broody people in the corners. Lyn saw there were seats available at the bar and immediately moved towards it. She waited as patiently as she could for Jordan to amble up beside her and pressed her lips together when she realized why the assassin had taken so long.

"You shouldn't smoke," she stated matter-of-factly.

Jordan cast a weather eye in her direction. "Is that so? Are you my mother too?"

"No, but you still shouldn't do it!"

The genderfluid woman flipped her lighter closed and exhaled a large cloud of smoke. "And why is that? It's bad for me? It'll cause my lungs to rot?"

"No! Well, yeah, but it also makes your mouth taste like an ashtray."

Lyn very abruptly found Jordan's mouth against her own. She twitched to see if she could wiggle free, but Jordan had Cain's strength. The first mate couldn't budge an inch. Remembering the need to seem fearless, she did her best to appear to enjoy it. She was the last person to be adverse to physical affection, but there was something to be said for consent. Half of her mind was focused on how exactly to explain this to Captain while the other half was distracted by the two tongues in her mouth.

Finally, Jordan relinquished her hold and licked her lips. Lyn managed to speak before the assassin could. "Don't do that again."

"What's the matter, Lynlyn?" Jordan said coyly. "Don't like kissing?"

"Kissing is fine." Lyn put on her most serious face. "Being kissed is not. Don't do it again."

Jordan's smile gained a sinister quality. "Or what?"

"There's no 'or what'. I won't threaten you."

"You _can't_ threaten me," her companion said. "I can take on-"

"It doesn't matter!" Jordan looked surprised at Lyn's shout. "It doesn't matter whether or not I can threaten you. I'd never threaten anyone so close to Captain. Please, Jayjay, just don't do it again."

Jordan stared at her appraisingly for a long while, then finally nodded her head. "Well, I know Cici doesn't choose her first mates lightly."

Knowing that the issue was resolved, Lyn was all smiles again. "She's smart, isn't she?"

"That she is." They both stared at the bartender, who was still busily serving the other patrons. "What did I taste like?"

The artist bit back her instinctive reply and actually thought about the question. "Minty," she said in surprise.

Jordan took a drag of her cigarette. "Minty and not at all like an ashtray. Could I have a Bloodball? Lynlyn, what are you having?"

"Mai-Tai." The bartender bowed his head as he began preparing their drinks. They sat in silence for a moment. Jordan looked calm and collected, the complete opposite of what Lyn felt. Still, she trusted Jordan to keep her word. Even though she was an assassin, Jordan hadn't shown herself to be someone who went back on her word. She wasn't above playing pranks or forcefully getting her way, but Lyn was used to people like that. She enjoyed pestering people too.

"So tell me about yourself," Jordan said. "Assassins know everything about your history, but reports don't really go into personality. I mean, I know you were a troublemaker before you left with Cici, but the reports from nuns don't really cover everything."

"Oh, Alamentia was so much fun!" Lyn hadn't gotten to talk about her hometown in ages. None of her nakama were as interested in the past as she was. "I got to go all over the city and meet all kinds of interesting people!"

"I'll bet. What kind of teenage nun hangs around in bars?"

Lyn's grin widened. "The kind who got money for drawing more customers! It also helped that my thief friends relieved some of the meaner drunkards of their possessions."

"I see. And what about swordplay? Where did you pick that up?"

"I bumped into a merchant and wound up helping with his stall. He said a girl like me should be able to defend herself. So I got a rapier from him and started practicing when I was sure the nuns wouldn't find out. The rest is boring, so it's my turn!"

Jordan raised her eyebrows. "Your turn for what?"

"To ask a question!" Lyn suddenly realized that she wanted to know more about both Captain and the assassin at her side. "Hmm. What was Captain like when she was growing up?"

The assassin's face fell slightly. "We all lived shitty childhoods, Lynlyn. We didn't really get to be kids. Even though we're all Moon Sisters, we didn't like each other at first. Assassins don't have friends, especially when you're as important as we are. But even considering all that, Cici was amazing. She was the first to figure out the connection we shared. She was hated and scorned for being the eldest daughter of the most powerful assassin in the world, but she never let that stop her."

"Stop her from what?"

"Reaching out to all of us." Jordan donned a nostalgic smile. "She was the first to see past Shishi's inner demons, to get Pypy to talk to beings other than her pets, to get Jenjen to climb off her high horse, and me to actually keep a consistent face when around them. She was the only one who wanted to reach out to Raerae."

Lyn ticked off the names on her fingers. "That's only five, six if you include Captain. What about the seventh?"

"Well, Yinyin was actually pretty friendly from the get-go. She has anger management issues, but nowhere near as bad as Shishi does. She just has a short fuse." Jordan laughed to herself. "Still, Cici was, and still is, important to us. That's why we were hoping she would find some way to get herself un-banished. After all, she was a trained killer who didn't have real friends other than us. We thought she'd bum around as a pirate or a mercenary for a while before plotting her way back in. We never thought she'd stick with it."

"She loves being a pirate!" Lyn said cheerfully. "But you were right too!"

Jordan looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you should know if you kept up with her progress! Sure, she took a few stops, but look what she's done since becoming a pirate. She killed the son of one of the Seven Warlords, she butted heads with that bandit king, and she killed that Reichmann tyrant! I guarantee that she's known all over West Blue at the least! And even if she doesn't shake anything up, she always has to know about everything on every island we visit."

"See, that was our point. She can't just be a pirate."

"She's not just a pirate! She's gonna be Queen of the Pirates!"

The assassin only let her surprise show for a moment before she burst into laughter. "Queen of the Pirates! Oh, that's rich! Jenjen did mention something like that, but I didn't think she was serious!" Lyn was about to interject angrily but Jordan continued. "Queen of the Pirates. If she won't be Crimson Glove, that's definitely a fitting title for her! Always aiming for the top!"

"That's my captain!" Lyn stated proudly. "She's gonna take me to see the whoooooole world!"

Jordan ran her hand along Lyn's bare back, sending involuntary shivers down the first mate's spine. "You'll stay by her side, no matter what?"

"Yup! No matter what?"

"Not even if I told you all of the horrible things she's done?"

"Nothing in this world would make me leave her!"

"Are you sure?" Jordan's voice took on a cold chill. "She's not an angel like you. She has killed innocent people to get what she wants. Not just adults, but defenseless children as well."

Lyn shook her head. "She's not like that anymore! She regrets what she did! She's changed!"

"People don't change, Lynlyn."

"People do change!" the first mate insisted. "And how can you say that? You change all the time!"

Jordan scoffed. "Appearances deceive. What is inside stays the same. I know that better than anyone. Cici is a natural-born killer. Why does someone like you-"

"It's good that she's a killer!" Now there were words Lyn would never have expected to come out of her own mouth. "Not that she kills people; that's bad! But if she hadn't been a killer, the crew wouldn't be the same! Only a killer could handle Damien or empathize with Raven!"

"You only say that because you're friends with them. I'm sure if you and Cici had set off in a different direction, meeting other crewmembers instead of Didi and Alal and Caicai and Momo, you would care about those other crewmembers just as much."

"Yes, but… no… but…" Lyn was doing her best to contain her distress. "It's true, but it doesn't matter! What matters is what led up to here and now!"

"Here and now, you, a woman who shows affection for everyone she meets and has never taken a life, are having drinks with a person who has claimed more lives than she has faces. Your best friend has hands so drenched in blood that she has nightmares. You have crewmates who tear bystanders apart for no reason and torture their own allies."

Lyn wanted to deny the accusations with all her heart, but she knew she couldn't. "I know that they do terrible, terrible things! But they're still my nakama!"

"The worst you've done would land you in a local jail for a year or so. Your _nakama_ have already committed enough sins to be imprisoned for life or sentenced to death. It's a wonder someone like you stays with people like them."

"I will never leave them, not for anything!"

Jordan rested her hand on Lyn's shoulder, but the first mate flinched away. "I'm not trying to scare you, Lynlyn. It's best for me if you don't leave. But even putting that aside, you took Cici away from us. It's up to-"

"Wait, what?" Confusion clouded her despair. "I didn't take Captain away from anyone!"

"Well, not directly. As I said, the other Moon Sisters and I were hoping Cici would return to us. We wanted all of the heirs to be the seven of us, but we can't without her. But after she met you, all chances of that vanished. So we want her to be as happy as possible as a pirate. You are the one person who cannot turn her back on Cici." Jordan leaned in, her eyes turning a terrifying shade of red. "If you do, your suffering will be legendary."

It took all of Lyn's inner strength to hide her fear. Her mind scrambled to find something comforting, something to say. If she didn't start talking, she knew she wouldn't be able to contain herself. "I will never do that. Never. She's my captain. I will follow her no matter what. I trust her with my life."

Jordan continued to stare at her with blood red eyes, before nodding slowly and pulling back. "I just wanted to be sure, Lynlyn. Now, let's talk about something better. Tell me something positive about all of your crewmembers."

Lyn tried to instantly switch to her happy mode, but couldn't quite pull it off. She was smiling on the outside, but still wary and cautious within. "Well, who do you want to hear about first?"

"How about Alal? He's the second mate."

"Well, he's a stuck-up prude with no sense of fun." Lyn couldn't help but smile at her own mean description. "But he's the one closest to Captain other than me. He's really smart and really good at playing music. He also knows a lot about spirits, even though how he and I interact with spirits is really different. Plus, he has that super awesome Devil Fruit. He's kinda weak, but he always uses that to his advantage. He's almost as sneaky as I am! Oh, and don't tell him I said any of that. Except for the stuck-up prude part."

Jordan's smile showed genuine amusement, but, in the assassin's own words, appearances deceive. "What an interesting man. And the one who's strength I have, Caicai?"

"Cain's just awesome! He's so huge that I can only barely jump up to his shoulder! And he's still growing! He's so strong that he can lift the _Howling Knave_ without breaking a sweat! He's really nice too. But I've seen when he gets angry. He doesn't lose his temper like Damien, but stops holding back as much. He absolutely only kills when it's necessary to protect us, and even then, if it's unavoidable."

"So he's not completely against killing," Jordan commented. "That's reassuring. He has to be so careful not to hurt anyone, but if he can let go to protect Cici, that's all right. What about his former charge, the princeling?"

Lyn mulled over what to say while she sipped at her second drink. Maybe her third. She hadn't really been paying attention. "Well, Morgie's kinda tricky. He's pretty strong and has that super cool element thing, but he's still too proud. He doesn't get along well with anyone other than Alexander and Cain. He keeps thinking that I shouldn't fight. He does have good fashion sense when he doesn't go overboard with the jewelry. Even if his crown doesn't always fit with his outfit."

Jordan ticked her fingers as she mentally ran through the list. "So that leaves Didi out of the men."

"Well…" Lyn trailed off as she thought of how exactly she was going to describe the navigator. "He's… crazy. And not in a good way. He's really dangerous. You never know when he's going to be angry because he doesn't really need any reason. He'll be all smiles and without anything happening at all, suddenly be all angry. He's really strong, and he attacks Captain and Raven all the time."

The assassin frowned. "So why does Cici keep him on the crew?"

Lyn couldn't help but laugh. "Everyone asks that. Well, first of all, he does hold himself back. Sorta. He didn't really go all berserk on Captain until he learned about her Devil Fruit. And one awesome thing about him is that he doesn't lose. Ever."

"I'm pretty sure the Albino Panther managed to take him out without too much trouble."

"Well, that guy cheated. Anyway, he hasn't really hurt me or Alexander too much. He doesn't like being around people most of the time, but he's pretty relaxed sometimes." Lyn pursed her lips. "Well, he is. We're all still trying not to make him angry, but he usually won't go off when he's drinking or something."

"I see. And with that, I'm only left with the three ladies. I know Cici and Raerae, but what about you? How did you manage to win her affection?"

"Win whose affection?"

"Cici."

Lyn stared at her companion, trying to figure out what on earth she was talking about. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Well, how did you, a nun slash street rat with no real combat skills, manage to seduce the heiress-to-be of the most powerful family of assassins in the world? What's your secret?"

"I didn't seduce anyone, and there's no secret. I just do what I want!"

"Didi does what he wants. Cici would never put a knife at my throat if I mentioned going for drinks and a potential bedroom visit with him."

"Damien can handle himself no matter how much trouble he gets himself into!"

"Well, what about Alal? Imagine if I proposed going with him. Would Cici still threaten me then?"

Lyn actually had to think about this. It was true that Alexander was one of the weakest crewmembers. For the life of her, she could not picture Captain acting so protective for the second mate. "Welllllllllll, I guess not."

"So, what makes you so special?" Jordan asked. "And that's not a demand. I'm just curious."

The first mate couldn't think of a good reason. "I'm her best friend? Well, Captain's always yelling at me for acting without thinking. That's not true at all! I act because I think it'll be fun!"

Jordan laughed loudly enough to startle the other patrons. "I guess that'll do for now." She beckoned the first mate towards her with a finger. Knowing that Jordan could just as easily have pulled her close, Lyn immediately leaned in. The assassin put her mouth by Lyn's ear and whispered softly, "I think we have some unwanted company. I won't be able to check without looking around."

Lyn was no stranger in having to fake a scene to try to find a target or pursuer. "Okay, okay. Hmm. I'll be happy, then you be happy too and spin me around?"

Jordan backed off slightly to press her forehead against Lyn's. "I'm beginning to see why Cici likes you so much. You sure aren't as innocent as you appear to be. Ready?"

"You still have Cain's strength," Lyn reminded her. "Don't snap my neck!"

"Sounds good."

Lyn began cheering loudly and clapping her hands. Jordan leapt from her stool and hoisted Lyn aloft as if the first mate weighed no more than a feather. They spun merrily, both shouting enthusiastically without a care for the other patrons. Lyn was surprised when the assassin planted another kiss on her lips, but welcomed it with much more enthusiasm. Without Jordan's previous aggression, it was much more enjoyable. She let it last even after the assassin put her back down. Jordan gave a grin to match her own and brushed a few strands of orange hair from her face.

"Your lipstick's a bit off," Lyn informed her.

"So's yours." Jordan leaned in for another kiss, but the first mate stopped her by pressing their foreheads together.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" she asked. "What about our pervy watcher?"

"Aww, we're done so soon?" Jordan whined.

Lyn's smile was the brightest it had been all night. "Now, who said that? All I mean is that you're not the only one who Captain'll yell at if trouble happens!"

"Afraid of a little scuffle?"

"As if! I think it's fun!"

Jordan shook her head in amusement as she picked at a splinter on the bar. "Busty, but a little too trusting and gutsy. I should have known better than to question her protectiveness. Cici's always been one step ahead of all of us. Unfortunately Lynlyn, these pervy watchers aren't the type you're used to."

The first mate cocked her head to the side with a frown. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Her hand flew out with incredible speed. Lyn's eyes practically bugged out as the entire front window of the bar burst outwards. Jordan had done that with a simple splinter? What kind of power did Cain truly have? The assassin's lip curled with displeasure as she stared through the hole. "Someone is here a little earlier than I wanted. Those freaks always show up when you don't want them to."

"Who are you talking about?" Lyn asked impatiently. "What freaks?"

"You!" the barman shouted, fury in his voice. "You're the freaks! Pay for those damages this instant!"

"I don't want to," Jordan said. "I think it's time to find someplace else anyway."

"You have to pay for both the cocktails and the window!"

Jordan leaned in, resting one elbow on the bar and leveling her glare at him. "You want money? Here's a hundred grand. You'll need it to fix the counter too."

The barman only had a moment to look confused before she slammed her stack of bills down hard enough to obliterate the bar. Nearby patrons were blown backwards, slivers of wood peppering the ground around them. Lyn thought the action was wholly unnecessary, but wasn't disapproving enough to speak up. Jordan hadn't killed anyone, after all. The assassin put her arm around Lyn's shoulders and they began walking towards the exit.

"Hey, get back here! You can't just break this and expect to scurry off scot-free, you filthy dyke!"

Jordan chuckled darkly. "Strictly speaking, that's not entirely true. However-"

"Don't, Jayjay," Lyn said. "You did enough. Leave them be."

The assassin turned her head, her gaze burning into Lyn's. The first mate stared right back without the slightest trace of fear. After a few moments, Jordan let out a low laughand shook her head. "I think I'm beginning to see why Cici stayed with you. Come, let's find a more pleasant place to enjoy ourselves." She threw one arm around Lyn's shoulders and led her towards the newly-expanded exit. Just before stepping outside, Jordan turned and fixed her glare on the bartender. "And don't think I've forgotten this. I am nobody and everybody. Be careful with your attitude, insect. You never know who you might be talking to."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

One issue Raven's crewmates brought up was that she never felt emotions. She was very aware of this fault, but could not do much to change it. She did not feel happiness or sadness, anger or fear. It made interpersonal relationships tricky for her, as she felt no connection to her family members or fellow pirates. She did feel the need to keep Cassandra alive by any means possible, even if it meant directly disobeying the pirate captain's orders, but that was connected to their previous life as assassins. Aside from that, she only had duty to fulfill.

It was this contradiction of duty to her family and duty to Cassandra which kept her from doing any of her usual night activities. Despite the fact that dawn was rapidly approaching, she had not checked a single vial of poison or studied a single page of the thick medical tomes in the medical facility. Of course, she had gone through her nightly technique practice, but that was out of absolute necessity. Regardless of whether she left with her family or stayed with the Black Glove Pirates, any possible deterioration of her skills was unacceptable.

As she had finished her exercises an hour ago, she simply perched on the flagpole protruding from the crow's nest and stared at the black sea. She would ordinarily watch the city on the extremely slim chance that someone would attempt to board the ship, but she felt the need to totally concentrate on her current conundrum. Should she stay or should she leave? She had not consulted her crewmates yet, as she was still trying to figure out Cassandra's motive for asking them. She was reasonably certain that she could predict their responses, but Cassandra's words had dampened her sureness.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard something so faint that she was unsure as to whether she had heard it at all. The uttered word was something she hadn't heard in months. It was a word that only a handful of people alive knew. Her eyes roved around as she tried to find the source of the noise. When she heard it again, she knew her family had arrived. Only they knew her true name.

As she landed soundlessly on the deck, she found herself face to face with someone she was completely unfamiliar with. She knew in an instant that he was weaker than she was, far weaker. He was probably one of her cousins or uncles. If she was to be named Granddaughter of the Eighth, there was no way they would send in someone too distantly related. Yet even with half of his face covered by cloth and thick black bangs framing his eyes, she should have been able to recognize him. She did not know what to make of this newcomer.

She stared impassively at him as he dropped briefly to his knee. "_Daughter of the Son of the Eighth,_" he breathed in the language known only to the core members of the Eighth's Assassins. "_It is good to see you are unharmed_."

"_Introduce yourself_," she said without preamble.

He uttered his name, which Raven did recognize. He was a first cousin once removed that she had never interacted with. "I am also called Spiral."

"_State your business,_" Raven said. She wanted to know what the situation really was instead of Jordan's version. She did not trust her genderfluid Sister's information and wanted to keep Jordan's presence a secret. If she did choose to remain with the Black Glove Pirates, she would need Jordan's help.

"_The situation is grave, milady. A new Bloodrage has risen, and the Son of the Eighth had to name an heir. Your elder brother has not been seen for months. We do not know of his location, but we did know of yours. The Son of the Eighth has named you as Granddaughter of the Eighth. It is imperative that you return with us at once_."

Her pitch black eyes surveyed her surroundings. "_You did not come alone._"

"_Milady is as observant as ever_. _I have a companion keeping watch over this ship and several more watching the pirates_."

Before Raven could respond, the door to the women's quarters banged open. Spiral departed instantly, but not quickly enough. Displeasure was evident on Cassandra's face as she leaned on the railing overlooking the main deck. "I know you're there, scum of the shadows. You can't hide from me. I can smell your vile stink and hear the beating of your empty heart."

Spiral returned to his position before Raven, his black eyes fixed on the pirate captain. "_I see the traitor is still alive. Her light should have been consumed by the darkness long a-_"

As fast as he was, Raven was faster. She had a vise grip on his neck and a dagger at his throat before he could kick the ground enough times to speed away. "_Assassin or not, you will show her respect. It is because of her that I am still alive, unless you had forgotten. Were it not for her decision, you would be stuck with my younger brother as Grandson of the Eighth._"

The male assassin continued to stare at Cassandra before bowing his head once. "_I withdraw my statements. They were ill-mannered_."

Raven released him and stashed her weapon away. Spiral did not bother moving backwards, knowing that she could catch him regardless of how much space he put between them. Cassandra descended the stairs, her bare feet creating almost no sound. She carried no weapons and was clad in her usual tank top and pajama bottoms. Her expression of irritation was not dissimilar to Damien's usual appearance. "And what do you want with Raven, scum?"

"The Granddaughter has asked that I show you respect," Spiral said tonelessly. "It is only right that you show me-"

"I will show you the respect you deserve." Clearly, Cassandra did not think Spiral deserved any respect at all. "I don't know your name, and I don't know your face. I do know that you are as insignificant to me as any of those people in your accursed family, Raven excluded."

"I should kill you for insulting us," Spiral breathed.

"I should kill you for setting foot on my ship uninvited."

Spiral continued to stare at her as she crossed her arms and leaned against the mast. "_We should conduct our business elsewhere_," he said to Raven.

"We will conduct our business here." Raven spoke so Cassandra could understand as well. While she would not understand Spiral's words, the pirate captain could definitely guess their meaning.

"_I do not think it would be wise to do so, especially not in our tongue_."

"What you think does not matter to me. Speak."

Spiral's gaze remained level with hers, and he refused to speak for the longest while. None of the three budged an inch. Finally, the black-clad man continued with his explanation. "_The Son of the Eighth demands your presence immediately to confirm your title as heiress to his position._"

"I can see why you arrived here. What would you do if I chose to remain with Cassandra?"

"_I would give the order to my companions to kill the navigator, cook, and first mate_. _They would then arrive here to eliminate the rest of the pirates, the Traitor Duchess included_."

"That would be a very unwise move. I would not permit such actions."

"_The Son of the Eighth anticipated this. Based on the information gathered recently, you would have trouble handling two of us, even if the Traitor Duchess aids you. Handling the five of us present on the island is far beyond your abilities. Even if you somehow managed to kill us all, your uncle is coming to retrieve you._"

"I have many uncles, and most of them do not pose a threat to me."

Spiral bowed his head and told her who was arriving.

This was news to Raven. Jordan had mentioned one of her father's more talented assassins would be arriving within the next few days, but Raven had not expected her father's brother and right-hand man to come personally. He almost rivaled her father in strength, and what he lacked, he made up for with mad devotion to the family. She was not even close to being able to engage him in combat. "I did not think my father would send Star."

Even Cassandra was impressed by the new bit of information. "Whoa there, Raven. Why is Star the one coming to pick you up?"

Spiral's gaze focused on her once more. "We did not speak about her retrieval in a tongue understandable to you."

The pirate captain scoffed at this. "You fools think that just because I'm a pirate, I don't keep an ear out for things that might concern me or my crewmembers? It seems you have forgotten who I was before my exile."

"You have been putting your fingers in places they do not belong," Spiral told her. "This is business of the Eighth's Assassins."

"Raven is a Black Glove Pirate as well as one of your assassins. What concerns her concerns me as well."

Spiral remained silent for a moment before turning back to Raven. "_If you refuse to come with us, I will have no choice but to give the order to kill the Traitor Duchess' pirates. You may kill us, but you cannot stop your uncle. It will be easier if you come with us now_."

"You are not a threat to me. I will wait until my uncle arrives to give you my decision."

"_Respectfully, milady, it seems you do not understand. There are no decisions to be made when your uncle arrives, save for whether or not he kills the Black Glove Pirates. You will come with us regardless. If he learns of your initial refusal, he will not likely be lenient_."

"Leniency is not required. Cassandra may not be an assassin, but she still has connections with the other heirs. Our family is powerful, but it cannot withstand pressure from all six other families."

"_If he acted to help you choose, there would be nothing to pressure. It would simply be acting to protect the Granddaughter of the Eighth_."

"I have given you my answer, Spiral. I will tell Star personally. Until then, do not do anything unnecessary, or you will regret it."

Spiral knelt once more in farewell. "_The Log Pose for this island takes one and a half days to set. As you have been here for almost two days, the Traitor Duchess can set sail whenever she pleases. But if you leave before your uncle arrives, we will follow you. You cannot escape your duty, Granddaughter_."

"I never said I would," she said evenly. "Tell Star that I never shirk my duty. I-"

"Oi, Blackie!" Damien's thunderous roar shattered the quietness of their conversation. His voice echoed down the docks, but the navigator never concerned himself with the well-being of others. He did not care if his shouts woke everyone in his vicinity. "I never pegged you fer a fuckin' coward, mingemuncher!"

"It seems the madman has returned," Spiral said. "_That means Rumor is here as well. Are you sure you do not wish to depart with us immediately, Granddaughter? Three of us will be most difficult for you to kill_."

Raven completely ignored her relative. "What are you talking about, Damien?"

"If ya wanna kill me, fuckin' do it yerself! Don' send shitty pansies."

Raven still did not understand. "What are you talking about, Damien?"

He tossed her something that she could barely make out in the darkness. Nevertheless, she managed to catch it, the strong stench of blood filling her nose. Raven noted Cassandra's grin and the slight stiffening of Spiral's muscles. In her hands was a disembodied head, blood still leaking from the ragged remnants of its neck. Its mandible was completely missing, and most of its scalp was scorched off. The blackness of its dead eyes left no clue as to the head's previous owner.

"How did you kill her?" Spiral asked as Damien leapt aboard.

"You do not appear to be heavily injured," Raven noted as she began tending to his wounds.

Damien's gaze roved from one black-clad relative to the other, his lips drawing back to expose his sharp teeth. "Oo th' fuck are you?"

"He is a relative of mine," Raven explained, "as was the woman you killed. Why are you only lightly injured?"

Damien gave a bloodthirsty grin. "Cunt may 'ave fuckin' looked like you, but she was stupid as a fuckin' tree. She fuckin' tried ta kill me after I burned tha' cuntin' 'ouse down. Did most o' yer fuckin' tricks, but not as well. 'Twasn' no problem t' tear 'er fuckin' 'ead off."

Cassandra laughed loudly. "Ah, Damien. It seems you were unintentionally involved in a little fiasco happening to Raven. She wasn't the one to send that woman after you, though I'm sure this person didn't expect you to put up that much of a fight. This is one of the very, very rare times when I approve of your unnecessarily brutal retaliation."

The navigator rested his hand on her head, his sinister grin widening. "Like I give a flyin' fuck about yer fuckin' approval, bitch."

"Did you by any chance see Morgan on your way back?"

"I don' fuckin' care about the smegma-chugger, an' th' feelin' is fuckin' mutual."

"Yes, well, you're not the only one he wants to prostrate themselves before him on penalty of death, but I'll be damned before I let up on him. Anyway, I'm glad you had fun tonight. Any other plans?"

The scarred pirate shook his head. "Sleepin' is great after drinkin' an' fightin' and fuckin' and shit. I ain' comin' t' save yer dumb ass if any of those cunts show up and ya can' fuckin' 'andle it, cocksuckin' Cap'n."

"Like I'd need your help," the pirate captain said insolently back to him. "And if you're going to keep returning without pants, go shopping at least once for some replacements."

Damien laughed wildly as he put Cassandra in a swift headlock before entering the men's quarters. As the slightly burned door closed behind him, silence fell upon the deck once more. Raven handed the disembodied head of her relative to Spiral, making sure not to get any blood on her bare hand. "Consider this an example of what will happen if you attempt to kill any of them. You think that five of you were sufficient. You were gravely mistaken. I will give Star my response when he arrives. If you treasure your life, I would not tell him about Rumor's demise."

Spiral departed without another word. Cassandra pushed off of the mast and walked over to Raven. "Remember, make your choice after talking to the rest of them. As for me," she cut herself off with a wide yawn, "I need to get some shuteye."

"Are you not worried for Lyn and Morgan?" Raven asked.

"Not in the slightest. Damien is the only one they would want taken out instantly, other than yours truly. Besides, Jay's with Lyn. They'll be fine." Cassandra squinted at a distant clocktower. "Even if it is almost dawn. When Morgan gets back with fresh ingredients, make sure he starts breakfast immediately."

Raven nodded. After watching to make sure her captain went to sleep soundly, she washed the blood off her hands and returned to her lofty perch. She had even more to think about now. She did not care either way if the rest of her crewmates were killed, but she knew Cassandra would. Furthermore, Raven was the crew's doctor. It was her duty to keep them alive and healthy. If the only way to do that was to leave with her family without resistance, the logical choice would be to do so. However, that would not be in the crew's best interest in the long run. None of her previous confusion was gone. She settled for thinking about something else and talking to her crewmates the following day. Only then would she be able to talk to Cassandra and find out her Moon Sister's opinion.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Like all of the Eighth's Assassins, Spiral did not feel emotions. Despite this, the tiniest desire to seek retribution on Rumor's killer hung on the edge of his mind. He had no attachment to the woman, but it was a slight against his family that could not be ignored. He had discarded the head shortly after leaving the ship, but the knowledge that the traitor had acquired a crewmember that spat on his family's reputation was galling. He had to reunite with the remaining assassins. Combined, they could not hope to kill the Black Glove Pirates, but perhaps killing was not the solution to this particular problem.

With that in mind, he sought out his companion, Rain. She was his equal in combat and shared his ideals. His other partner who had been watching the _Howling Knave_ from a nearby rooftop, Solemnity, was meeting up with Stone, who was monitoring the first mate. He found Rain on crouched on a roof overlooking a farmer's market, her black eyes fixed on the pirate below her. The cook was clad in dark robes to hide his identity, but the jangle of his jewelry gave him away. After briefly explaining the situation to Rain, they both darted towards the pirate.

"Greetings, Prince Zematsal," Spiral said evenly as he landed silently. Zematsal's cool grey eyes only rested upon the black-clad assassin for the briefest of moments before they turned back to the fruits in the stalls before him. Spiral had not expected to be ignored so thoroughly. Clearly, the navigator was not the only one powerful enough to disregard his opponents. "You do not seem surprised that I know your name."

"You remind me of Raven," Zematsal said simply as he inspected a large tomato. "She knows far more than she should. It is not surprising that someone probably related to her would know as much."

"And what do you know of her past?"

"Other than that she was an assassin? Nothing." The pirate scoffed to himself. "That witch of a captain never tells me anything."

This reinforced Spiral's plan. Previously, he had assumed that if the Granddaughter of the Eighth had changed enough to be protective of her crewmates, all of the Black Glove Pirates would be equally supportive. However, the pirate captain had let slip about the prince's dissent. It was time to see how far he could go. "You do not show respect for your captain."

"She does not show me the respect I rightfully deserve," the prince spat angrily. "I must show her respect when I am around the others, but that does not mean I will remain permanently on bended knee."

"What if I told you I had the ability to remove Raven from the crew? Would that help your predicament?"

Zematsal lowered his groceries and met Spiral's gaze for the first time. "That would help immensely. That wench would not be on her high seat without the doctor. Of course, that would not be enough. That beast who calls himself the navigator might not defend her, but she is still not someone I can confront on my own."

Spiral had one more fact he wanted to learn. "And how averse would you be to the death of your captain?"

The pirate looked slightly unsure. "Well, her death would be problematic."

This seemed to contradict his previous statement. "Why would it be problematic? I thought you did not enjoy being her subordinate."

"I am not her subordinate!" Zematsal seethed, crushing the fruit he held in his hand. "I do not care for her well-being. She has all of my money, and I would not have enough funds to continue on my journey."

Any other man would be jumping for joy. "My family is extremely wealthy. I'm sure we could find a satisfactory amount for you."

Zematsal's previous anger swiftly dissipated, leaving in its wake a smile that showed all of his pearly teeth. "Now that would be a much easier decision."

"We will negotiate the price later," Spiral said. "For now, tell me everything you know that would aid in the death of Cassandra Negras."


	15. Asking Questions

Breakfast aboard the _Howling Knave_ was astonishingly peaceful. Raven could not remember a more quiet meal. The reason was obvious: the two noisiest crewmembers were absent. Lyn had not returned from her outing with Jordan, and Alexander had been thrown from the ship when he had attempted to wake Damien. Raven did note that despite Morgan making enough food for the usual seven pirates, no leftovers remained when the meal was done. Even with his own gigantic portion, Damien's large portion, and Lyn's regular portion, Cain's appetite seemed insatiable. That being said, he was an extremely large man.

The weaponsmith did seem to be the optimal crewmember to begin her discussion with. He was the one who had a situation relatively similar to her own. He was a man of duty, which was the issue she was currently dealing with, and his duty was split between his charge and his captain. However, when she sped towards him, she was beckoned away by her captain. She changed her course and alighted beside the lithe woman. "What is it?"

"Talk to Morgan first," Cassandra said.

"Why Morgan?"

Cassandra shrugged. "He's in a pretty good mood. Best catch him before Damien wakes up and demands his share of food. Morgan won't be pleased when that happens. That'll probably make him less cooperative."

Raven nodded and entered the galley. If Morgan were in as high spirits as Cassandra said, he would be the wiser choice. His level-headed bodyguard would be willing to talk with her at any point during the day. As she silently shut the door behind her, she reflected that she was not frequently alone with Morgan. He hated her almost as much as he despised Damien and preferred to avoid both of them as much as possible. She was not entirely sure how she had managed to gain his dislike, but that was not important. So long as he cooperated, she would not bother him without reason. "Morgan."

The cook continued scrubbing the dishes without looking at her. "What is it, doctor?"

"I wish to discuss something with you."

"Is that so? I have nothing to discuss with you."

Raven stared at him. She had not expected to be rebuffed so bluntly. "You seem to be under the impression that you have a choice."

"We all have choices. That is the only freedom all men have. Choices define who we are and what we will be."

"I did not take you for a philosopher."

Morgan did glance over his shoulder at this. "A true prince is well-educated. I am not the ignorant prat you all think I am."

"We never thought you were ignorant." She was about to detail his poor decision-making skills, but remembered what Lyn had told her about dealing with easily-insulted people. "And I still wish to discuss something with you."

He heaved a sigh as he began putting away the dishes. "What are we discussing?"

"A situation has arisen."

"That has to be the vaguest introductory sentence I've ever heard," he cut in.

Raven did not like being interrupted. She was less than an inch away from Morgan before she remembered that Cassandra did not want her threatening her crewmembers. She held her knife point a hairsbreadth from the nape of his neck before stashing her weapon away and perching on the counter behind him. "You will hold your tongue until I am finished explaining."

Morgan stiffened at this. He slowly turned around and flashed a disarming smile. "I'm sorry if I offended you. Please, continue."

The petite doctor briefly wondered whether Morgan knew how poorly he concealed his emotions. While his lips were smiling, his eyes were a dark grey, betraying his inner fury. _Conversing with him while his mood was good seems out of the question now._ "My family is one of the most important families of assassins in the world. It functions in much the same way as a monarchy would. My father is head, and his children are the rightful successors. He must appoint a head in case he meets an untimely end."

His brow furrowed at this. "Well, typical rules of succession indicate the eldest son be the heir. Why does this concern you?"

"The heirs to assassin families do not care for gender or birth order. The strongest progeny becomes the heir."

"There are heads of assassin organizations who are women?"

Raven could not understand why he had fixated on this point. "Yes. Currently, Cleopatra Brighteyes and Tomoe Bloodrage are the respective heads of their families. They are irrelevant to the present situation. My father had to name the heir to his title. In this case, you are correct. My elder brother is the appropriate heir. His skills surpass those of almost any assassin in my family."

"So why is he not the heir?"

"He is missing."

Morgan thought about this. "Well, can't your father just wait for him to show up?"

"It is not so simple. The Grandson or Granddaughter of the Eighth must be at his side at all times. If I do not return, he must choose my far less-skilled younger brother. This is unacceptable."

Now he just looked confused. "So what do you need to discuss with me? Your course of action seems pretty clear. You have a duty to fulfill."

"I have two duties. I am my father's daughter, yet I also owe Cassandra my life. These duties were not contradictory until now."

"Ah. I'm beginning to see your dilemma." He dried his hands with a towel as he mulled it over. "Well, what you should do still seems clear to me."

"And what do you think I should do?"

"Blood is thicker than water."

That was a non sequitur if Raven had ever heard one. "What do the relative viscosities of blood and water have to do with this?"

Morgan stared at her as if he could not quite believe her words. "I was speaking… Never mind. What I meant was that duty to your family overrides everything else. Cassandra saved your life once, but that does not mean you owe her for the rest of your life. You have saved hers as well. A life for a life. Serving any longer than you should seems like a disproportionate response, does it not? Your family, on the other hand, birthed you and raised you. That is worth far more than any other action."

"Your words do not match your previous actions. You fled from your father on Winter Isle."

"I did not flee," he snapped. "I was not ready to be a leader, so I left to learn. Furthermore, the laws of Winter Isle are not as restrictive as yours seem to be. I must not be constantly at my father's side."

"What if your father dies? You will not be there to take his place."

He waved his hand through the air. "There is a regent to replace him until I return. But make no mistake. If I heard that he is unable to rule, I would return to Winter Isle posthaste. It does not matter where I am in the world. Winter Isle bandits are under the protection of the World Government. They would provide a ride back home for me."

"I do not think the World Government would be so accommodating to pirates, even if they were the only heir to one of their protected countries."

"Then I will find a way," he said through gritted teeth. "That is not my point." He took a deep breath and shook his head. "My point is that your situation is different from mine. You left your family to repay a life debt; I can understand that. But that debt has been repaid. You are no longer obligated to stay."

The black-clad pirate leaned in slightly. "Are you saying my presence is unnecessary?"

"I am saying nothing of the sort," he said instantly. "But look at how this crew is organized. I've never seen a looser collection of people. We are not a solid ball of iron crashing through the Grand Line. We are a meteor that gathers and sheds debris as it hurtles towards the ground."

Similes and metaphors were hard enough for Raven to understand when talking to a regular person, but Morgan's seemed almost impossible to decipher. "Explain."

"We are all only here because it is currently beneficial for us to be here. Sure, Alexander and Lyn cling to our captain, but it is not their only option. A man with Alexander's qualities has much at his disposal."

"Alexander does not think like you do, Morgan. He does not use his alchemy to give himself unlimited money. He believes there are more important things in life than wealth."

"A respectable, albeit misguided, belief. But I was not merely referring to his alchemy. Intelligence and interpersonal savvy can take a person quite far. As for Lyn, she could get a ride wherever she wished with little compensation. And what of the others? The beast spends more time away from the crew than with it. I am only on this crew so I can learn to be a leader. Once I have finished or if my father is indisposed, I will return to Winter Isle with Cain. And you are in this predicament with your family. I don't see much cohesion here."

"And yet, here we are, in the Grand Line, helping Cassandra become Queen of the Pirates. Our cohesion does not matter so long as that goal is accomplished."

Morgan smirked. "Whether she becomes Pirate Queen doesn't matter to me."

It took a considerable amount of self-restraint not to put a knife to his throat. "It should matter to you. You may have plans for leaving this crew, but for now, she is your captain. Crewmembers that do not help are not welcome, no matter how many tasks they accomplished in order to join."

"I never said I wouldn't help. I only said the accomplishment itself is not my concern. She has a dream, and I respect that. That, Raven, is the true reason the rest of us are here. Our dreams will be much easier to accomplish if we stay with our current captain. But you are not like the rest of us. You do not have a dream. Without that, you have no reason to stay here. The only thing keeping you on this crew is your erroneous belief that you owe Cassandra something."

"Captain." He frowned in confusion. "My condition was very clear, Morgan. You are not to refer to her as anything other than Captain or Queen."

"A slip of the tongue. Captain." Once again, his eyes showed his true emotions.

"You do not like me, Morgan Zematsal," Raven stated. "I would like to know why."

Morgan pressed his lips together tightly. "I assure you, my dislike of you has nothing to do with my recommendation that you leave the crew. Were Alexander in your position, I would tell him the same thing. Duty to your family is more important than… whatever you believe is tethering you to this ship."

"You did not answer my question."

"You did not ask a question."

Raven saw this as a fair point. "Why do you dislike me? I have not threatened you since Reverse Mountain, I have tended to your wounds, and I have allowed you far more freedom than I would any person who attacked one of the Black Glove Pirates. The only one who can make such a claim is Sabrina."

"It is not what you have done to me. Anyway, you wished to have a discussion about your family. We did. I think that is quite enough for one sitting. I need to concentrate on cleaning up so I can explore some of Quoin's more interesting areas. Would you kindly remove yourself from my kitchen?"

Raven simply stared at him. It was true that this was the longest conversation she had had with the prince. Lyn frequently commented on how it was difficult talking with Raven. After he began to fidget uncomfortably, she bowed her head and kicked off, flying through the open door. She entered the women's quarters, but neither of her fellow female pirates was visible. She could hear the sounds of the shower and decided to wait on one of Lyn's bedposts.

She cast an eye about the room, noting the line that seemed to split the room in half. Cassandra's side was a little untidy, but it was nothing compared to the disarray on Lyn's half. Using one finger, she lifted one of the first mate's tiny skirts that was hanging from a ceiling lamp and deposited it on the pile of sketches covering the dresser. She would never understand how the artist could stand being so messy.

She glanced up as the bathroom door banged open and her naked captain walked out, roughly toweling her hair dry. Cassandra's hazel eyes swiftly found hers, and she gave a wide smirk. "Well now, Raven. You may be one of the fastest people I've ever seen, but I doubt you managed to talk to all five of your crewmates before now."

"I talked to Morgan," she informed the blue-haired woman.

"I'm very proud of you. Go talk to the other four."

"I still do not see why this is necessary."

"And you won't until you talk to all of them, then to me." Cassandra cocked her head to the side in thought. "Well, Alexander or Lyn might give it away, but that doesn't matter. Chop chop! If you want to be done by the end of the day, you'll have to get moving. The others have already left the ship."

"Have Lyn and Jordan returned?"

"Nope. But as I said, I'm not worried about it. Jordan's a scoundrel, but he'll protect her. I hope. I'd hate to have to kill him."

Raven nodded and kicked off. She returned an instant later to pose one last question. "Do you know where Cain went?"

"Check the smithy at the far end of the city's shoreline. I heard him talking about doing some heavy lifting there."

The black-clad doctor out the door and kicked off into the air. She landed on her preferred perch on the highest point on the _Howling Knave_ and stared out over the city. Before visiting Cain, she would take time to think over Morgan's words. It was entirely true that she owed much to her family; that was one reason she was so conflicted about her current predicament. However, she did not believe that her life debt to Cassandra had been paid so easily. It was not as simple as the cook believed it to be.

After musing for a considerable period of time, she ascended high enough that people below looked like insects and hovered for a moment. She quickly identified the smithy Cassandra had spoken of and kicked off towards it. She kept her speed low to preserve her strength. She did not trust her family to abstain from combat if she overexerted herself, and her talk with Damien would almost certainly end in combat. The margin by which she won their fights was getting smaller by the day.

She landed behind the large building and walked inside. The heat inside was considerable, but constant exposure to Damien's flames had increased her resistance to heat. The loud sound of metal striking metal reverberated through the room. Raven looked at a few of the knives before moving towards the forge. A large and dark man, two-thirds of Cain's height but easily twice his girth, was hammering a big piece of glowing orange metal. Sparks bounced off his leather apron as he worked, and his burly arms glistened with sweat. She decided to leave the blacksmith alone unless she could not find Cain on her own. She might purchase weapons here, and being on bad terms with a shopkeeper did not make for the most productive experience.

As she was about to leave, Cain lumbered in, a bundle of metal ingots under one arm and a crate of charcoal over the other shoulder. "I have the supplies, Master Walukaga."

"Put them there, boy," the brawny man growled between swings. "And bring me that ten pound cross peen hammer!"

"Yes sir." Cain set down his bundles and fetched the requested tool. The blacksmith swapped hammers in an instant and resumed pounding away. "Will you need water too?"

"Of course I will! Bring some for me and the forge!"

"Yes sir." The gigantic pirate ducked back outside, mopping his brow with a large cloth. He moved towards the water pump, pausing as Raven appeared on the handle. His lips spread into a grin, and he crouched down so she would not have to crane her neck to talk to him. "Raven! What an unexpected surprise."

"Who is this Master Walukaga you follow the orders of so readily?"

"He's just the local smithy, but I asked for pointers creating a certain type of arrowhead. In return, I'm helping him with various odd jobs."

Raven could not recall Cain ever demonstrating any archery skills. "You can use a bow and arrow?"

"I can, but quickly manufacturing a bow is incredibly difficult. Even with a proper sized tree nearby, it takes a considerable amount of time and skill. I prefer close combat anyway."

"I would like to see an example of your archery at some point."

Cain chuckled deeply. "I'm afraid I'm a bit rusty in my bowmaking skills. I would need to find a bowyer to remind me how to make a proper bow. I may not be as accurate as Captain, but my range is similar and my power very different."

"I do not doubt that. I wish to discuss something with you."

The large man nodded and stood up straight. "I'm taking a short walk to cool my head, Master Walukaga!"

"Make it quick, boy! You still haven't shown me your preferred sword and axe styles! And don't forget the damn water!"

"Of course, sir!" Cain held out his finger for Raven to perch on. After moving down the street a little, the massive pirate slowed to a leisurely amble. "So, little bird, what do you want to talk to me about?"

Talking about her family could wait for a moment. "Little bird?"

Cain gave a sheepish smile. "Oh, sorry. I was just thinking how we had messenger birds that rode on our fingers like this. That and you are named after a bird."

"That is no coincidence."

He frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"That is unimportant."

She did not expect him to give another chuckle. "That's fine, that's fine. I didn't offend you, did I?"

"I do not care what you call me," she said flatly. "You are an honorable man, Cain Alcides. You have respect for those around you. I am not surprised that Guinevere chose you to help Cassandra escape."

"Guinevere…?" He scratched his chin with his free hand. "Do you mean Lady Ora?"

"Yes. But we are getting sidetracked. You are aware that Jordan is an assassin. Assassins do not take vacations. She is here on business. She informed me of some recent developments in my family and the organization it runs. Last night, I was visited by a family member of mine to confirm the developments. My father is head of the assassins, but the time has come for him to declare an heir. Rightfully, my elder brother should be the heir. He is stronger, faster, and more skilled in every way than I am. However, he has been missing for long enough that he cannot be declared heir. My younger brother is not skilled enough to be the new head. Therefore, I have been requested to return to my family and become Granddaughter of the Eighth."

Cain waited for a moment, but she was finished. "And what exactly is the problem?"

"I would leave the crew permanently."

"That is indeed a problem." He rubbed his scarred lips as he thought. "So why are you talking to me? Not that I don't mind talking with you. You're just usually not the talkative type."

Raven agreed with this statement. "I would not ask for your opinion, but Cassandra has instructed me to talk to the other Black Glove Pirates before talking to her. I have two choices: stay or leave. Both have their pros and cons. What is your opinion on what I should do?"

"You should go," Cain said after a brief pause.

"Why do you say that?"

"As distasteful as I find wet work to be, I am a mere bodyguard, not a king. I understand that it is important to the political machine. Rulers from all over the world require your services. Your family commands one of the top assassin organizations in the world, right?"

"My family along with Cassandra's and Guinevere's are the top three assassin families."

"Exactly. Your family's organization is one of the most important organizations in existence. What would happen if it were to fall under lackluster rule?"

Raven had already thought about this. "The family would drop in power. That is also Jordan's goal. She, not unlike almost all other assassins, abhors my family. She was hired for that reason alone."

"I don't know Jordan, but I do know you. I would hate for you to deliberately hurt your family when you could have prevented it. It would be my honor to stop Jordan if you ask me to."

"Jordan will not be an issue unless I allow it," Raven said, "but I acknowledge your offer. Why does my family's power concern you?"

"I am but a man. However, even I want a peaceful world. Whether the World Government can accomplish that or not, I don't know. But if something as integral as a main assassin family were to suddenly falter, I can't even imagine what would happen. That would throw off the power balance of the entire world."

Raven thought this was hyperbole, but she could understand his point. "It is true that there would be shifts that would not otherwise occur."

"Exactly. The destabilization of an organization as important as yours is too big a risk to take."

"You speak of destabilizing organizations, yet do not mention our crew."

"Please. Our crew is as destabilized as you can get without falling apart."

"Precisely. If I do leave, it has a very high chance of falling apart due to the lack of protection from Damien. Is that not a concern of yours?"

Cain gave a wide grin. "As hard as it is, try to forget about Damien for a moment. You know Captain Libera will find some clever way of keeping him in line."

"She has been trying and failing. He is a liability that cannot be reasoned with for any length of time. But if you desire, I will put that aside."

"Good. Now, as I was saying, you not going back could have effects on the entire world. The effects on this tiny crew are paltry compared to that. When you're talking about kingdoms or democracies or anything else that has such a huge impact, it's hard to look at a crew like ours and consider it more important. We are but a grain of sand in this world."

"You do not think Cassandra will become important by crowning herself Queen of the Pirates?"

"Oh, she definitely will. But that's a future thing. She will find a way to get there. She doesn't need anyone's help for that, not even yours."

"So you will not help her."

He laughed loudly at this. "And when did I say that? I'll help her as much as I can. I only meant she does not _need_ the help. She will certainly accept all help offered to her, but because it makes her journey easier, not because she could not make it otherwise."

"You speak of helping her to your fullest capacity, but Morgan has told me if he were to leave the crew, you would leave with him. These statements seem contradictory."

Cain slowed his pace as he mulled her words over. "It is true that I would leave with him. I have a duty to protect Morgan no matter what. But again, I won't be worried about Captain Libera if I leave. I mean, of course I'll worry about her, but I know she'll pull through. That's just the kind of woman she is. She will sacrifice neither her friends nor her ideals, but she will still find a way to get what she wants. That's why I recommended her to Morgan."

"I was wondering why Morgan chose her. Anyway, you think I should go."

"Yes. Duty to your family is one of the most important things in the world. And since we're talking about your family specifically, I mean that very literally. If you're worried about the crew, don't be. Somehow, someway, we'll pull through. Damien may be tough to handle, but between Captain Libera's wit, my strength, Alexander's friendship, and Lyn's… Lynness, he won't be something for you to worry about."

"It is not just that. I owe Cassandra my life. It is my duty to ensure her safety for as long as I am able. Your words make sense, but I do not trust you alone to protect her from Damien and other threats the Grand Line will pose. Without my skills, Ranit O'Meya would have killed Damien at the very least, if not the rest of you. And of all of us, Damien is the only one who could handle one of the Seven Warlords. But as he is right now, he will be killed after he kills whichever Shichibukai he engages. You need my help to defend until you get stronger."

"It's still not necessary for you to stay," Cain responded. "All that means is that we don't dash through the Grand Line the instant the Log Pose sets each time. We stay on each island for as long as we need to prepare ourselves for the next step. I mean, we're cleared to leave today, aren't we? So why aren't we sailing?"

"Damien does not know the Log Pose has been set. I told him that it will take six days to calibrate."

Cain let out another round of laughter. "Oh, he's not one to take lies well. Still, I won't tell him. I'm not going to lie to him, but he won't ask so long as he's kept occupied."

Raven thought about this. "That will not be an issue. He will be busy for the next two or three days. But I am not here to talk about Damien."

"No, you are." There was a firmness in Cain's voice that had not been present before. "The future threats to the crew are not a problem. As I said, we can take our time to go through the Grand Line to get better. Captain's skills from being a combat assassin transfer well to fighting pirates, bounty hunters, and Marines. I can crush anything that I can catch, and Morgan's not much worse. You know Alexander and Lyn can surprise opponents far stronger than they are long enough for one of us stronger fighters to help. But you aren't concerned about them. You are here because you think Damien will kill our captain."

Raven had no argument. "He is a pathological murderer who cannot control his thirst for combat and bloodshed. He would have killed Cassandra multiple times if I had not intervened. If he were to leave the crew, this decision would not be as difficult as it currently is."

"We don't need such a drastic action. Yes, he's a terror and yes, he can't be controlled, but that's not the problem. Put him from your mind. Think of your father and your mother. Think of your brothers, both elder and younger. Think of all the families in all the world that depend on the political systems we currently have, systems that use your assassin organization to stay stable. Again, I am but a man, but I wouldn't wish unnecessary suffering upon anyone."

"And what if I stay? Your grand vision of a changed world may come to fruition."

Cain rolled his muscular soldiers. "I'll lose no sleep over it. I am a bodyguard. If I had to care about every decision my superiors made that jeopardized the lives of others, I wouldn't be very good at my job. That being said, just because I follow does not mean I don't think world peace is an unreasonable concept."

"So to summarize, you believe I should go because that will help world peace."

"Well… when you put it like that, it sounds overly grandiose. But that's more or less what I'm saying. I may be a pirate, but I have been trained to be a bodyguard my entire life. How about this: on my honor, I will Captain Libera from getting killed. I'd ordinarily vow to keep her from harm, but you know how stubborn she can be with handling things herself. Additionally, if Morgan has to leave, I assure you that I will first find a suitable replacement, someone who can fight well."

That information did help her decision slightly. Raven knew Cain could be held to his word. While his size and relative lack of speed kept him from being able to triumph over Damien or Cassandra, he was still a formidable fighter in his own right. He would definitely be able to find another protector. "Your words make sense, Cain Alcides. I am not persuaded by your idea of world destabilization, but you are correct in saying I do have a duty to keep the Eighth's Assassins in a position of power. I thank you for your input. If I do decide to leave with my family, I may need you to keep Jordan at bay."

He put his gloved fist to his chest. "You need only ask. Is there anything else you want?"

"No." She kicked off, swiftly leaving the earth behind. Before moving away, she looked down to see the massive pirate resume work without delay. If only all of the Black Glove Pirates were as hardworking as Cain and herself. Still, Cain had given her much to think about. She sped over to a nearby tree to hide in while she ruminated upon his words. As she had told him, she had no care for the well-being of anyone but Cassandra. On the other hand, he did vow to protect Cassandra as best he could and to find a replacement if he were to leave. Despite his promise, she did not fully trust anyone but herself to guard her captain. Only she would do absolutely anything that was necessary to ensure Cassandra's survival.

After thinking some more, she kicked off and soared back towards the _Howling Knave_. She moved at a lower altitude than usual, attempting to catch sight of any of her crewmates. Large humans were the easiest to see, but she had already found Cain. Noon was approaching, so she flew over more commercial districts, thinking that her fellow pirates may have gone to a restaurant for lunch. Unless a specific group activity was organized, the Black Glove Pirates rarely ate lunch on the ship.

She had expected to find Damien before any of the others, but Lyn was the first pirate she spotted. She glided down and alighted noiselessly beside the first mate. Lyn was slowly ambling down the street, her face red and tears streaming from her eyes. She was breathing quite heavily, and her hands were covering her mouth. Raven had no idea what to do, having never had the need or desire to comfort another person by herself. She contemplated going back to the ship and asking Cassandra for advice when Lyn's reddened eyes fell upon her.

"Raven! Where… the hell… is Jordan?"

The doctor had not expected that. Before letting the pair leave the ship the previous night, Cassandra had issued a very stern warning to the mischievous assassin. Jordan had a prankster streak, but outright ignoring Cassandra's threat was atypical. "Has Jordan harmed you in any way?"

"Yes!" Lyn grabbed Raven's hand before the smaller pirate could leave. "Well, no! Not directly."

"Explain."

"See, this morning, well, late this morning, Jayjay made breakfast for me and left before I woke up. It was all well and good, but I swear, he snuck in the hottest pepper in the whoooooole world in there! My mouth is on fire!"

After briefly checking to make sure Lyn's mouth had not been burned, Raven sped away and returned with a large container of fresh milk she had appropriated from a nearby restaurant kitchen. "The caseins in this will help neutralize the capsaicin. You should have remembered that from your previous experience with extremely spicy peppers."

Lyn guzzled the liquid as quickly as possible, gasping for air when she finished. "Yeah, but that time was an accident! How was I supposed to know the difference between the tiny tingly peppers and the hellfire-and-brimstone ones? They look exactly the same!"

"They do not, and you should not take food from Morgan when he is making a meal."

"But I was hungry, and he was taking for_ever_. Why did he have those anyway?"

"Morgan had proposed a challenge between Cassandra and Damien to see who could eat the spiciest pepper."

"Oh, that's right! That was a tie, wasn't it?"

"It was. I have come to ask you about a personal matter."

The empty bottle slipped from Lyn's fingers and shattered on the street. Lyn's eyes widened, then narrowed as she leaned forward. "Reeeeeeeally now. Raven," she paused for a moment, "whose last name I can't remember right now, wants to ask me about a personal matter."

"That is correct."

"Most interesting." Raven had thought Lyn would be more receptive towards the idea. "And how do I know you're not a certain someone checking on his prank, hmm?"

That was not an unreasonable assumption. Raven had rarely asked her crewmates for anything before, and Jordan's mere presence would cause the Black Glove Pirates to be more wary of whom they were actually talking to. "I have not let Jordan touch my bare skin and copy my abilities. Only Damien would be able to accomplish such a feat, and he would not let Jordan go without a fight."

Lyn stared at her, then straightened up and smiled broadly. "Okay! What's up?" Raven glanced skywards in an attempt to discern what Lyn was talking about. Her eyes returned to Lyn when the first mate gave a light laugh. "No, silly Raven, I mean what's your personal matter?"

"I do not understand how 'what's up'-"

"Raven?"

"Is it an expression that-"

"Raven!"

The doctor found it interesting that she did not have the same need to punish Lyn for interrupting her as she did Morgan. "My family has come-"

"Wow! Your family's here! That's so cool!"

That being said, Raven did not appreciate the continuous disruptions. "Allow me to finish." Lyn drew her hand across her mouth and pressed her lips tightly together. "My family has come with urgent news. My father has named me heir to my family's assassin organization. As such, I have been ordered back to his side. Some relatives are here to prepare for my uncle's arrival, at which point I will be escorted away from here. However, my duty to my family is conflicting with my duty to Cassandra and consequently the Black Glove Pirates. I have to make a choice to stay or leave, but when I asked for Cassandra's opinion, she said to talk to the rest of her crewmembers. I have already spoken with Morgan and Cain. What is your input on my current situation?"

"You should stay!" Lyn said without a moment's hesitation.

Raven had expected that answer. "I realize that you consider me a friend, but I would prefer it if you left your personal feelings out of this."

"I don't just consider you a friend; you are a friend! You're one of my best friends, one of my nakama! You can't leave!"

"It has been pointed out to me that joining this crew does not mean permanently staying with the crew."

"I know that!" Lyn exclaimed. "I won't ever leave Captain, but that's me! If Damien wants to leave, he'll leave! If Morgan wants to leave, he'll leave! But that's because leaving would be best for them. Leaving would be terrible for you!"

"I do not understand."

Lyn pursed her lips and stared upwards in thought. "Okay, think of it this way: you've never had fun, right? You've never been happy or sad. You haven't felt almost anything, and feeling is part of being alive. I can't even imagine what that must be like, not feeling anything."

"Emotions are a weakness when it comes to assassination," Raven stated. "In order to become the best possible assassins, my family works to remove our emotions from a very young age."

"Silly Raven, you can't remove emotions with tools! They aren't like stomachs or hearts or lungs or indexes or brains or intestines or-"

"Appendices."

Lyn frowned. "What?"

"Indexes are not human internal organs. Appendices are."

"They're not? Are you sure?"

"Human anatomy is a subject I have been trained in since birth."

The first mate waved her hands through the air. "Whatever! You're getting sidetracked!"

Raven did not deem it necessary to remind Lyn of her usual short attention span. "You were saying that emotions cannot be removed."

"Oh right, exactly! Yeah, they can be dulled down, but never completely removed! As I said, you've never felt happiness or sadness, but you did feel one thing once! It would be awful for the only feeling you remember to be a few minutes of cold anger!"

"Twice."

Lyn put a hand to her forehead. "Okay, if you're going to keep correcting me, you need to give me more than a single word."

"I have felt emotions twice."

Lyn's eyes widened, and Raven had to use her evasive ability to avoid Lyn's lunge. "Whatwhatwhat? Tellmetellmetellme!"

"I will not."

"Aww!" Lyn seemed to get over her disappointment in a heartbeat. "But anyway, emotions are important, even if you're an assassin! You're wrong if you think they get in the way! Assassination is not your life!"

"Assassination is my life." Raven moved close to Lyn's face to make her point perfectly clear. "I am an assassin. I was born to become an assassin, I was raised to become an assassin, and I became an assassin. I am extremely good at what I do. I have been trained in six techniques. Every technique I know is to help me get to my target, eliminate said target, and leave without fail. Offensive krur piil to replace my knives with fingers and fra furtun to cut distant targets. Defensive kraur golnauk to withstand mighty blows and gaath to avoid rapid attacks. Neutral akat to move quicker than the eye can see and ran irz to reach the highest hiding places. I learned anatomy to know where to strike and how. I-"

"I get it," Lyn said quietly. "You grew up to be an assassin. You're not the doctor because you want to heal; you just know the human body better than the rest of us. You're better than Damien at killing. Even he admits that. But as he says, fuck that! You're a Black Glove Pirate now. Morgan was a prince from the moment he was born. He was raised with a golden spoon in his mouth. You know how he talks and how he holds himself. Sure, he's a brat whose words go straight from his throat to his mouth without passing his brain, but he is a prince. He's also the cook of the Black Glove Pirates. All of his grooming to become a prince, it's not important."

"He is not-"

Lyn put her hands between their faces. "Hold my hands." Despite the oddity of the request, Raven complied. When Lyn interlaced their fingers and squeezed softly, Raven mirrored her actions. "See this, Raven? We're so different, but still so similar. Just because you were raised to be an assassin doesn't mean that's what you are forever. I have never taken a life with these hands, and I don't intend to. But we're both women born unto this earth. We both wear black gloves. We're both pirates. We both follow our captain, Cassandra Libera, to the death. We both bear scars of past battles and tattoos that mean something to us."

"Do you have a point?"

"I had one, lost it, and hoped that I'd find it again if I kept going. Thought of an older one that, though!"

"Enlighten me."

"Emotions are important! They are the spice of life, and it has been a goal of mine and Alexander's to prove that to you."

"Emotions are a liability."

Lyn tightened her grasp. "That's the assassin talking. You're a pirate right now. We don't expect you to be dancing and drinking with us. I think I'd have a heart attack if you did! But right now there's a gaping wound in your heart that we'd like to try to heal. A figurative wound."

"If I go back with my family, having that 'wound' even partially closed will be an enormous detriment."

"No!" Lyn's grip was almost painful now. While nowhere near even Morgan's physical strength, the first mate was still stronger than the average woman. "They are not your family! Family sticks together, looks out for one another! They don't hurt each other to the point where they don't feel anything!"

"Family is but a term. You know that I hold no connection to them."

"I know! And it hurts!" There were tears in Lyn's eyes. "It hurts that you don't know how much you mean to anybody. It hurts that you think you're just a murderbot with some doctoring skills. You. Are. More. Than. That. Nobody in your family actually misses you. But we would miss you. You can't even imagine how important you are to us, not because you're the deadliest fighter, not because you're our doctor, but because you're you."

"I do not understand."

The first mate pressed their foreheads together. "Of course you don't. If you leave, you never will. You wanted my opinion on whether to stay or go? I think you should stay. Not just because I want you to, but also because I think that's what would be best for you. You've been so focused on what will happen to everyone else, but what about you? You aren't just a pawn. You're a person who people care about. You don't know what you want; that's okay! But I guarantee you won't find out what you want if you leave."

"It does not matter what I want."

"And that's my point. That's a bad mentality to have. So!" Lyn released her hold and stretched her arms upwards. "I say you should stay. We are more your family than they ever will be. Sure, I'm the first mate, but I won't order you to stay. That's not how the crew works! Anyway, staying will be best for you."

"But-"

"No buts!" Lyn gave her widest smile. "You're my nakama, Raven! Don't ever forget that!"

Raven stared at the woman for a long moment before bowing her head. "Very well. I will consider what you have told me."

"Captain asked you to talk to all of us, right? Have you figured out why?" Raven shook her head. "Didn't think so!"

"You know."

"I don't pretend to know everything that's going on inside Captain's head, but I'm pretty sure about this one!"

"Tell me."

Lyn wagged her finger. "Uh-uh! That would ruin the fun! If you've already talked to Morgan and Cain, go talk to the other boys!"

Knowing that Lyn would not budge and that Cassandra would object to any method of extracting that information, Raven bowed her head. "Very well."

Just as she was about to take to the skies, Lyn threw out her hand. "Oh, and one more thing! If you see Jordan, tell him he owes me a shopping spree! I liked that bra!"

Raven nodded to indicate she had heard before soaring skyward. Guesses about Cassandra's motivations flew through her mind, but she was still unsure. It was true that she would have never thought of Lyn's reason for her to stay. She had been so focused on what would happen to her family that she had not thought about herself at all. However, Lyn's point was only valid if Raven were to stay. All Lyn had done was illustrate another potential benefit of staying, not a reason not to leave. She did not see the need to recover her emotions.

She flew towards the ship as she continued to think. Having talked to half of the crew, Cassandra might be lenient and give her advice. The more likely option was the pirate captain would direct her towards Alexander without saying anything else. Raven also intended to argue about the necessity of conversing with Damien, as the navigator was very rarely in the mood to talk to her. She caught sight of one of her family members, probably Spiral, watching her from a distance. She put him from her mind as she sped towards the _Howling Knave_. The only person of importance at the moment was Cassandra. Satisfying her puzzling request was Raven's primary goal.


	16. Getting Answers

Raven had arrived back on the _Howling Knave_ with a few expectations. Cassandra would tell her the meaning behind this absurd series of questionings. If that failed, she at least expected the pirate captain to give her advice on how to talk to the volatile navigator. She did need to eat, and she thought Morgan would have food prepared regardless of his crewmates' absences. If any of her relatives were lurking about the _Knave_, she would remind them in no uncertain terms that attacking any Black Glove Pirate would have fatal repercussions.

She left with exactly none of her expectations met. Cassandra had given her Alexander's general location and had just instructed Raven to improvise when it came to Damien. When asked about anything else, the pirate captain dismissed her entirely. Raven did not want to use any of her interrogation techniques on Cassandra, so she had no other option than to leave. She stopped in the galley, but Morgan was absent and no food had been prepared. None of her family members were present either, which was peculiar, but not overly unusual.

Locating Alexander was quite easy. As much as Lyn boasted that she had created her own information network, she had truthfully only consolidated an existing connection between the homeless and street performers. Lyn had contributed a substantial amount of funds procured from local thieves, but the network had only been paid to be loyal for the day of the Bounty Hunter game. They accepted any stranger's coin without hesitation. Raven did not even have to threaten anyone.

She entered the restaurant through an open window without making a sound. A nearby waiter raised an eyebrow at her entry, but continued to serve a group of diners. Raven's black eyes moved about as she searched for Alexander. She kicked off and moved through the building at her top speed, swiftly locating the musician. True to his profession, he was softly playing a large piano, providing the people around him with dining music. He did not miss a note as she landed beside him and put her face directly next to his. "Greetings, my friend. What brings you to Rotunda?"

"I must ask you something. Why are you playing the piano?"

"After I finished eating, I offered to relieve the previous pianist. He's the one over there eating the mussels."

"I did not know you could play the piano."

He laughed lightly. "I know how to play a variety of instruments. Of course, I'm most comfortable with a trumpet, but I can find my way around a few others. You know, Damien knows how to play drums to a rather small degree. Although last time he did that, he smashed the drums to bits."

Damien's limited musical prowess did not matter to Raven in the least. "I wish to talk to you about a pressing matter."

"Will this be a long talk?"

Raven reflected upon her previous conversations. "It will not be a brief one."

"Then by all means, sit down."

"Why do I need to sit down?"

Alexander shook his head, a small smile on his face. "Well, you don't need to, strictly speaking. I was just offering you a break. Anyway, what do you want to talk about?"

"A situation has arisen, and I wish to know your opinion."

"You know I'll do my best."

She decided to give Alexander as many details as he needed. "As you are aware, Jordan is an assassin. She is here on an assignment, not to assassinate, but to impersonate someone. As you are also aware, I come from an assassin family. My family is second in power to Cassandra's. However, this ranking is not important, strictly speaking. However, the fact that our families and Jennifer's are more powerful compared to the other four has been a point of contention.

"This is relevant because of recent developments. A new assassin head was named, so all of the heirs must be declared. The issue is my elder brother is missing. He is superior to me in every way, save for the fact that he cannot be found. He has either been killed, which is highly unlikely, or actively keeping away from any assassin agent, which is both difficult and uncharacteristic. My younger brother's growth rates are so poor that he would have difficulty defeating Damien now or in the future. His speed is better than mine, so even I cannot catch him, but his offensive skills are still developing. Because of this, my father has named me as his heir. Heirs of assassins are required to be at the sides of assassin heads at all times unless they are on assignments."

Alexander leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "So let's see if I can get this straight. Your super powerful assassin family needs you back. That's a problem, because we need you too. To make that problem trickier, Jordan is here… why?"

"My family is on this island, with my uncle on his way with a ship. Jordan is here to impersonate me and leave with my family, ensuring I stay with the Black Glove Pirates. If that happens and my father passes away, my younger brother will become head of the family. This would weaken my family severely, allowing Jordan's family an opportunity to become one of the three greater assassin families. I have a duty to my family and to Cassandra. I must pick one. I would not ask for your input, but Cassandra will not discuss this with me until I talk to all of my crewmates."

"Even Damien?"

"All of my crewmates."

"Ouch." His hands glided down the keyboard. "Well, you do have a problem. I take it your family has come to visit?"

"There are currently five living members of my family on Brickwork, including myself."

"Living?"

"One attacked Damien."

Alexander's smile widened. "That would do it. So they are here to take you back by any means necessary?"

"They are. They will not hesitate to kill all of you to retrieve me. They have already threatened to do so."

"If they won't hesitate, why have they only threatened?"

"I may not be equally proficient in the six basic skills, but I am better than most of my family members regardless. That is why they sent five family members. They even compensated for Damien and Cassandra. However, with Rumor's death, they cannot engage us without an even or high chance of losing."

"Well, not to paint a target on my own back, but why haven't they used us non-combatants as leverage? I mean, you three can fight assassins, but Cain is the only one to protect us. And even then, he's not terribly good at dealing with speeds you and Hothead can move at. His advantage is his strength and his durability. You've previously stated the difficulty you have in dealing with armored fighters. But putting his entire suit of armor on takes a while, so why haven't they targeted us?"

"I specifically asked them to."

"I see…"

His lower tone indicated he was either thinking or displeased. Either was puzzling. "I do not understand. Would you rather have been killed?"

His smile returned. "Of course not. I'm rather attached to my throat; it has served me well so far. But you and I both know you didn't do this for us. You did this for our dear Captain, because she doesn't want us killed."

"That is not entirely true. I am the doctor, and it is my job to keep the crew alive."

Alexander gave a loud sigh. "Yes, I suppose it is. But they don't care about your happiness either. What's stopping them from killing the crew anyway?"

This thought had occurred to Raven previously. "There is nothing preventing them from doing so. Even if I were to refuse to cooperate with them, there would be no point in resisting. You would all be dead. The only thing preventing them from attacking is their inferior firepower. However, when my uncle arrives, a person who looks exactly like me will be leaving with him. Whether that person is me or Jordan depends on my decision."

"That makes sense. Will there be identity checks?"

"Of course. Jordan will likely refuse to speak. She will not understand my relatives. They will also verify my tattoos and scars. That will not be a problem. They will verify my skills, so I would have to teach Jordan the names of my techniques."

"And what happens if, somehow, Jordan is unmasked?"

"She will probably die." Raven would not care about her Sister's death. "She may be lucky enough to touch my uncle, in which case the odds are much more even. Regardless, after Jordan either escapes or is killed, they will come for us. They will not give up until I am at my father's side or my elder brother reappears. My brother does not care about succeeding my father for reasons I cannot fathom, and I do not believe he is dead. This leads me to conclude that he will not turn up and remedy the situation."

Alexander nodded. "Agreed. I'd be interested in meeting him, but now isn't the time for that. You're here talking to all of us because you want our opinions, right?"

"That is correct."

"What did the others say?"

"Cain and Morgan said I should leave. Lyn said I should stay."

"How unexpected. Sarcasm," he added before she could object. "And why is she making you do this?"

"I do not know."

"In that case, I'll give you my opinion as well. I'm afraid mine isn't as binary as the others. It is less my opinion and more… me not knowing exactly what I'm dealing with. Out of curiosity, can you tell me one sentence summaries of their opinions?"

Raven thought back over the conversations she had earlier that day. "Morgan said I have a duty to my family that overrides my duty to Cassandra. Cain said I have a duty to my family and to the world. Lyn said that I should stay because I would grow emotionally."

He moved his head from side to side as he thought. "Not unexpected, I should say. If I had to choose one of two, stay or go, I'd agree with Lyn's reason. I do think it would be better if you stayed for emotional growth. However, I'm not quite as naïve as our dear first mate. You're connected to something very dangerous. As I said before, I'm quite attached to my neck, and I would really prefer that my nakama keep theirs intact as well. If you staying would bring the wrath of your family upon us, then I must sadly recommend you leave. Well, if we couldn't stave off their attacks."

"You could not. My uncle would have no trouble eliminating the entire crew in less than a second."

"Yes, I thought as much. What if we just left, right now?"

"They would undoubtedly acquire a Log Pose to the next island as quickly as possible and chase us. We would never be free of my family. Furthermore, they will not hesitate to kill any of you. If they do not retrieve me this time, they will not just send such weak relatives. Every person on the new retrieval team will likely be only marginally less powerful than my uncle. I do not have anywhere near the required practice to be able to defend you all, much less myself. None of you will survive."

Alexander did not speak for a long while, his hands never wavering from the piano. "Well, there's not much I can say. I want you to stay with us, and I think it would be best for you if you did. But if there's no way of keeping us alive, then I must regretfully recommend you leave. Don't take that the wrong way. If there was any way possible for us to remain together and alive, I would say to stay. Since you know the situation best, I leave the choice to you."

There was one more issue Raven wanted to raise. "Do you know the primary reason I do not think leaving would be a good idea?" She waited until he shook his head. "Cain brought up a good point. Cassandra may occasionally be rash, but I do not think she will take too many unnecessary risks. That is why I do not believe the Grand Line will pose a significant threat."

"Then what are you-" For the first time, Alexander's playing faltered. "I see. You think Damien's going to kill her."

"Do not let your attachment blind you. Damien has been growing increasingly unstable. There is no doubt that she would not be alive in two islands. I can see only one way for her to survive: his lack of self- preservation getting him killed. That would be the optimal case."

"The optimal case should not be the death of a crewmember," Alexander said sharply.

"A crewmember will die either way. Better Damien than Cassandra."

"Nobody will die. Both of them will live." His fingers pressed harder and harder on the keyboard. Some of the patrons were looking around in surprise. "Anything else is unacceptable."

"If I leave, you can find a real doctor."

Alexander sighed, and his music quieted down. "Now let's not blow things out of proportion. You do very well as our doctor."

"But that is not my primary profession."

His smile returned at that. "Are you kidding me? That doesn't matter to us. The only reason Captain's as good as she is-"

"She is used to extreme personalities. The Black Glove Pirates are only marginally less volatile than the Moon Sisters. The best way the two groups differ is that Shinobu's trigger is obvious. However, we are all trained assassins skilled in using lethal force. Arguments can get quite heated."

"I bet." Alexander did not speak for so long that Raven wondered if he had finished. "Well, you know my position, so I won't repeat myself. Also, remember two things: any Black Glove Pirate that voluntarily leaves will never be physically stopped. But no matter when you take off your black glove, or in your case put one back on, we will always accept you back. You always have a home here, Raven."

Raven leaned in. "If I leave, you will never see me again."

"Never is a long time. I should know; half of my conversational partners have been hanging around for a while."

"The afterlife you believe in is very different from mine. Even if we did share beliefs, you and I would not travel to the same place."

"We'll discuss the hereafter at some other point. Don't you have one more talk to do?"

Raven bowed her head. She kicked off, but landed beside Alexander for one last comment. "Do you have any advice for talking to Damien?"

Alexander attempted to give her a complete lesson on how to properly hold a conversation, but Raven only stayed for long enough to find out how not to provoke Damien's wrath. She flew through the restaurant and out of the window to perch on a weathervane. Alexander's words were very helpful, but did not help her make a decision. She did know that the best way to keep the crew alive would be to leave without resisting. That would be fitting as her last act as their doctor. She only wanted to know Cassandra's opinion to see if she had missed anything. To do that, she needed to talk to her psychotic and unpredictable crewmate.

For once, Damien was relatively difficult to locate. Although he was in the city, Raven could spot no fires or congregation of policemen. However, it only cost her a few more bills to be pointed in the right direction. She still kept her speed low to conserve her energy in case he was in a foul mood, but still had much ground to cover before sunset. She did not want to wait another day to get her answers.

The navigator was, unsurprisingly, on his own. A long section of the low wall surrounding the city had been demolished, no few unconscious bystanders lying by the rubble. The fact that they had not been ripped to shreds was an indication that he was in a less bloodthirsty mood. However, that could change if she said the wrong thing. She soared along the wall until she caught up to him. Curiously, he was simply attacking the wall with claws, fists, and feet. She landed some distance away and simply observed, attempting to discern the reason behind his actions.

She could not figure it out, but she did need to talk to him. "Krur Draagh." She darted in without a single bit of killing intent to mask her presence. He detected her presence the instant before her fingers touched his skin, but did not react in time. Her fingers hammered into his nerves and blood vessels with relentless accuracy. When she was done, she darted away to watch the results of her actions.

Damien started after her, then slowed to a stop as he stared down at his body. "The fuck did you do t' me, concubine?"

"I have loosened your blood vessels and muscles. You will be able to move more fluidly."

He looked up at her, his eyes beginning to smolder. "An' why'd you fuckin' do it now? Coulda helped agains' that fuckin' frog."

"This technique accelerates the blood flow through your body. Ranit O'Meya's poison would have affected you much more quickly. Additionally, you usually receive hundreds of incisions, you would exsanguinate more rapidly than you are used to. That is why I usually use the opposite technique before you fight."

Damien rolled his shoulders, then resumed attacking the wall. His hands and legs moved much more quickly, large chunks of bricks showering the area. "Ah, tha's fun. The fuck you want?"

"How do you know I want something?"

"Quit playin' fuckin' games." His smoking glare moved to her as she landed beside him. "Ain' no way you do somethin' fer nothin'."

"In this and many respects, you and I are alike," Raven admitted. "More alike than I care to imagine."

"I ain' like you, cockslut," he snarled. The debris from his attack destroyed the building behind the wall. "Quit fuckin' around."

Raven continued to think about how to explain it to the navigator. One reason she did not understand Cassandra's insistence on having her speak to him is because of Damien's inability to think ahead in any non-combat related situation or to think from somebody else's perspective. "Very well. My family has come to retrieve me. Cassandra insists that I must speak to all of my crewmates before she speaks to me."

"I don' fuckin' care."

She needed a more concrete response than that, but Alexander had told her not to push too hard. She was just going to approach the situation as if Damien were a particularly stubborn interrogation suspect who she was not allowed to harm. She walked behind him, attempting to figure out the meaning behind his training. "What are you doing?"

"Ain' it fuckin' obvious?"

Raven continued to watch. Her initial assumption was that he was practicing his arrhythmic strikes, but that was part of his natural fighting style. Upon closer inspection, she realized he was working on concealing his attacks. His lack of rhythm to his attacks made him hard to parry to begin with, but Damien had always been very good at not telegraphing his next move. Now he was working on showing false information to throw his opponents off.

She also noticed that he was finally applying her micrododging technique offensively. "Once again, I question the gods' decision to place a psychotic mind in a preternaturally efficient body."

"Wha?"

"I will admit that talking to our crewmates has revealed one of the major reasons I do not want to leave is because of you."

Damien cast a snarl over his shoulder. "Don' expec' me t' be fuckin' touched, cockpouch."

"Indeed, it is not out of sentiment or attachment. You are becoming more and more out of control. My guess is that every near death experience causes your spirits to eat away at you, but I do not understand enough about how your summoning works to confirm my hypothesis. Soon after I met you, you said that you would not harm your crewmates. It is increasingly apparent that this will not be the case. There will come a time when you attack them. Without me around, you will kill them."

"An' why the fuck d' you care?"

"I do not. However, Cassandra will likely be the primary target of your bloodlust."

"If she dies, she wa'n' fit t' be th' Queen."

Raven knew that if she attacked him, he would not tell her any more. She did not want to risk his silence. "If you do not care for the lives of your crewmates, why are you part of the crew? You, more than any of the others, are here by choice."

"Ya don' fuckin' lissen, cunt. I already fuckin' told ya."

"I do not remember. Remind me."

He ceased destroying the wall and rounded on her, his teeth bared. "Th' fuck you botherin' me for?"

"I am not the only one who does not listen. Cassandra will only give me her opinion of the situation if I talk to the rest of her crew. However, even if you were to give me advice, your stance is very clear. You do not care for the opinions of anybody, friend or foe."

"Frien's?" His lips curved into a wicked grin. "I ain' got no fuckin' frien's."

"Lyn cares for all of her crewmates equally, Alexander considers you his best friend and is willing to overlook your numerous-"

Over the course of the many weeks she and Damien had been fighting, he had been rapidly increasing his speed. While his top speed could only begin to match hers when he had succumbed to his battlefury, he could still move much more quickly than his size and weight would indicate at any given time. He was standing before her in a heartbeat, green eyes glowing with rage. Their half-meter height difference meant she had to crane her neck to maintain eye contact. "Le's get this straight, cumsucker. They ain' my frien's."

"You have fought for them."

"I figh' fer me."

Raven ran a finger along the electrical discharge scar that spread across his lumbar region. "You intercepted three lightning bolts to save them."

"Don' play th' fuckin' fool. Tha' wa'n' t' save 'em."

The petite woman stared at him contemplatively. "Would you kill them?"

"If they get in my way." He leaned in, his crazed grin widening. "Gonna stop me?"

"I do not care if they die, save for that would violate my profession as doctor of the crew."

He laughed again. "Aye. Yer an 'eartless bitch. If our cocksuckin' Cap'n said to, yeh'd kill 'em all too."

"Without a moment's hesitation. What would you do if she gave you that order?"

"Carve 'er fuckin' 'eart out. No cap'n does that."

"What navigator loses control and slaughters his crew?"

"Yahahahar! If they fuckin' die, they don' deserve t' be on the cuntin' Line."

"You do not deserve to be on this crew."

"Only the cap'n can kick someone off. She won' do it."

"I will talk to her about that. To do that, I will need to get your opinion."

Damien shook his head. "I don' fuckin' care if ya stay or go. Tell th' carpetmuncher tha'."

Raven did not even bother pushing further. Damien did not consider himself attached to anybody or anything. He would not be able to understand the quandary she was in. There was only one thing that was related to her situation that he could possibly help her to understand. She was about to ask directly when she remembered Alexander's advice. She decided to reshape her question. "You say you are part of the crew for a reason that you say you have told me, but I do not remember. However, you have no moral restriction against killing your crewmates. Why then do you choose to wear a black glove?" It was not exactly what she wanted to ask, but it was fairly close.

"Name o' the fuckin' crew, fuckwit," he snapped. "I don' care fer the crew, but I'm a fuckin' pirate."

Raven supposed that made sense. In his own confounding way, Damien was showing his pride as a pirate. It was true that he was the one who removed his glove most frequently, but a man with his nature having any sort of group pride was remarkable in and of itself. "That much is undeniable. Alexander likes to say salt is in your blood. He told me he means it in a figurative sense, as even your blood salinity is within the usual range for a human."

The mad navigator laughed loudly. "Aye, tha's righ'. An' yer blood's black as th' damned grave."

She refrained from mentioning how burial sites were mere locations and had no specific color. "The color-"

There was no warning. His claws clipped her shoulder and would have removed her arm if she had not reacted in time. As she kicked off to move behind him, she tried to figure out how she had roused his anger this time. She drew her knives before remembering that his body was still affected by her previous technique. She knew Cassandra would not believe that Raven had killed him purely accidentally. Perhaps she could frame her family, though Cassandra would probably not believe that either.

The best course of action was to kill Damien and be banished from the Black Glove Pirates. That would resolve her entire problem very nicely. The only reason she did not slice as many of the berserker's blood vessels as she could was the fact that she was still the one in charge of his health. Raven would operate as she saw fit in every loophole she could find in Cassandra's orders, but she would never directly disobey Cassandra and the duty the pirate captain had entrusted to her.

As she flipped over a metal wing and stabbed a knife at Damien's back, she briefly wondered whether Cassandra would tell her to stay. The command would certainly be one of Cassandra's most foolish commands, but Raven would obey it nonetheless. On the other hand, one of the many reasons she trusted Cassandra was that the eldest Moon Sister would not issue such an order without a great deal of thought behind it.

She was drawn from her thoughts when she realized that Damien had begun only defending her blows. This was peculiar enough for her to retreat a few meters and stare at him. She was only slightly faster than the last time they had fought, and she was not overwhelming him. Even when faced with a much stronger opponent, Damien would focus on ripping his opponent apart before not attacking at all.

When he started howling with laughter, Raven tucked her knives away and moved forward a pace. "What is it, Damien?"

"Yer a fuckin' killer, Blackie! Yahahahahar!"

Raven could not even begin to fathom why he found this fact so amusing. Her major area of expertise had been made abundantly clear since she first set foot on the _Howling Knave_. She was about to ask for the reason behind his hilarity when a familiar shape appeared over the partially-demolished wall. Morgan's water elemental arced over the stacked stones like the wave he emulated, inevitably crashing against the ground. He surged up to them and reared as high as he could. He threw his arms apart, dissipating his elemental with a watery explosion.

"What is it, Morgan?" Raven asked as his sandaled feet hit the ground. "And why are you wearing the cloak of Avarice?"

His dark grey eyes stared out from beneath his purple cowl. "It is part of my wardrobe. Is there some reason I should not wear it?"

That was a reasonable response. "No. Answer my first question."

The prince's teeth gritted together. "Our illustrious captain has requested your presence on the ship. If you're done talking, you come too."

"Aye, I'm done talkin'," Damien said blandly. "But I ain' goin' back."

"You would disobey such simple orders?" Morgan asked in surprise.

"Don' give a shit. If she wan's me back, tell 'er t' come 'erself."

Raven did think it was odd that Cassandra sent Morgan. He and Damien had never gotten along. The cook's hand began inching towards his necklace as he worked to control his anger. "I am not some message boy! If you want to tell her, do it yourself!"

Damien shrugged and turned back towards the wall. "Fine wit' me. Oi, quiff! 'Ow long does this blood shit las'?"

"The strength of the technique I used should last for some time, even for you."

"Pretty fuckin' vague, shitstain."

"I know more about your body than you do, but your physiology changes at a pace that I cannot keep track of."

"An' that ain' my fuckin' fault. Yore the one who can' do 'er cuntin' job proper."

"If I do remain on the crew, I will see about patching up your tongue. It will not improve your choice of words, but you will become slightly more intelligible."

"Anythin' you stick in me mout' is gonna get fuckin' bit off."

"You act as though I have never sedated-"

"Excuse me!" Morgan cut in angrily. "I delivered a set of orders, and I expect them to be carried out!"

Both Damien and Raven turned to him. The black-clad doctor could not decide whether it was bravery or stupidity that enabled Morgan to hold their gaze. Damien's howling laughter caused Morgan to jump and glare at the navigator. Raven preferred that reaction to Damien attempting to murder Morgan, especially since she would have to intervene. "You 'spect 'em t' be carried out? D'ya think yer the fuckin' cap'n? I don' lissen to you, pigfucker."

Morgan flushed with rage. "I have had enough of your insults! I am a prince! I will teach you respect!"

As Morgan dashed forward to attack, Raven knew she would be forced to intervene anyway. She would wait until Morgan was in serious danger of being killed. Her role as doctor was to tend to injuries, not prevent them. Damien made no move to block the punch aimed at his chin, receiving the full force of the blow without budging an inch. He bared his teeth at the pale-skinned man. "Yer gonna have t' do more'n tha'. An inces'-bred pansy-ass like you can' hurt me."

The elementalist gritted his teeth and grabbed Damien's shoulder and brought his other hand back to deliver another punch. Just as Morgan's fist began to move, Damien's eyes locked on the smaller man's and narrowed. His muscles tensed as he began to counterattack, but Morgan's fist flew far faster than Raven had ever seen it move. Even caught totally off-guard, Damien should have been able to parry. Before he could do anything, he was sent flying through the wall, the building behind the wall, and the building behind that as well.

A wide smirk on his face, Morgan took off at a dead run. Raven kicked off and easily kept pace with the purple-cloaked man, zipping through the air above him. She would recognize that odd bipedal gait anywhere, and her suspicions were confirmed at the speed the pirate below her moved. Morgan could not sprint that fast, much less sustain such a pace. "Although he can run on two legs very quickly, Damien moves most quickly quadrupedally."

Morgan bent over and began using his arms along with his feet. His hands extended out of the cloak as his arms grew to accommodate his other method of locomotion. "Many thanks, Raerae. How'd you like my performance?"

"I do not know whether you would have fooled Alexander. Cain and Cassandra would have seen through it rather quickly. Fortunately for your elaborate production, Damien and I do not spend much time around Morgan to pick up on his mannerisms. There were a few odd behaviors, but nothing noteworthy." She darted onto the shapeshifter's back and pulled off the hood. "Morgan never parts with his crown. That is why you used his cloak."

"Exactly! Now, any tips on not getting killed?"

Raven thought about how much she should reveal. She wanted Jordan alive in case she needed his impersonation skills. "You must continually update your powers to match Damien's. It is fortunate that he engages almost exclusively in close combat. Assuming you are as fireproof as he is, his ranged attacks will not harm you. Every time he touches you, copy his ability."

"Anything I can do to get him to let up?" It took a few seconds for Jordan change into the buxom blonde form she had used to begin her date with Lyn. "Like this?"

The black-clad pirate ignored her. "I will periodically check up on you starting three days from now. I will not intervene until you have both stopped fighting. If you do not wake for one day after you are done, Cain and Cassandra will retrieve you."

"You and I don't have that kind of time." She transformed again. "Will this speed things up?"

"He does not know Azuchi's face."

"Well, I need some way of cutting that time down." Her skin darkened, and her hair grew long and brown. Markings rapidly spread across her body, and she drew a long metal claw across her forehead. "How about this?"

Raven darted in front of the changeling, noting the bloody seagull carved into the dark brown skin. "You have three days."

Damien slammed into his lookalike from above with a roar of laughter. The burst of flame and dust immediately made it difficult to tell which was the real Damien, but it did not matter to Raven. She took to the air and soared back towards the _Howling Knave_. Dusk was approaching, and artificial lights were spreading through the city. She would be exceptionally difficult to make out against the darkening sky and streetlamps. She preferred moving at night. She was in her element.

She returned to the ship to find Morgan and Cassandra to be standing on the docks in battle stances. A quick survey of the area indicated that they were not fighting seriously. There were multiple fractures in the wood where Morgan's blows had not connected, yet they were far too small to have been caused by any of his elementals. The prince had not activated his Devil Fruit, merely using a crude wooden sword Raven suspected he had constructed himself. Cassandra was wielding two butter knives, which also explained the multiple markings on Morgan's skin.

Raven let the pair spar while she ate in the galley. Even when she knew there was nobody watching, her habit of eating in rapid bursts to keep her face concealed at all times was ingrained into her muscles. She finished eating quickly and went back outside. She darted between the combatants and thrust her finger into Morgan's wooden blade, breaking it apart. "I have finished conversing with the other pirates. We need to talk."

"We were in the middle of practicing," Morgan snapped as he tucked strands of sandy hair back into his crown.

The doctor eyed the sheen of sweat covering his bare upper torso. While his muscles were not as defined as those of his taller crewmembers, they were still visible beneath the thin layer of fat he had accumulated through years of luxury. "You have clearly been sparring for some time. How many times have you hit Cassandra?"

Morgan pressed his lips together. Cassandra clapped him on the shoulder and flashed a grin. "He's getting there. I'm just teaching him to think out of the box, isn't that right?"

"I'm going to shower." The prince threw aside his broken weapon and took a running jump onto the ship.

Cassandra handed her knives to Raven and accepted the offered glass of water. "So, you got everything done. I'm impressed."

Raven circled her captain, searching for any wounds that had not healed. "Did he hurt you unduly?"

The blue-haired woman swatted at her. "I healed off a hole in my chest two days ago. You know injuries don't mean much to me."

"I aim to alleviate any discomfort you may experience."

"An aim you do not extend to the others. But I will save that for another time." She removed her ponytail and shook her hair free. "Come, I need to rinse off."

Raven did not want to wait. She gripped Cassandra tightly and kicked off. It was slightly easier than carrying Alexander, as the musician weighed slightly more and his clothes only made him heavier. She deposited Cassandra before the woman's quarters and opened the door. "Clean yourself quickly."

Cassandra smirked at her. "Touchy, are we?"

"I do not care about their opinions. I care about yours. Do not delay any longer."

The pirate captain sighed as she removed her sweaty clothing. "I see you didn't get why I told you to talk to them."

"You said I could not predict their responses. You were incorrect. Cain, Alexander, and Morgan all recommended that I leave. Lyn recommended that I stay. Damien does not care enough to provide a response. I was only unsure of Alexander's response. What is your opinion?"

"We are not done with the others."

"Yes." Raven stood on the ceiling and stared directly into Cassandra's eyes. "We are."

Cassandra moved close enough to graze Raven's skin. "No, we're not. Do you think I made you talk to them because I was bored? Because I wanted to see if you'd disobey me?"

"I will never disobey you," Raven said softly, "but I would like to know why."

"Then tell me what they told you."

As Cassandra rinsed the sweat and dirt from her body, Raven recounted her day. The pirate captain listened raptly, even laughing a few times. When both women were done with their respective activities, Cassandra sat on her bed while Raven perched on Lyn's. "I'm impressed, Raven. You far surpassed my expectations. I never thought you would be so patient."

"Perhaps I should not have been as thorough."

"Don't be silly." Cassandra looked around and clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Where do you keep hiding my damn knives? What if I get attacked?"

"You forget that Lyn comforts you if you experience particularly harsh nightmares. You already lash out at her when she approaches you. Having easily accessible blades would result in Lyn being severely injured."

"Ah." The pirate captain leaned back against the wall. "Never mind then. Still, I'm very glad you were so thorough. What do you think of their responses?"

Raven did not want to talk about the other pirates or their opinions. She wanted to know what Cassandra thought. If the sniper gave her a direct order, the entire problem would be rendered moot. Nevertheless, she knew that Cassandra would not tell her anything unless she answered every question. "Morgan's response summarizes the conflict I have between duty to you and duty to my family. Duty is my family's most important value because without it, there is nothing to keep us from turning on each other. Cain's response is overly dramatic. I do not think that world balance is important. You will become Queen of the Pirates, which will cause a significant amount of destabilization. I agree that Storm will not be the strongest head, but my family is not weak. He is unskilled, but not unintelligent. While he himself cannot perform the most dangerous assignments, he can send others to do them.

"Lyn's response is only beneficial if I stay. Having emotions as an Eighth's Assassin is detrimental. I do not want anything; I have no dreams. Having desires would distract me from performing optimally. Alexander's response seems the most logical to me. Even if I were to ignore duty to my family, the best way to keep the Black Glove Pirates alive is to leave without any resistance. My family will continue to pursue us until I am at my father's side. Damien's response was useless."

Cassandra's eyes had closed, but Raven knew the pirate captain was only thinking. "Very good, Raven. I never thought you'd do so well. Granted, you seem to have missed a few things, but-"

Raven moved to crouch on the wall above her captain. "I missed nothing."

"Of course you did. You'd know why I told you to go to them otherwise. Now, you all call me a genius, the smartest woman in West Blue, but our crew has a tendency to be hyperbolic. I'm just someone who does her best to outsmart her opponents. But I do know my crew, you best of all. You are an amazing woman, Raven. You were the top of our class, even if I undermined that slightly. You know more about the human body than I ever will. Duty is your only drive, but you still have free will.

"But what's truly incredible is how you fit into our crew. You feel nothing, but you still try to find your place. I mean, if I told you half a year ago that you would be willing to ask others about dreams or emotions or conversations, you'd dismiss me for being absurd. But Alexander and Lyn both love helping you. They'll be so sad if you leave. Cain is a bodyguard, but doesn't begrudge you at all for being an assassin. Rather, he knows how you've protected the rest of us and respects you all the more.

"And let's face it, you're not Shinobu. Your skills were designed for assassination, not combat. But Damien could take on almost any person in West Blue in single combat, and he hasn't won a single match against you. Similarly, you were never actually trained to be a doctor, but you spend hours each night studying medical books to help us recover from injuries. You do your best to be as useful as you can, and we are all thankful for that. We're not just happy because you're a good killer and doctor, but because you're important to us. You're a part of this crew, and it's hard to picture the Black Glove Pirates without you.

"That's why Lyn was upset: you don't realize how important you are. You need to be selfish sometimes."

"You speak of being selfish," Raven cut in, "but there is no possible way of eluding my family."

Cassandra's lips spread into a wide smile. "Oh, cut me some slack, Raven. I said I'm not a genius, but I have been planning."

"We will discuss that too, but you did not say what I missed."

"You are a Black Glove Pirate," Cassandra said as if that explained everything. "We all are. You're wrong when you think that this is just your problem. It is ultimately your decision, and we will support you no matter what, but don't think that it doesn't matter to the rest of us. We'll all be affected. We are a crew. We may fight, we may hate each other, we may try to kill each other, but we will always help each other when we need to."

"Damien does not."

Cassandra sighed. "He's a little different."

"He is more than different. There is not a single instance where his bloodlust and fighting prowess has benefitted the crew. At best, he has been neutral, such as on Autumn Isle and Winter Isle, and at worst caused significant damage. Even fights that only he could win would not have happened if he had not started them in the first place."

"You're right." Raven had not expected Cassandra to so readily agree. "He's almost always not helpful. But just once, he did protect someone. He completely forsook attacking to defend his crewmember."

"I find that highly unlikely." The black-clad doctor tried to remember every encounter she had seen or heard of. "Damien does not protect anybody. He told me himself."

"I have it from a very credible source that he did."

"Protecting Alexander before he became a pirate does not count."

"Believe it or not, it wasn't Alexander that he protected. It was the last person I would have ever expected him to protect, someone he hates more than almost anyone alive."

Raven did not understand. "Who?"

Cassandra opened her eyes and stared straight at Raven. "You."

It was not often that Raven was at a complete loss for words. She searched her captain's eyes for any sign of deceit, but found none. The very concept of Damien defending her was unthinkable. She could not even visualize such an event. "Impossible."

"We are pirates. We thrive on the impossible. Reichmann Island is the only time when he acted against his natural bloodlust."

Raven maintained eye contact, still attempting to detect any trickery. "If you count deciding against strangling me because I reminded him of 'Captain's Orders,' you are incorrect."

"I'm not. I'm talking about when he defended you from the Albino Panther."

"You are still incorrect. He tried to kill both me and Spencer-Patrick."

"And you were knocked out." Raven did not want to be reminded of that. She had to dodge Damien's attack, but her evasive maneuver had put her right in the path of the Shichibukai's cane. "Do you know why Damien didn't take him out?"

"Without the knowledge that Spencer-Patrick is one of the Seven Warlords, he could not muster the strength to win."

Cassandra shook her head. "It's because he was protecting you. When Cain got there, he was over you, beaten to the brink of death, but still not letting you get hurt any more. That is one of the biggest reasons I will defend his place on this crew. If he is willing to defend you of all people…"

"That was once. His behavior is only growing worse. That is one of the biggest reasons I do not think leaving this crew would be beneficial to your survival."

"The point is he protected you. Somewhere deep in his fucked up mind, he is my crewmember. Your job isn't to stop him. Your job is to keep me alive when I do." Cassandra rubbed the Jolly Roger stitched on the back of her left glove. "You and he are Black Glove Pirates, just like Morgan and Alexander and Cain and Lyn. What our dear musician said was the truth, something that I know more than anyone. If you really want to do something, I won't get in your way. I will be sad if you do permanently leave, but I won't fight unless you want me to."

"I definitely do not want you to fight," Raven said instantly. "You may die. That would be unacceptable."

"Ah, well, what I meant was I wouldn't fight you. I'll fight if they try to take you without your consent."

The small doctor leaned in. "I do not want you to fight them. If you come up with a suitable plan, then I will stay. Otherwise, I will depart without resistance."

A grin matching the grin on her bounty poster grew on Cassandra's face. "Now don't put this all on me. You spent today running around because I wanted you to know many things. You are one of us, no matter how you look at it. We all have varying views, but that doesn't mean we aren't one crew. We all have things that are important to us. You are one of those things. You leaving or staying doesn't just affect your family; it affects us as well. You don't understand what you mean to us, but take my word for it: if we didn't care about you, we'd just give you some half-assed answer when you asked us."

Raven knew that mentioning Damien would just be redundant. "I do not care how they feel."

"But I do. Lyn wants what's best for you because you're one of her closest friends. She'd be so upset if you left."

"You faked your death, and she forgave you instantly when you returned."

Cassandra's smile vanished. "And don't think I've forgiven myself nearly as easily. But this isn't about me. You leaving may as well be you dying. You won't return, you won't keep in contact, and you won't live to the fullest. A death of a crewmember is a terrible thing, especially for us so-called immortals."

"Immortals." The name had never made sense to Raven. "A foolish appellation. Damien puts himself into situations with only a slim chance of survival, and you occasionally do the same."

"And without you, our reliable fighting force is reduced by half. But as you told Cain, we don't have to blitz our way to One Piece like our asses are on fire. We have dreams to fulfill, but we know we have our whole lives to accomplish them. We'll find our way. I want you to find yours."

Raven was having a hard time keeping track of Cassandra's constantly-shifting conversation. "You want me to find my way where?"

"Through life," Cassandra said. "Preferably, your path lies with us, but…"

Raven closed her eyes as she thought. Cassandra patiently waited for her to respond. "So you believe I should stay?" the black-clad pirate asked at last.

"Whoa now. Let's not be hasty. I said, I want that for you. I never said that's what you should do."

The sniper got to her feet, but Raven was in front of her in an instant. "I did not come here for riddles, Cassandra."

"You came here for an answer. You might have even been hoping that I'd straight up order you one way or another." If Raven did stay, she would have to learn how Cassandra could anticipate others' thoughts and reactions with reasonable accuracy. "That's not gonna happen. I may be your captain and I may be your elder Moon Sister, but I will never run your life. Black Glove Pirates have to be free to do what they want. Within reason. That's the entire point of being pirates."

"That is unacceptable. Give me an answer."

"Nothing doing. If it helps, I think Lyn and Alexander have the right mindset. Damn it, I really have to do something for those two."

Raven's body did what it always did when her words were met with resistance. "I did not run all around Quoin to get such a useless response from you," she said quietly.

Cassandra's only reaction to the knife at her throat was a broad smirk. "Ah, this brings back memories. As much as you did aim for the vitals, you were always a fan of emptying jugulars and carotids."

"People often talk when they are reminded how easy it would be to silence them."

"And would you silence me? Mutiny against me? Believe it or not, I would face Mors himself with open arms if you sent me to him. I already postponed my meeting with the Lord of Death more times than I care to remember. Better to have a friend put me from my misery than an enemy, I say."

The petite pirate lowered her blade. "I thought you wanted to live."

"I do. I'm trying to say that you and I are both smart women, but also really stupid. I believe with all my heart that you would only kill me if it would in some way ease my suffering." That was indeed a stupid notion. "And you somehow believe that I can divine a way to hold off one of the most powerful assassin organizations with a nun, a musician, a bodyguard, his charge, your fine self, and yours truly? Insanely stupid, doubly so if you think I can somehow keep that bloodthirsty bastard of ours in line for more than two seconds. But you know what? You call that stupidity; the rest of us call that faith."

"Faith: a belief without proof."

"Exactly!" Cassandra said. "I have faith you'll make the right decision. I won't tell you to stay or go. If all that build-up disappointed you, go play with Jay and Damien. Just know this, dear sister: no matter what you choose, no matter how you choose it, no one will be able to tell you if it's right or wrong until after it's all said and done."

Raven stared at her captain as she left the room. Raven had known Cassandra for most of her life, but she had never understood the blue-haired assassin. Even if she left with her family, she would spend much of her time attempting to decipher all of Cassandra's actions. However, she still had to decide whether to stay or not. She would need more time to think about everything she had heard in the past day. As no crewmembers needed immediate medical attention, she had the opportunity to find some secluded place nearby where she could ruminate in peace. She kicked off and left without a trace.


	17. A Night on the Town

Having agonized over many different solutions, Cassandra had finally found an answer to her own quandaries. Raven's situation was regrettable, but ultimately her decision. That wasn't to say that Cassandra didn't share some of the burden; she had to find a way to keep Raven and not have the Eighth's Assassins after her. But for some time, she had been desperately searching for a way to repay her first and second mates. Alexander had been instrumental in keeping the crew functional, making sure Damien stayed in line, and helping relieve tensions that arose. For as long as Cassandra lived, she would never be able to repay Lyn for everything the artist did.

With this in mind, she had come up with an idea she thought would show her appreciation. Aside from a museum or concert, the main intersection of their interests lay in nightlife. Lyn was as gregarious as could be and loved meeting new people. Alexander, while ever the gentleman, was no stranger to raucous gatherings. Thus, she had proposed to go clubbing with the two of them. Alexander had readily agreed, but Lyn's expression had lit up in that very familiar, very worrying way.

What had begun as a simple visit to a nearby club turned into a plan to go to the most extravagant nightspot in Quoin. While Cassandra initially resisted, she was no match for Lyn's simpering pout. Alexander didn't help her case at all by reminding her that although Cassandra had won the Bounty Hunter game, Lyn was the non-captain winner. After a round of victory dancing, Lyn had gotten to work planning their outing.

Cassandra was once again astonished at what Lyn could do when she put her mind to it. In less time than it took Cassandra to find out everything she could about the nightclub in question, Lyn had designed outfits, collaborated with her crewmembers, and sent them out to procure everything she needed. Before Cassandra could figure out what Lyn had done, the first mate had whisked her away to go clothes shopping.

Now, Cassandra was very used to shopping with Lyn, but she had never done so while attempting to find what Lyn called 'the perfect dress.' She was dragged all over town to find a seemingly mythological piece of fabric. She envied Alexander, who had gone with Morgan to pick out a simple suit. She enjoyed shopping with Lyn, but the endeavor took an entire day and tried her patience ever so slightly. She was tempted to inflict serious bodily harm when the dress Lyn wound up approving came from the first shop they had visited, but she couldn't fault Lyn's choice in clothing. Besides, she had acquired the rest of her outfit along their jaunt through the shopping district. She was especially amused how Raven appeared out of nowhere to transport their acquisition back to the_Howling Knave_ after every purchase.

When Cassandra woke up the next day, all of her crew was gone. Even Morgan was away, having left her a plateful of food for breakfast. Rolling her eyes, she went about her daily routine without too much on her mind. Her daily exercise was a full sprint across the city and into the suburbs to check up on Damien and Jay. As she suspected, the pair was still going strong. Both were suffering from grievous wounds, but neither looked ready to back down. Deciding to leave her insane navigator and marginally less insane Moon Sister to their fight, she finished stretching and sprinted back to her ship.

She arrived to find Lyn waiting against the mast with her arms crossed. Without a word of warning, Lyn hoisted her up and carried her into the bathroom. Cassandra had every speck of dirt and sweat scrubbed from her body in record time before being whisked out of the shower and put in the bedroom to dry off. Lyn ran about and talked so quickly that Cassandra barely bothered to listen. She concerned herself with cleaning her guns as she waited for her hair to dry.

She actually started paying attention when certain words kept appearing in Lyn's stream of words. "Wait, what? Say that again?"

"Well, Morgan really likes purple and pink, so I thought-"

"No, before that," Cassandra said. "What about concealed what now?"

Lyn frowned as she tried to remember. "Well, I know you don't normally use makeup, but I really want you to look super-duper awesome."

"No, Lyn-"

"I know it's more than you usually use, so here's some foundation, primer, concealer-"

"Lyn! Concealed _weapons_! What about those?"

"Oh, those! Yeah, I knew there was no way in hell you were going to go anywhere without weapons. I don't think I've ever seen you leave the ship without at least ten different pokey stabby shooty things. So I talked to Raven and Alexander, and we came up with some pretty neat things!"

"Okay, can you tell me what so I don't accidentally hurt myself or someone else? Well, and so I can actually use them when I need to."

Lyn ceased her frenzied movement and glanced around. "Well, let's start with your bra. There's a tiny blade more for poking than cutting. Then there're the gloves which have-"

"And where is everything?"

"Silly Captain! Where do you think the others are?"

"I have no idea where the others are."

The first mate sighed in exasperation. She grabbed the snail resting on her rapier and demanded, "Where the hell are you?"

The Baby Den-Den Mushi looked up at her with mild amusement. "We aren't wizards, Lyn. We just finished the modifications, and I still need to get ready."

It adopted a more annoyed expression. "Yes, and getting that special pendant was not cheap."

"I gave you more than enough money so you could get yourself something nice, Morgie," Lyn reminded him. "What about you two?"

The snail gave a wide grin. "Master Walukaga hadn't had such an interesting request in a while, but he's done too."

"And I am nearly finished with modifying the armlet. The alkaloid toxins I gathered from-"

"Get here soon!" Lyn interrupted. "But not too soon, we need to do our makeup!"

Cassandra was more interested in the various ways she would be able to defend herself and her crewmembers than in looking more attractive, but decided to humor Lyn anyway. "Thanks boys and girl, that'll be all." She reached over and hung up the receiver. "I know you've gone out before, but we need to really establish some safety rules for going out in the Grand Line."

"I know it's dangerous, but laterrrrrr," Lyn whined. "So here we have foundation, primer, concealer, eyeshadow, mascara, and last but not least, lip gloss!"

Cassandra eyed the large collection distrustfully. "I see. Do I really need all that?"

"Of course," Lyn said as if it were completely obvious. "You are going to go to the bar and knock 'em dead!"

By the end of the makeup application process, the pirate captain was idly considering taking Lyn's words literally. However, she could not deny Lyn had done an excellent job. As she turned her head from side to side, admiring the first mate's work, she gave a wide grin. "Damn, I look good. I didn't know you were so… When the hell did you have time to-"

"I'm a ninja!" Lyn chirped cheerfully, having somehow managed to do her own makeup along with Cassandra's. "Now, let's get up all dressed up. Raven?"

The doctor appeared with a large bundle of items. Cain was leaning in behind her, two dresses hanging from his fingers. "Your orders were peculiar, but fitting. I still need a minute or two for the poison to stabilize. I will not be following you, but-"

"Yes, _mom_," Lyn said as she began relieving her crewmates of their burdens.

"I am not your moth-"

Lyn finished grabbing everything and kicked the door shut. "Aaaaanyway, put your ring on. You're gonna have a good time with us! Now, here are your gloves. They're a little more badass than your usual ones, see?" Cassandra slipped the long black gloves on, raising an eyebrow at the unusual weight. "Metal sewn into the gloves. Also, you can put knives in here and here. Also also, pull on your left pinkie."

Cassandra did so and smiled as the finger covering detached from the rest of the glove. Her ring slid off as well, allowing her regeneration to kick in again. She lashed out a few times, testing the heft of the new gloves, before drawing a knife and throwing it into the wall. "Not bad, dearest Lyn, not bad. What else you got?"

"Well, there are the boring things like the boots with knives in them and the hairpin is a good lockpick and the thigh pistols, but the super cool ones are the shinies!"

"We can deal with the shinies in a bit, just help me into this damn dress."

"Only if you help me with mine!"

It took quite some time for Cassandra to find a suitable way for her blood red dress to completely hide her weapons. Her belt helped significantly, a broad black band with a blade in the gold buckle, but she spent a good while adjusting it to keep the chain sewn along its length from digging into her sides. She practiced drawing the tiny pistols from the holsters strapped to her thighs until she was satisfied. Smiling, she cast a critical eye over what little cloth constituted her female partner's dark green clothes. "Are you going armed?"

"Nope! You're the only one! Not all of us carry weapons everywhere."

The pirate captain grunted as she pulled on on her long black boots. "Well, excuse me for being cautious."

"No, Cain is cautious. You're straight up paranoid!"

"Same thing." She froze as someone knocked on the door, a blade half tucked into a boot. "Yes, Morgan?"

"May I enter?"

"You may."

The prince strode inside as pompously as ever, a collection of small boxes in his hand. Cassandra eyed his obviously new pair of earrings, which sported expensive-looking pink gemstones. While she did know that Morgan was the expert when it came to adornments, she wasn't convinced that sending him to acquire their jewelry was good for their coffers. "What do you have for us?"

"I have Lyn's jewelry," he stated, his eyes roving over the scantily-clad woman's body. "I did a fine job, if I do say so myself. A choker for your neck, chandelier earrings for your ears, and a fine chain bracelet opposite your glove."

"Silly Morgan, where else would chokers and earrings and bracelets go?" Lyn asked happily.

"And did you get anything for me?"

"Yes and no," Morgan said. "I acquired your necklace and armlet, but they needed to be modified. Raven said she would be here."

"And here I am." The elementalist jumped as Raven materialized behind him, then bowed his head and retreated. Raven stepped forward with a box in each hand. Remembering the doctor's previous comment about poison, Cassandra opened the first box and gingerly lifted out the necklace. She stared at the crescent moon pendant, attempting to figure out where the danger lay. Raven took the necklace and began spinning it through the air. Cassandra blinked as the necklace flew by her ear and embedded itself deeply into the wall. "Its edge has been sharpened, and the pendant is thicker than most so as to not break when used in combat. That is the less dangerous addition. Remove your ring."

Cassandra did as she was bidden. Raven removed the armlet and held it before her captain. "This contains toxin I gathered from Ranit O'Meya. If you twist this," a small needle popped out, "you will be able to surprise your opponent."

The pirate captain moved the armlet from side to side, admiring its work. The tiny barb was almost invisible against the black metal. "I see. What if I accidentally stab someone I don't want killed?"

"I synthesized an antivenom using Damien as the test subject. He thought I was merely curing him-"

"No! Bad Raven!" Both Moon Sisters glanced at the angry first mate. "No testing on crewmates!"

Raven ignored her. "It will only negate the most severe consequences, so there will still be dangerous side effects. I recommend that you take care not to inadvertently inject someone."

"Thanks for the tip." She twisted the armlet again and carefully put it onto her arm. She wasn't sure whether the tingle on her skin was because of the poison or her imagination. "Is that all?"

"Is that all?" Lyn asked incredulously. "All of that isn't enough?"

"No, of course it is," Cassandra assured her. She was used to walking around more heavily armed, but the first mate had done her best. "I love it."

Lyn's radiant smile lit up the room. "I knew you would!" she shouted as she threw herself onto her captain. "This is gonna be the best night ever!"

Cassandra was about to agree when a thought occurred to her. "Wait a moment, how much did all of this cost?"

It had taken a considerable amount of self-restraint to keep herself from exploding at the first mate. The Black Glove Pirates hadn't exactly been rich, but they had had enough funds to keep them alive and healthy. To hear that Lyn had run through nearly all of their money was quite a shock indeed. She had thought Morgan would be the most irresponsible with his money, even considering the stash he thought she didn't know about. Only the fact that the entire crew had contributed, wanting her to enjoy the evening as much as possible, kept her from giving Lyn the same spending restrictions as Morgan.

After Lyn's finishing touches, perfume and two small bags Cassandra hadn't seen her purchase, they emerged into the warm night. While Cassandra had known her male crewmembers were outside, she hadn't expected a round of applause. Lyn took theatrical bows while Cassandra merely stared at them. "Did I miss something?"

"Not at all, Captain," Alexander said. "You look amazing."

"Hey, what about me?" Lyn whined.

The musician rolled his eyes. "You look good too, Lyn."

Alexander's usual fastidiousness meant his present appearance wasn't too different to his everyday clothes, but Cassandra's sharp eyes could see he had visited a barber recently. His grey suit and orange tie looked brand new, and he looked as gentlemanly as he ever had. Unfortunately for him, while he was a few inches shorter than Lyn and Cassandra normally, their heels only worsened the height difference. Cassandra decided not to comment on it. "You dress up well, Alexander. But what was with the clapping?"

The three men looked at each other. "Well, we think you both look great," Alexander said slowly. "But... it's a little surprising..."

"What is?" Cassandra demanded.

"It's not often you show your feminine side," Morgan said. "It's certainly an interesting change. Did you always have bre-" He was cut short as Cain gave him a small nudge, sending him staggering clear across the deck.

"Are you saying I'm unladylike most of the time?" She drew a knife partway from her glove.

Morgan paled slightly, but Alexander could tell she wasn't being entirely serious. "I'd say you look more dangerous than you usually do." Cassandra frowned in confusion. "We're used to people baring weapons, mostly because you walk around with enough arms to outfit a small army. Right now, you have a certain je ne sais quoi, a less obvious threat, but no less dangerous. It's like how you can just feel Raven can kill you without her doing anything but staring at you."

"And what about me?" Lyn leapt into the conversation. "Do I have a certain janus aqua too?"

Alexander glanced at the scantily-clad woman. "Yes, Lyn, you definitely do. Anyway, shall we depart?"

"Will you allow me to at least see you there?" Cain boomed.

"Unnecessary," Cassandra said, but relented when she saw the determination on his face. "Oh, all right. But I want you to go do something else while we're at the club. Don't be hanging around waiting for us to depart; that's an order. And if you say one thing about you being used to it, I'll knock you out right here and now."

The massive man only grinned. As he lifted the three pirates onto his shoulders, taking care not to crinkle their meticulous outfits, Raven landed on his head. "Cassandra and Lyn are carrying Chief and Spot in their bags. A sharp blow to the bag should dislodge the receiver. Cain has Omni and will ask whether the dislodging was intentional. If you do not respond or shout for help, Cain and I will be there. Your safety is paramount, and we will not hesitate to extract you by any means we deem necessary."

Cassandra had a brief vision of the giant pirate barging into the club, white armor instantly drawing the attention of the entire establishment. "Duly noted. Cain, if you would?"

"Right away, Captain Libera." Cain stepped off the ship, only pausing to make sure they were secure before moving through the city. The streetlights made the large pirate look so menacing that the pedestrians gave him a significant berth. His brisk pace matched the jog of any regular human, meaning they arrived at the nightclub in very little time. At Cassandra's request, they stopped to grab some food, expending most of their remaining money.

As they were carefully placed back on the ground, Cassandra made a quick call. "How do you feel about larceny, dear sister?"

"Infiltration is not difficult for me."

"Good. I don't care how you do it, but if you could get at least a million, that'd replenish our emergency stores. More than that would not be unappreciated. Anything that's not cash, give to our cook for appraisal. Man may be a greedy prick, but that does occasionally come in handy. Keep track of everything you show him."

Chief went to sleep as Raven hung up. Cassandra gave a small smile as she pocketed the snail, knowing she'd return to at least five million waiting in her coffers. She really hoped Raven didn't leave her crew and was half a mind to outright order the doctor to stay. The only reason she didn't was she refused to control her crewmembers' lives so absolutely. She was their captain and she did give orders, but she would never force them to do something they didn't want to do.

The bouncer was a thick-necked thug with wide eyes and arms hairier than most peoples' scalps. He stared down at them for a long moment when they bypassed the line, then pulled the door open and let them in. "Hands on our waists, Alexander," Lyn murmured. "You're with two beautiful women; act like a gentleman."

"A real man doesn't treat women like objects." Alexander's voice grew louder as volume of the music increased. "But I don't think there's a single person here who would think that you are mere objects."

By the time they entered the main room, Cassandra had dulled her senses to prevent herself from being overwhelmed. Not one for the club scene, the pirate captain wasn't sure exactly what to do. She stiffened when Alexander's hand tightened around her waist. She turned to snap at him, only to see that Lyn was dragging him towards the bar. Cassandra wasn't used to dancing socially, but she was no stranger to drinking. Her nakama had seen to that.

They only had to wait for a moment before the bartender got to them. "What'll it be?"

"She's a firstie, he's a grandee, and I like to have fun!" Lyn said. "Surprise us!"

The bartender gave a broad grin as she eyed the trio. "You got it, gorgeous."

Cassandra was gladder than before that she had told Raven to replenish their funds. She leaned back against the bar, staring out over the dance floor. "As I said before, let's have some little rules. What you do with other people is almost entirely not my business, but I do want you to be safe. I'm not your mother; I won't tell you not to go home with strangers. All I'm saying is be careful."

"What if we meet someone we really like?" Alexander asked.

"Again, you're a big boy. Just know if any of you bring someone back to the ship, they have to meet the rest of us. That especially goes for any potential relationships you may have."

"Aww, c'mon Captain," Lyn whined. "Do we have to do this now?"

"We're all sober and not otherwise occupied," the alchemist reasoned. "Now is as good a time as ever."

Lyn rolled her eyes, but made no further complaints. Cassandra took a deep breath before she continued. "And Lyn, if you bring a bed buddy back, do something to ward me away."

"Tie on the door is the men's agreement," Alexander inputted. "Although I don't think it's ever come up. I know for a fact Damien and Cain haven't done that. Cain barely fits on his own; a woman his size would just break the room."

"Any sign will do, Lyn," Cassandra interrupted. "If I'm drunk, I may not smell another person."

"Yeah, yeah," Lyn said dismissively. "Ooh, drinks! What's this?"

"The boy gets an Unwinder, you gets a New Popper, and you get a Nightfall." The bartender leaned in. "Those last two are from them."

Cassandra glanced to see a group of men at the other end of the bar. She raised her glass to them, but made no move to join them. She sipped at her drink, wishing the sweetness didn't mask the alcohol. Despite that, she couldn't deny that it was an excellent starting drink. She wasn't terribly amused at the cherry floating in her drink, plucking it out and gnashing it between her teeth. The men looked slightly taken aback, one of them giving a dark scowl.

"Would it kill you to be a little nicer?" Lyn said exasperatedly. "We're here to have fun."

The pirate captain rubbed her seastone ring with her thumb. "I'll try to play nice. No promises."

Lyn gave a wide smile and raised her empty glass. "It's a wonder you're not a two hundred pound alcoholic," Alexander said dryly.

"Maybe you should have gotten something a little stronger than an Unwinder. Maybe a Stick-up-your-ass Remover?"

"Nightfall is a good start, but I wouldn't drink every phase of the night. Then again, I want my liver to last past my mid-thirties."

"Cute, Alex, but I'm not-"

"Even if I slammed a shot of Clam Special, I wouldn't excuse you not using my full name."

Cassandra sighed. "Look, I'm not the only one who needs to play nice."

"Fine, fine." Lyn sounded as if Cassandra had made the most difficult request ever. "Truce?"

Alexander rapped his glass against Lyn's. "That would imply that we were fighting."

"All I want you to do is relax a little," Lyn told him. "See that girl sitting over there? She looks pretty cute, dresses up nice."

"She's not dancing, but she looks bored, not nervous. Probably here with friends who left her."

Lyn flicked Cassandra's temple. "Assassin mode off, party mode on. C'mon, Alexander, man up and talk to her! If you don't, I wouldn't mind seeing what she likes."

The musician raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you'd do that for me."

Her laughter was almost drowned out by the music. "Silly Alexander! That's for me, not you!"

"You and her?" Alexander scoffed. "If Captain's right – and she's rarely not – she's not your type. You'd probably exhaust her."

"First watch for three days says you're wrong."

"You're on." Lyn flagged down the bartender and ordered two more drinks. When the cocktails came, she stuck her tongue out at Alexander and went over to the seated woman.

The musician sipped at his drink, but failed to hide his grin. Cassandra nudged him in the ribs to regain his attention. "Forgive me, but I… thought you'd put up a little more of a protest." Alexander gave a confused frown. "I don't know. Just that Lyn's a woman and… I just thought, you're typically more…"

Alexander seemed to figure out what she was getting at. "Prudish?"

"Conservative," Cassandra finished lamely.

"Part of being a gentleman pirate is that I get the better parts of both," Alexander said. "My friend Dizzy had two dads, and Captain Sasha didn't always have body parts normally associated with women. As you said, Lyn's a woman. She's free to enjoy the company of literally whoever she wants. Besides, you know her better than anyone. That woman is lucky to meet her."

Cassandra grudgingly accepted his explanation. "I guess she is."

"Unlike some people I could care to mention."

She slapped him in the back of the head. "Hey, you were the one who wanted to join me, remember?" She paused when she saw him rubbing his head. "What's wrong?"

"Just hit a little harder than usual, that's all."

"Oh, Alexander, I'm so sorry!" She dumped a nearby patron's ice into a napkin and pressed it on his neck. "These gloves are a little heavier than I'm used to. That and the music's really loud so I have to cut my hearing in half and I'm pretty sure I suck at drinking."

Alexander broke down into laughter, instantly removing all remorse she had. "You know, for all the drinking you do when Damien challenges you, you really are a lightweight."

"Bastard. When Lyn gets back, we're ditching your sorry ass."

"Whatever Captain. If you have another drink, take off your ring."

"Lyn's right, you are no fun."

"Hey," a large man said, putting his hand on the counter between them, "is this guy bothering you?"

"Unbelievably so," she said with a smile. "Enough about him. I'm Sandra."

"Vincent. Up for a dance?"

She was both surprised and impressed by his straightforward invitation. Part of her didn't like the prospect of dancing in the middle of so many people, but she did want to have the full nightclub experience. "Most definitely."

The musician raised his glass. "Have fun, _Sandra_."

"Oh, I will, _Xander_." The surprise on his face was worth the annoyance that would inevitably come after. Even in jest, he was very touchy about his name. She put him from her mind as she followed Vincent onto the dance floor. As much as she hated to admit it, her alcohol tolerance stemmed entirely from her Devil Fruit. She knew she wasn't thinking too clearly, but she truly didn't care. As they moved to the middle of the crowd, he released her hand and began moving to the beat. She hadn't danced in a club before, but mimicking her fellow female dancers enabled her to blend in.

She wasn't sure whether it was the alcohol, the lights, the body heat, the music, the closeness of her dance partner, but she began to lose track of what was going on. At some point, Vincent left to be replaced by another man, Harry or Harvey. Her new companion was less forward than Vincent had been, always maintaining a small distance between them. He had brought her another drink, which she felt she shouldn't have accepted. She was supposed to be the responsible one, but she supposed Alexander could handle that position tonight.

The second mate did attempt to pull her from the dance floor, but she waved him away. The glare she fixed upon him kept him from trying a second time. She spotted Lyn dancing nearby with a well-groomed man in a garish yellow outfit. His hands were moving lower and lower, which didn't sit well with Cassandra. It took what little restraint she had left to keep herself from removing his hands all together.

Her dance partner evidently followed her gaze, as his hands found their way onto her hips. She grabbed his hands and removed them forcefully. His amiable gaze darkened, and he moved away. She only danced alone for a few moments before yet another partner found his way in front of her. This one lasted significantly longer before making a move. When she warded away his hands, he didn't look too upset. He continued to dance with her for some time, maintaining a distance that suited Cassandra just fine.

The pirate captain left the dance floor feeling significantly better than before. Everything her companion said was hilarious. Bouts of laughter kept interrupting her attempts to hold a conversation. Her crewmembers were all safe and sound; she didn't have to worry about them. She was pretty sure she had returned to her ship at some point, because the ground moved exactly like the floor of a rocking boat. Not that it mattered to her, she had long since perfected walking in a straight line aboard her ship. The only problem with her theory was that she didn't remember there being so many people aboard the _Howling Knave_.

When she got to the bar, she tried and failed to locate her first and second mates. Her decision to amplify her senses to track them was one she immediately regretted. She soon found herself recovering in a secluded booth, her companion watching over her. Her mind was hazy, and her eyes couldn't seem to focus. Her headache slowly receded as she sipped at a glass of water. She thanked the man gratefully and leaned back, closing her eyes to rest them.

Every nerve in her body fired up when she felt a pair of lips on hers. Her body tensed, and she roughly shoved him away. He looked at her in confusion before moving in again. His confusion turned to anger as she repelled him a second time and shot to her feet. Their argument was short and loud, drawing the attention of everyone in their vicinity. It terminated with him turning away and calling her a 'cocktease' over his shoulder.

Only the timely appearance of Alexander kept her from leaping at the man. For some reason, the alchemist seemed actually able to overpower her for once. She couldn't move her feet at all. She wished she had some way of hitting the retreating man despite the distance between them. Upon remembering the multitude of armaments strapped to her body, she tried to retrieve them, only to have each weapon confiscated as she drew them. She finally calmed down after Alexander gave her a series of logical reasons not to kill anybody. After she put away all of her weapons, he let her out of the ground restraint he had quickly transmuted.

Still wanting to dance but not willing to risk another stranger, she dragged Alexander to the dance floor. It seemed slightly strange to her for Alexander not to be the source of the music around them. It wasn't long before Lyn gamboled up and threw herself onto them. They all laughed merrily as they moved to the beat without a care in the world. It was a good night to be nakama and a good night to be alive.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Morgan smiled as he examined the jewel before him. The sepessartite was well cut and suited its necklace excellently. Orange wasn't his color, but he could think of a few outfits it would complement. If he didn't want it, it would definitely fetch a hefty sum. He put it in the smaller of the two piles of jewelry he had on the medical ward counter. The insufferable doctor had merely grabbed anything that glittered, not bothering to check for quality or if the item was even valuable. For every ruby or emerald, there were two fake gemstones, three glass beads, and five items he suspected were from street vendors. Only the sheer quantity of the load soothed his nerves.

He had been warned not to take any of it for himself, but it didn't matter to him. Only a few ornaments really drew his fancy, and he was sure he could get them as his share of the loot. He leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms to relieve some of their stiffness. He carefully placed the two piles into the pair of boxes he had been given for this express purpose. One he labeled 'GARBAGE' and the other had a list of the items and his estimations of their worth,

Idly fingering his necklace, he set about his other task. He picked up the Baby Den-Den Mushi he had been given and held it before him. "I'm done with the jewels. Most of what you got me was trash, but there is enough to sell for three to four million."

Now was the important part. Raven's response didn't mean anything to him. What he needed was the location of M.D., the snail that resided in the medical bay. Raven's voice was broadcasted by the snail, enabling to hone in where it was stationed. He heard it coming from the bow direction, but Raven finished talking before he was able to locate it. "I'm sorry, you broke up a little. Could you repeat that?"

"If you lied and call jewelry you wish to keep 'trash' so we do not notice if it goes missing, there will be severe repercussions."

He couldn't fault her for her reasoning - the thought had crossed his mind - but he knew that it wouldn't matter soon. More importantly, he found where M.D. was hiding. He plucked the snail from its perch and carefully replaced its receiver, sending it to sleep. He put the snail back and ascended the stairwell, running through the checklist. The Black Glove Pirates owned seven Baby Den-Den Mushi. One was in his possession, two with the partygoers, two with the guardians, which left one asleep and one remaining. With the slightest degree of trepidation, he hopped up to the women's quarters and entered.

Having never even seen the interior, he wasn't fully prepared for the disarray inside. One half was reasonably tidy, but the other looked like a natural disaster had hit it. Gingerly stepping over the discarded boxes and stuffing paper, he made his way to the center of the room and took out his snail. "Cain, are you there?"

"Yes, Morgan?"

The prince pursed his lips, displeased with how familiar his bodyguard was becoming. Cain had adapted to piracy far too quickly for his liking. He knew strictly by order of ship presence, Cain had been there before him, but it was still against the natural order for his bodyguard to address him so casually. "Could you check to see if that blacksmith finished with my order?"

"Master Walukaga didn't mention you had an order."

_That's because I didn't place one_. "That's odd; he definitely should have. Perhaps I failed to mention you by name, and he doesn't know of our mutual affiliation. Regardless, he said he would leave it in the back for me to pick up later tonight, but I'm afraid I will be occupied in the galley. Pick it up for me."

"You do not have the authority to issue orders."

Morgan imagined the frustrating woman were in his tightening fists. "Cain, would it be too much trouble to stop by the forge and retrieve it?"

"Not at all. Is that all?"

The elementalist smiled as he gently lifted the final Baby Den-Den Mushi from inside the closet and put it to sleep. "Yes. Thank you for your help."

"It is my pleasure."

Morgan hung up the receiver and heaved a happy sigh. "Mine too."

Making sure not to awaken the two mechanized snails, he placed them in the closet and covered them in clothes. The only way those would be broadcasting any time soon was if the entire ship were overturned. Straightening his crown, he exited the women's quarters after stopping to admire the size of the bra lying on the unmade bed. He leapt onto the main deck and touched the sprig tied to his necklace. In no time, he was winding his way up the main mast, thick green coils gripping the wooden column tightly. He arrived at the crow's nest to find Spiral waiting for him.

"You took care of their communications," the assassin said straightforwardly.

Morgan pressed his lips together. As much as he hated Raven, he admitted that she spoke marginally less offensively than the rest of her family. "They will not interfere. Do you have my money?"

"One hundred million in bills and one hundred and fifty million in assorted jewelry in a safe location that will be disclosed to you upon the Traitor Duchess' death. You remember the terms."

"I will never disclose my having communicated with you, and when I am King Zematsal, I will exclusively use the Eighth's Assassins, regardless of the type of mission. Furthermore, I will not use my knowledge of having directly interacted with the family, instead using the usual spy communications. And my terms?"

"We will not harm the Traitor Duchess' crewmembers, save for the navigator, and you will watch the Traitor Duchess die."

"Correct." Morgan did like Alexander and Lyn enough to spare them from being used as leverage. Besides, with the opportunity so perfectly set up, Cain would be out of the way, Raven was too far away to interfere, and Damien was hopefully getting himself killed. He had provided the Eighth's Assassins with an opportunity to kill Cassandra without interference. "Do you have the seastone?"

Spiral held up a small ball. "Grade A. She will suffer."

Morgan made sure not to touch the blue-green sphere. His single encounter with Grade A seastone had been enough to last him a lifetime. "Then it seems we have a deal. Go; they will return soon."

"You have made a wise decision, Prince Zematsal."

The man dematerialized, leaving Morgan alone in the crow's nest. He descended to the main deck and waited by the railing, sipping at his flask of liquor to soothe his nerves. By sunrise, he would be free from his oppression, free from his asinine restrictions, free from _her_ rule. He was sure the crew would be fine without her. After all, if Raven left with her family and Cassandra left to the afterlife, the crew would only consist of Damien, Alexander, Lyn, and the two bandits. The rest of his plan would come to fruition after that.

He looked up to see three of his crewmembers staggering towards the ship. Alexander was supporting Cassandra, who was dragging her feet and laughing gaily. The musician looked slightly tipsy himself, though nowhere near as drunk as his partners. Lyn skipped around them in wobbly circles, her milky skin flushed pink. He extended the gangplank so they wouldn't have much trouble and leapt onto the docks.

Lyn's eyes lit up when he landed, and she threw herself onto him. "Morrrrrgie! I hope you weren't too boooooored!"

"I was fine," he assured her, ignoring the irritating name she continued to call him. "Alexander, could you please take her into the galley? Water and medicine are on the table to relieve your future hangovers. I wish to speak with our captain. You should probably take both of their bags too."

"Good thinking, Morgan," the musician said. "Come on, Lyn. We both need this."

"You got it, Alex! Oops, Xander! No, that's not right... Alexander, there we go! Why are you no fuuuun?"

"My idea of fun is slightly different from yours, it would seem."

"What_ever_! You should unwind! Let's go find someplace to drink and dance! We haven't done that in ages!"

Alexander's laughter quieted as he shut the galley door behind them. Cassandra wavered on her feet and tried to fix him with her usual keen glare. The alcohol in her system severely diminished the effect. "What was it you wanted to tell me?"

He waited to make sure he couldn't hear the first and second mates. "I wanted to tell you your reign of tyranny is at an end. As of this moment, you are no longer fit to be captain of the crew."

"What's this?" Cassandra asked. "Are you mutinying too? No, that can't be right. Mutinies only happen when I need a break. Also, are you the one who can do that? I don't think so..."

"I can, and I have," he informed her. Her body convulsed as three dark shapes appeared, each plunging blades into her body. She fell to the ground when they disappeared, but she couldn't scream. Morgan knew the agony of touching Grade A seastone and was glad the assassins had cut her throat to mute any sounds she could make. The trio appeared beside him, each looking at the dying pirate. "Good bye, Cassandra."


	18. Stabbed in the Back

Alexander sighed as he sat back on his haunches and looked at the mess around him. To be fair, it wasn't entirely Lyn's fault that the galley was in disarray. He had fended off the overly-affectionate first mate a little too strongly, sending her stumbling near the table. She had tried to catch herself, but had only succeeded in tipping over the entire table. The glasses and pills Morgan had so generously set out for them were scattered about the floor. A giggling Lyn was flicking the small white capsules around, leaving Alexander to deal with the spilled water. Fortunately, Morgan seemed to have anticipated such an event occurring and had not set out glass cups for them to drink. After refilling the intact cups with water and convincing Lyn to drink a little, the musician set out to find more medicine.

He descended into the medical bay and raised his eyebrows at the two boxes filled with glittering objects. After inspecting them curiously, he withdrew Extra from Lyn's bag and lifted the receiver. "Raven, where do you keep the hangover helpers?"

"There is a container in the cabinet above and to the right of Damien's bed labeled as such by Lyn."

Finding it mildly amusing that his best friend spent so much time in the medical bay that he had a designated bed, Alexander nevertheless searched through the indicated cabinet. "It's not here."

"It may have been moved. There is a backup supply in the drawer beneath that cabinet."

"It's not here either. You should check the ward for poltergeists."

"You are the one who can most easily communicate with spirits."

The musician sighed. "It was a joke, Raven. Any advice on making sure Lyn doesn't suffer?"

"Tell Morgan to prepare a small meal. He should have done so, even if he were appraising the jewels I gave to him."

"Oh, is that what all of this is?" Alexander wondered. "Very interesting. Anyway, I'll get right on that. Good thing Lyn's in the galley already, saves me the trouble of hauling her there. You'd think she would stop drinking so much, the way she complains during her hangovers."

"I have tried to convince her otherwise, as have you. However, without Cassandra's disapproval, she will not cease to overconsume alcohol."

Alexander chortled. "I disapprove, but I'm not going to stop her. It's not like she's actually an alcoholic. She only goes overboard when she forgets to keep track of her drinks, and she's usually pretty good about that." He pushed open the deck hatch and clambered out. "Hey, Morgan! Could you do us a favor-"

He couldn't understand what he saw before him. Captain was struggling on the docks, dark liquid staining the wooden boards below her. Before he could even begin to try to comprehend the sight, Morgan landed at his side and tried to pull him away. "Come, there is nothing more to do."

"Bullshit there isn't!" Alexander exclaimed. He brought Extra to his mouth, only to have it knocked away. "What the hell, Morgan?"

"There is nothing more to do," the prince repeated.

"So long as she's alive, there's always something to do!" Alexander snapped. "Let go of me!"

Morgan's strength grossly outmatched his, rendering him immobile. "We need to talk."

"I'm going to say this once more," Alexander said, a tightness growing in his chest, "let go right now."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

Alexander closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He pictured Captain floundering helplessly, blood spilling from her body, unable to move, unable to breathe. He thought of the woman he owed his life to a thousand times over and thought of her suffering just beyond his reach. "**Let go!**"

While not the most powerful attack he had ever unleashed, it accomplished what it was supposed to. Morgan was propelled backwards, crashing into the wall of the men's quarters. Alexander immediately scrambled down the gangplank and went to his captain's side. She turned her face slightly to focus on him, but her eyes were rolled back and blood was seeping from her mouth. He reached out to touch her, only to have a hand clamp down on his arm. He could feel something very sharp press into his neck, and the cold voice in his ear was eerily familiar. "You will not interfere."

Alexander was filled with equal parts fear, rage, and déjà vu. "No, it can't be. You wouldn't turn on Captain like that."

"Her death is necessary."

"Damn it, Raven! I never would have thought that you'd kill her, not in a million years!"

There was a brief pause. "Without her, there is no decision to be made."

"That doesn't mean that-"

"No, don't hurt him!" Morgan shouted from behind him. "That was part of our deal!"

"Deal? What deal? What are you talking about?"

"It is none of your business."

Alexander begged to disagree. "She is my captain and both of yours. Raven, she was your Moon Sister!"

"That title means nothing," the toneless voice said.

"It does too! Get off me now!"

"So long as you have a chance of saving her, you will not be permitted to interfere."

"Release him!" Morgan commanded. "With the seastone inside her, he won't be able to do anything anyway!"

Alexander felt the blood drain from his face. Seastone inside of her? He had assumed her ring was preventing her from healing, but to hear of seastone actually in her body meant he had no hope of doing anything. "Damn it, what is wrong with both of you? Why would you do this?"

"An agreement was reached. The Traitor Duchess dies, and Prince Zematsal gains a quarter billion Beli."

"Traitor Duchess?" He had never heard that name before. Raven had never called Captain that, not that he had heard. "What are you talking about? She didn't betray anything! She was a good and kind leader! I can't believe you would do such a thing!"

All of a sudden, Captain gave a mighty spasm. Blood erupted from her back, darkening her damaged dress. When her muscles contracted and she curled into a fetal ball, Alexander feared for the worst. He started breathing again when he realized her body was moving very slightly. She was still alive, for the moment. He was distracted by the sounds of a rapid series of hits that shook the air around him. He glanced around, but couldn't see the source of the noise. Dismissing it, he turned back to his dying captain and decided he had to do something, seastone or not. A growl left his throat when he was once more prevented from touching her. This time, there was a thick snarl of vines around his arm. "Morgan, don't think that doing this will get you what you want."

"Did you not hear what I got? Five times her bounty, plenty of funds for-"

"Eau Magie!" The vines dissolved away, only for another cluster to wrap around his other arm. He transmuted that away too, prompting Morgan to leap onto the docks. His vine elemental made virtually no sound as it landed and enveloped the alchemist. He found himself encased directly next to Morgan's head, allowing the prince to speak.

"I don't want to hurt you, Alexander."

"I don't want to hurt you either," he said truthfully, "but treachery cannot go unpunished! Eau Magie!"

He fell to the deck and quickly put some distance between the pair. His movements were for naught as Morgan used the water for his next armor, surging high into the air. The head of the elemental fell towards the ground, only to curve towards him upon hitting the docks. The water struck Alexander like a river from a burst dam, quickly surrounding him and preventing him from drawing breath. Acting quickly, he transmuted the section he was in to metal, which dropped out of the elemental in an instant. A quick transformation back to water freed him from his prison, though the reunion with the ground sent a wave of pain through his body.

"Alexander, listen to reason!" Morgan yelled. "She was an unjust ruler who regarded her subordinates unequally!"

Not knowing whether his voice could be used as a medium again or not, Alexander put two fingers in his mouth and blew. A sharp whistle pierced the air, and the water that tried to encase him again exploded away. Morgan's physical body remained unaffected and he continued forward, soon pinning Alexander to the ground. "Listen to me!" he repeated. "It will be better this way!"

Fury boiled within Alexander, hotter than anything he had felt before. He had never felt such pure anger. Even when the Marines had massacred his family and friends, his rage had been tempered with sadness. Now, he felt that sacrificing his body to channel the tortured souls as his friend did wouldn't be such a bad idea. He concentrated hard on spreading his next transmutation evenly throughout Morgan's water elemental. "Colorant Magie!"

Morgan pulled his opaque elemental back in surprise. His humanoid form began to melt as Alexander had hoped it would. He knew the elementalist had gotten used to suddenly having a different type of armor wrapped around him, but also knew that Morgan had never tried to wrap himself in ink. Taking advantage of the prince's temporary confusion, Alexander bolted for the side of the docks. If he tried to get to his destination via the gangplank, Morgan would surely catch him. He leapt off of the docks and careened towards the _Howling Knave_. He was no fool; he knew that of the pirates, he was the only one who couldn't just jump onto the deck. However, the deck wasn't his target.

"Eau Magie!" He crashed through the transmuted hole into the belly of the _Knave_. After sliding to a stop, he pushed off towards the men's quarters. He heard the cannons groan as they were violently displaced, indicating that Morgan was hot on his tail. Knowing he had no time, he ignored the door leading to the men's room and made another hole. He made a frantic dive as the wall burst behind him.

"Alexander, please, listen to me!" Morgan implored. "Let us be men of reason!"

"You forwent reason when you hired assassins to kill your captain!" the alchemist spat. "Trompette Sonnerie!"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

In Raven's mind, there was a strict hierarchy of orders to be followed.

For the longest time, her father had been at the pinnacle. Cassandra had taken his place, but that would be reversed if she went back to her family. She would only unconditionally obey orders given by either of them, and their orders took priority over all else. Granted, she would operate as she saw fit outside the restrictions of those orders and did not hold back voicing her opinion if she thought the orders were foolish, but she would never disobey.

Next came, Lyn, Alexander, and the senior Eighth's assassins. She only went against their orders if she deemed them completely unnecessary. Her crewmates' orders were more like reasonable instructions, and she rarely saw the need to dismiss them. The older assassins had always done as they saw fit to groom her to serve as Silver's right-hand woman, but occasionally, their commands were unworthy of her time and effort.

Those were the only two ranks above her. At her level, those she could not command and would not obey, were the other assassin heads and Damien. The navigator should have ranked below her, but his steadfast refusal to follow orders rendered his position irrelevant. Beneath her was the rest of the world. She expected everyone else to do as she said. It was not a matter of megalomania or a hunger for power. It was simply how the world worked.

It was because of this that she had not expected her family to attempt to assassinate Cassandra. She assumed Morgan would be too intimidated to do something so monumentally stupid, but he would be dealt with. She had thought her family had a similar mental hierarchy of commands to be followed, albeit slightly adjusted as they were only related to the Son of the Eighth and not direct descendants. It seemed she had been mistaken.

As she changed courses in midair and lashed out at Solemnity, she detected a pattern in their attacks. They were aiming to temporarily disable her and remove her as a threat. That was fine with her; it meant they would not attempt to deliver any lasting injuries. On the other hand, she was free to do as she wished. All three of her present family members were not going to leave Quion alive. When exactly they would die depended on how long they would last under torture.

As a finger darted past her defenses and slammed into her shoulder, she realized a significant hurdle she had to overcome. Part of her family's training involved the relocation of nerves to avoid being incapacitated by certain fighting styles. The extremely painful process was worth it, mostly because it prevented her family from easily turning on each other. As such, she could not disable her opponents with her usual ease. It seemed they had received details about her remapped nervous system from her father, no doubt for this very scenario. It did not matter to Raven. It only secured their fates.

Kicking off midair again, she lashed out with one knife, slicing Spiral's suit from pelvis to axilla. The shallow cut only drew a drop of blood. She planted a foot on his outstretched fist and pushed off, deftly avoiding Solemnity's lunge. She twisted in midair, her other knife aiming for his kidney, but he managed to dodge away a fraction of a second before her blade connected. She darted away from the two assassins, only to hear the faintest of whistles from behind her. She reflexively dodged the blade of air as it flew by her, then realized there were more blades directly behind the first. Despite not being able to see them, she was able to avoid almost all of them, though she was forced to deflect one with her knives. She was unable to diverge it completely, and blood began to flow from a small slice on her forearm.

Having entered the rhythm of the attack, she headed directly for Rain's floating form. No matter how varied the female assassin tried to make her attacks, Raven's reflexes had long gotten used to unpredictability. She wove between the barrage with ease, only occasionally having to turn the waves of sharpened air with her knives. As she was about to strike the female assassin, Solemnity intervened, grabbing her wrists from behind her.

_They are an efficient team_, she thought. She did not want to kill such talented assassins. However, as potential Granddaughter of the Eighth, she had no use for those who disobeyed her. She kicked off hard and careened away from Spiral, who was valiantly trying to chase her. It was fortunate that Damien had killed Rumor, the fastest of her family members sent to retrieve her. It meant she had the edge in speed. Stone was absent, but his whereabouts were of no concern to her. All that mattered is that his defenses would not have to be dealt with.

This did not mean her fight was an easy one. As she twisted herself free of Solemnity's grip, he vanished from her perception, only to reappear above her head. His dangerous aspect was not his speed or defenses, but the complete lack of sound his movements made. Spiral and Rain were both extremely talented at fra furtun, but kicking blades of condensed air was only useful to distract Raven. The move was extremely dangerous at their proficiency, far better than Raven could perform it. Her sharp waves were bright blue-white crescents while theirs were all but invisible. Only reflexes honed by dealing with Damien kept her unharmed.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Spiral dart towards Cassandra. This obviously meant that Cassandra had still refused to die. Raven had removed the seastone barb before she had engaged her family, but she had not had time to remove Cassandra's ring. This meant the pirate captain's regeneration had not been able to activate, and she was still dying. It also meant that the Eighth's Assassins could still kill her. Regardless of Raven's affiliation, that was unacceptable.

Spiral tried to evade her by moving to the side, but she simply altered her course as well. She grasped his ankle, but did not have time to attack him before she saw Rain move towards Cassandra as well. She settled for pushing Spiral forwards, ensuring he would crash headlong into a nearby ship, and sharply angling towards her female relative. Rain hardened her muscles, but Raven's kick still drove the wind from her lungs. She careened backwards, and Raven would have pursued her were it not for Solemnity's timely intervention.

She was abruptly jerked to a halt as he grabbed ahold of her lengthy ponytail. She used the momentum to dart backwards behind her assailant. She hooked an ankle around his shoulder and yanked hard, sending her flying around her relative. She orbited him once before landing on his back, having achieved her goal. She clenched a length of hair in each fist and pulled hard. The loop of hair around his neck tightened, causing him to audibly choke. Knowing that continuing to hold him would leave her vulnerable to her other opponents, she settled for kneeing the base of his skull as she pushed off.

Spiral's finger found its way into her side, causing her breath to hitch. While it did slow her down, the depth he had to press to injure her cost him dearly. She grabbed his forearm with one hand and stabbed a knife clear through his carpal bones, causing severe damage. His clipped cry of pain was increased when she twisted the knife, further ruining his hand. The instant she felt a needle prick her skin, she sped away from him. She did not feel the dryness of her suit change, which meant he had failed to draw even one drop of blood.

A loud blast from below drew her attention. Knowing that hovering in place would make her an easy target, she sped downwards to better see what was going on. Morgan was ejected from the side of the ship amid an explosion of black liquid, barely catching himself before tumbling off the docks. Raven ignored him, knowing she would kill him at her leisure. She darted once over Cassandra to make sure the pirate captain was still breathing. She would have completely severed Cassandra's little finger to start her regeneration, but Cassandra's clenched fists made that option impossible. She had to find a way for that ring to be removed.

_Lyn is in the galley_, she remembered. That bit of information was useless when she could not spare the tiniest fraction of a second. Her family would exploit her protectiveness of Cassandra as best she could. Her mind raced to find a solution as she slathered her knives in more paralytic toxins. She would prefer it if her relatives did not die this night, for it would deprive her of sending a message to any other family member who dared to threaten Cassandra, but she would not hold back in killing them.

"Desist, milady," Rain told her tonelessly. "It is futile to resist. Even if you kill us, more will take our place. It is better to remove this obstacle now."

Raven decided that Rain would be the second to die. Spiral was saved for last, leaving Solemnity as the first. Her hand went to the vial containing her ancestors' black blood, but decided against using it. She remembered consistently overshooting her target when she had last used it, and she could not currently afford such imprecision. An instant away from Cassandra could be fatal to the pirate captain.

As she threw out her foot, putting a blade of air between Solemnity and Cassandra, she analyzed her opponents. They had the luxury of resting away from the dock while she did not. In the long run, they would persevere. That put yet another time limit on the situation that Raven did not need. Assuming Cain was still en route, Morgan and Alexander were engaged in combat, and Lyn was incapacitated, she was the only one who could help Cassandra. She considered severing the nerves that kept the pirate captain in her fetal position, then the ones to loosen her arm and the ones to unclench her fist, but that required accuracy that Raven did not believe she could do with three assassins on her tail.

Another option was to give her muscle relaxants. However, the fastest acting drugs on her person had a high chance of inducing tachycardia and would kill Cassandra before she could be saved. She could not spare the time to enter the medical ward and retrieve a chemical compound she suspected would work. Short of physically transporting the pirate captain into the _Howling Knave_, there was no way of administering the drug.

It was then she was struck with an outlandishly absurd idea. After measuring its pros and cons, the latter list vastly outsizing the former, she knew that it was her best option. It involved only minimal jostling of the downed captain and ensured Raven would have enough time away from her family to remove the ring. The risks were great, but it was the only way Raven could see.

She sped towards her captain as fast as she could. Just before making contact, she slowed down to a manageable speed. Her family members were around her in an instant, but she had anticipated it. Clutching her arms to her body to prevent herself from being grabbed, she hooked a foot underneath Cassandra's stiff body and flipped backwards. The three Eighth's Assassins all seized her body, leaving the pirate captain to roll along the deck.

The first part of Raven's plan was accomplished when she heard Cassandra hit the murky waters below.

Now all Raven had to do was free herself from her family, chase the drowning woman down, wait for enough time to pass for the sea to loosen her muscles, pry off her ring, and pull her to the surface. The difficulty of what Raven was about to attempt did not even register in her mind. It was not a matter of how hard it was. Failure was unacceptable. That was all there was to it.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

When ironing out the details of his deal with Spiral, Morgan had been struck by a very startling realization. Alexander was the closest thing the prince had to a friend.

This revelation had blown him away, but there was no denying it. He didn't have anyone on Winter Isle he considered even close to him. Cain had accompanied him through thick and thin, but that was his job. Morgan refused to believe being friends with one's protector was a good idea. If they performed their duty to the point of intercepting a fatal blow, feeling remorse for their death would make replacing them more difficult and instill a sense of cautiousness that would cause him to take less risks.

Alexander was different. He was smart and talented, but Morgan was used to being surrounded by smart, talented men. What differentiated Alexander was his lack of interest in gaining power. He could easily be the first mate of the crew - Morgan believed him to be a much more suitable candidate, regardless of how attractive Lyn was - but he saw no reason to move up in rank. Furthermore, he wasn't like the other pirates, who completely ignored Morgan's royal status. He acknowledged Morgan as a prince and afforded him as much respect as he could, given his position as second mate.

While Morgan didn't consider Alexander to be a true friend, he was the closest Morgan had. It was because of this that he truly did not want to harm Alexander. The fact that Morgan also wanted access to his alchemy was motivation as well, but his end goal was the same. He wanted to show Alexander that Cassandra was not an ideal captain. She was undeniably good at what she did, but she was not ideal. Her removal would only benefit them.

Unfortunately, Alexander was proving to be much trickier to disable than he had previously anticipated. His days of underestimating the wily pirate were far behind him, yet he could not seem to keep Alexander in one place. He had tried encasing him in vines, water, and even stone, but Alexander had escaped every time. Now that he had a musical instrument, he was ten times harder to engage without inflicting lasting damage. Alexander had significantly more experience in fighting without intent to kill than he did.

Thus, he settled on a different tactic: wearing Alexander out. His attacks no longer carried power, but were designed to tire Alexander as quickly as possible. He had other methods of exhausting the second mate. "Alexander, please! I just want to talk!"

"I will not talk with you!" The alchemist tried to hide it, but his breath was coming more and more heavily. The more he spoke, the less oxygen he was receiving.

"She is not the woman you think she is! She is a deceiver, a traitress!"

His wide haymaker was destroyed by a trumpet burst, water droplets tumbling through the air before vanishing completely. It took Alexander a moment to respond. "She may be, but she does not betray us! That's what counts!"

Morgan swirled around Alexander, his elemental forming a wide circle around the alchemist. "She has betrayed her allies in the past."

The musician's head panned from side to side as he tried to keep track of Morgan's body in the coursing water. "We have forgiven her for what she has done. She has vowed not to repeat her mistakes."

"I am referring to her history as an assassin." Spiral had not told him anything, but Alexander did not need to know that. "How do you think she survived? Assassins grow up lying and cheating to stay alive."

"She is no longer an assassin!" Alexander shouted. "She is a pirate captain! She is your pirate captain!"

"No longer." His elemental constricted, almost catching Alexander in the middle. The alchemist threw out his hands just as the circling water closed in on him, and the innermost part of Morgan's elemental was suddenly a ring of metal. Undeterred, Morgan reared up and crashed down into the center, only to find Alexander wasn't inside. He swiftly located the hole in the side of the ring and coursed through it, only to be blindsided by another blast of sound. He tumbled along the docks, only a small layer of water still clinging to his body.

When he pushed himself to his feet, he expected Alexander to be right before him. Most fighters would have continued the pursuit. Instead, the musician was leaning on the large metal ring, stumbling slightly when it faded from existence. He was very clearly at the end of his rope, only sheer determination keeping him on his feet. His sodden suit clung to his body, further hampering his movement. He was in no shape to continue fighting.

Deciding against trying to aggressively restrain Alexander again, Morgan glided forward, his sandals barely avoiding contact with the ground. Alexander looked up as the prince approached, his bespectacled gaze filling with rage. That didn't bother Morgan. Anger was easier to work with than hatred. "I don't want to hurt you, Alexander."

"Losing loved ones hurts," the soaked musician snapped. "Why did you have to kill her? If you wanted to leave so badly, you should have just left."

"I do not want to leave!" Morgan protested. Alexander's fury was visibly tempered with confusion. "I thought I did, when Spiral first approached me, but as I thought about it, I do not. I still have much to learn about the world, about being a leader."

"Then you should have tried to learn from our captain, not kill her! Trompe-"

Morgan knocked the trumpet from his hands. "Pirates are not so dissimilar from bandits as we like to think. Granted, bandits seem to have a sense of organization on a scale incomprehensible to pirates, but other than that..."

"I do hope your words give you comfort, _Morgan_." The prince tried not to wince at the venom in Alexander's voice. "You had better hope Captain didn't die, because if she does, you won't be far behind."

He raised his eyebrows in shock. "You would break your vow to take no lives for her?"

Alexander's lips pressed together so tightly that his face trembled. "I would seriously consider it, but I am not the one you should be concerned about."

"Raven does not feel, so there's no reason for her to exact revenge." He was reasonably sure about that. "Damien does not care. Who else have I to fear?"

The musician could not think of an answer. "Well, what are you going to do after killing our captain? What were your grand plans, backstabber?"

The truth of the name meant it didn't hurt him. "I was thinking that I could lead the crew. As heir to the-"

"You expect to genuinely mutiny against Captain, to murder her and usurp her position, and we'd simply be okay with that?" Alexander gave a bark of humorless laughter. "You have more ambition than sense, Morgan. It looks like I was wrong about you."

"No, Alexander, listen-"

"**Enough!**"

Morgan was once more blown head over heels, the liquid surrounding his body dispersed by the force of the blast. By the time he recovered, Alexander was already running along the docks. The prince's hand went to his necklace of catalysts, only to realize that it had been separated from his body. Ignoring the unfortunate loss, Morgan chased after the fleeing alchemist, easily catching him before he could finish crossing the street. He pinned the portly man to the ground, desperate to convince Alexander that he was in the right.

It was Alexander that spoke first. "You're lucky, Morgan. Your Devil Fruit virtually negates its main weakness."

Morgan frowned in confusion, then abruptly dropped into the pool of water Alexander had transmuted. Knowing the truth in Alexander's words, he wrapped the water around his body and rose towards the sky, bringing the other pirate with him. Before he grew too large, he saw Alexander's mouth move gain. Morgan's puzzlement swiftly turned to panic as he felt his control over his elemental fully slip. He had grown used to Alexander's attempts to change the material around him to give him a brief period of vulnerability, but this time was different. Water to metal to rock to glass, he knew he could use those materials. Ink had been a surprise, but he knew he could work on that.

This was unlike anything before. Every time he tried to wrap the water around him, his power seemed to wane even further. His elemental dissolved into the pool of water, part of it vanishing like he had grown used to. He realized with some degree of panic that the water had not completely disappeared, leaving him floundering in the bottom of the pit. It was only when he submerged for the first time that he realized what Alexander had done.

The alchemist had turned his elemental into sea water.

The water was slightly deeper than he was tall, but just standing in the brine leached strength from his body. It was a constant struggle to keep his mouth above water to breathe, a struggle he was slowly losing. Turning his gaze skywards, he saw Alexander haul himself over the lip of the pit, having grabbed onto it when the elemental had melted. He turned to sit with his legs dangling over the edge, looking on the verge of passing out. Despite his exhaustion, there was a glint of victory in his dark brown eyes as he stared at the struggling elementalist. "You may one of the few Fruits that can deal with water, but your command of the elements is not unlimited. Only Sir Davy and the Sea Devil control the ocean."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Cassandra couldn't see the sky.

She was pretty sure it had been a clear sky when she had returned to the _Knave_.

Probably.

Now, she could only see grey. Perhaps the fog had rolled in.

Her brow twitched as a flare of pain shot through her body.

Should she be feeling pain? No, she was drunk. That explained why she couldn't move. She wanted to sleep. That would be nice. She was so tired. Dancing had taken more out of her than she thought.

She closed her eyes.

Something niggled at the back of her mind. She had to do something.

What did she have to do?

Raven's dilemma? No, that was to be thought over when she was sober. And well-rested.

Damien? Fighting Jordan. Raven's last report indicated that they were still alive.

Did she have any other pressing problems? Jordan? No, she was fighting Damien.

Another flare of pain, stronger this time. Her eyes opened, and the world wasn't quite so grey. Now, there was a line in front of her. It cut vertically through her vision. What was that line? Was the fog receding?

She tried to focus on her skin. She couldn't feel anything. Wait, no, she felt cold. And wet. Very wet. Her fog theory was holding strong. But there was something that disproved it. It took her a moment to figure it out.

Her mouth was salty. Did she have salty drinks? She didn't think so. Had she been crying? She focused on the feeling in her eyes as she slowly blinked. Yes, she had been. Her eyes felt thick. They stung. That also didn't help her visibility through the fog.

Her mouth was very salty. Had she been crying a lot? No, not that much. Why was it so salty?

Another flare of pain. Her eyes shot open. Her brow crinkled. Even for the Grand Line, this was peculiar behavior. The center of her vision was clearing up, but the edges were still greyed out.

_Greyed out_. The phrase stuck in her head. Why? _Greyed out_.

She coughed. Hard. Now her mouth was really salty. And wet. Salty and wet. Blood? The trace of iron was there, but it wasn't the most prevalent taste. _Greyed out_. Seawater, then. Had she fallen off the docks? That would certainly explain her inability to move.

It didn't explain her inability to see. _Greyed out_.

A flare of pain. This one didn't subside. Her hand slowly clenched, dragging against the wood. She was lying on wood. The docks? The deck? It wasn't moving, so it must have been the docks. Docks don't stay still. They do when you can't feel anything.

_Greyed out_. There it was again.

The pain grew sharper, especially in her neck and back. Had she hurt herself? She tried to remember what happened after she left the club. She had been alone. She had somehow gotten to the docks.

No, wait. Alexander had helped her. She remembered almost stabbing him with her armlet.

Now she had an image of Lyn carrying them both. It wasn't an outlandish one. _Greyed out_.

Why did that phrase keep repeating?

Another stabbing pain, her chest.

_Greyed out_.

_Greyout_.

Now that meant something to her. Vision loss. Not fog. She should be able to see. Something was preventing her. What caused greyouts?

She tried to think. Raven was before her, listing the possible side effects of something. It was a conversation they had, back when they reunited. It was about Alexander, and how he didn't defend himself well in battle. No, it was about Damien. What about Damien?

_It can lead to a variety of symptoms. The ones he is most afflicted by are headaches. He does not get fevers. In battle, he claims to lose his vision. This would explain why he cannot differentiate friend from foe, but he attacks both even before he..._

Why was this important? What led up to this? Damien often suffered from...

Bouts of insanity? Yes, but that wasn't it. Fits of unreasonable rage? Definitely, but not right either...

_Hypovolemia_.

_Blood loss_.

Pain drew a gurgle from her throat. That gurgle drew more pain.

Why did she have no blood?

_Because I had my throat cut_. The thought pierced through her muddled mind. She wanted to feel her throat, see if it truly had been cut, but her muscles weren't cooperating.

_Why can't I move?_ Seawater in her mouth, in her lungs. There was no way she had only dipped her head in. She had to have fallen in. How did she fall in?

Wait, her throat had been cut? By whom? Who was the last person she had seen? She concentrated, but it wasn't as difficult as it had been. She remembered eyes the color of storm clouds and a purple triangle. _Morgan_.

Maybe she wasn't recovering enough. Morgan didn't use blades. Even if he wanted to kill her, he wouldn't use a blade. He had much more creative ways of killing. Drowning and crushing were most common, though she did remember one instance where he had wrapped the blood from someone's body.

That still didn't explain her cuts. Or her previous immersion in seawater.

That vertical line in her vision was finally distinct enough to make out what it was: the edge of the docks. Well, that was comforting. She wasn't going insane. Her vision was returning.

She could feel her muscles, though most of that feeling was pain. She could probably dull her senses, but that would make recovering that much harder. She needed to get up, regardless of how much pain she felt. Her fingers slowly clenched, dragging across the wooden boards. She took a staggering breath, which only worsened her agony. Still, the increased pain was better than nothing at all. It meant she was still alive.

She tried lifting her head, but only raised it an inch before it fell back to the boards. She wondered how much time had passed. A loud blast of sound caused her to jolt. The waves of pain that spread through her body caused every muscle to tense. When she was finally able to relax, she opened her eyes and saw the clear night sky.


	19. Royal Sentencing

Cain's leather vest snapped loudly as it trailed behind him. He hurtled through the air fast enough for wind to whistle in his ears, but he paid it no heed. The trajectory of his jump meant he wouldn't completely clear the building, but he was concerned on minimizing property destruction, not avoiding it. He crashed through the roof, completely obliterating it, and landed with one foot inside the building. His other foot left a crater in the street as he pushed off, sending him flying over several more city blocks.

Raven had contacted him, saying his friends were in trouble. That was all it took for him to stop leisurely stroll to Master Walukaga's forge and begin leaping towards the _Howling Knave_. He was tempted to bull straight through every building in his path, but he did want to avoid any unnecessary destruction. His jumping was marginally slower than his running, but he knew that seconds could make all the difference. He hoped he wouldn't be too late.

As he landed near the docks, he crouched down and put his hands to the ground. An instant later, a large stone sword was in his gloveless fist, and he was ready to fight. He continued on, a small jump allowing him to land on the wooden docks without splintering them. He frantically searched for any of his fellow pirates, sword held at the ready. His dark blue eyes widened as he spotted a familiar form sitting on the thick planks and immediately knelt beside her. "Captain Libera?"

Her only movement was the slight rising and falling of her shoulders. She was breathing; that was a good sign. He dropped his makeshift weapon and lifted her as gently as he possibly could. As he moved back towards the street, he raised his cupped hands to his face, looking her over for wounds. The gash on her neck was slowly disappearing, but the nasty scar was still visible. He used two fingers to pinch her dress and rubbed them together, shredding the fabric.

He cautiously peeled the ruined clothing from her body and tossed it aside. Only many seasons of training kept his fear from making his fingers tremble. His priority was making sure she had no serious wounds. He brought her close to a nearby streetlamp and moved his head around to look at her from every angle. Aside from the aforementioned neck injury and various scrapes on her arms and legs, the only wounds he could find were on her back. There was a large circular hole neatly bisected by a long slice that trailed from her left shoulder to the opposite hip. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw skin begin to slowly coalesce over the wounds.

"Are you all right, Captain Libera? What happened?"

"Check... Morgan... Alexander..." she managed.

Nodding, he hopped onto the _Howling Knave_ and rested her against the bow railings. A quick search of his surroundings was all he needed to spot the musician collapsed by a hole in the street. When he landed beside the fallen pirate, Alexander winced and turned a tired glare on his large crewmate. Cain ignored it, thrilled that the musician wasn't dead. "Are you okay?"

"Bout ready to pass out, but yeah," came the response. "See if Morgan's still alive."

Cain's previous fear returned with a vengeance. Why would Morgan be dead? He followed Alexander's finger to the hole and peered inside. Upon seeing the form weakly struggling in the water at the bottom, he instantly reached down and lifted his charge to safety. Morgan gave a hacking cough, water spraying from his mouth. "What happened?" Cain asked, unable to keep his concern from his voice. Are you okay?"

"No," the prince managed as he tried to regain his breath. "Alexander... that was not an amusing stunt."

Cain frowned, trying to figure out what Morgan was talking about. Before he could form a thought, Alexander shot right back, "Neither was yours. Know that if she died, you die too."

"Who died? What's going on?"

Morgan wrung water from his clothes. "The Black Glove Pirates-"

"Will never be led by you," Alexander snarled. Cain's eyebrows raised at the uncharacteristic acidity of his voice. "You're finished, Morgan. You better hope Captain's alive, because if she isn't-"

"Captain Libera's still alive," Cain assured him. The large pirate missed neither Alexander's relieved sigh nor the sudden absence of blood in his charge's face. "Why, what happened?"

Morgan was at a loss for words. Alexander looked only to happy to clue Cain in. "He put a hit on Captain's life. Although since you were paid, technically-"

"You WHAT?" Cain shouted. "Morgan, you didn't! Please tell me this is all a misunderstanding!" The prince looked away, unable to meet his protector's gaze. "Morgan! Please!"

When Morgan refused to speak, Cain scooped Alexander in his other hand and went back to the _Howling Knave_. He deposited the two pirates on the forecastle deck near their captain and knelt down. "This is just a misunderstanding, right Captain Libera? Morgan didn't do anything wrong!"

"No..." she growled, her sharp gaze fixed on the silent elementalist, "he did. He stared me right in the face as I was stabbed in the back." Her words were slow and forced with many pauses in between, but considering she had recently had her throat opened up, her ability to speak at all was amazing.

"He wanted your position," Alexander added. "He wanted to be the new captain."

Captain Libera gave a mirthless smile as she leaned her head against the railing. "Oh, did he now? I want to hear this. First, Cain, call for Raven. I can't really move or yell right now."

The large bodyguard had barely lifted the receiver from his Baby Den-Den Mushi before the doctor appeared on her own, crouching by Captain Libera's side. "You are healing," she observed, "and cold." She disappeared and returned to lay a blanket over the almost-naked captain. "You should-"

"Don't kill him," the injured captain interrupted. "Don't hurt him; don't whisk him away. I want to talk to him first. Then, you have my permission to cut his throat."

Raven's obsidian gaze turned upon Morgan's sodden form. "I will not cut his throat. First, I will inject a milliliter of black blood into his body, which will keep him from falling unconscious. I will extract his teeth and cauterize his gingiva to prevent him from choking on his own blood when I sew his lips shut. I will pull his fingernails and toenails-"

"We get the picture," Captain Libera cut in. Cain gave a trembling breath, mentally thanking the blue-haired woman for cutting short the gruesome description. The most terrifying aspect was that he knew Raven could and would follow through with her threats. He wanted to prevent Raven from doing such horrible things to his charge, but he knew he wouldn't be able to stop her if she wanted to.

"You should rest," Raven said quietly. "Regeneration is not without its price."

Cain nodded his agreement, but Captain Libera refused despite the fatigue in her words. "Not now, Raven. I need to know what happened. Don't lie, Morgan, or I will rescind my command and you will endure suffering beyond your comprehension. You wouldn't want that, trust me."

The prince took a deep breath. "A few days ago, I was approached by her cousin Spiral-"

"Spiral is my first cousin once removed."

"He wanted you dead," he continued. "He wanted Raven back, and you were in the way. He didn't know how to attack you without a serious chance of dying himself. You're a very hard woman to kill."

"Spare me the flattery," Captain Libera said.

"With Raven and Damien present, he could not engage. Furthermore, Raven had told them not to harm the rest of us. He needed a way in and offered me a quarter billion Beli to give him that way."

"An impressive sum," she agreed.

"I could not convince Damien to do anything, but Jordan unintentionally helped me there. All I needed was an instance where you were away from Raven without a possibility of contacting her and preferably while you were wearing your ring. When you mentioned you were going out, I knew that was my chance. The fact that you sent Raven to acquire jewelry made it even easier."

The healing pirate mulled this over for a moment. "I will admit, you thought that part out well. What went wrong?"

Morgan met the musician's heavy-lidded gaze. "Alexander ruined it all."

"He called me to ask for the hangover helpers," Raven supplied. "I recommended that he ask Morgan to make a small meal. He ascended to the deck and dropped the Baby Den-Den Mushi, but the receiver was still intact. I heard that you were in trouble and returned immediately."

Captain Libera closed her eyes and nodded. "Right. So you came back, cut the seastone from my back, and fought off your family members. Where are they now?"

"In the medical bay."

"Alive?"

"For now."

The sniper's humorless smile returned. "That works. Did you manage to keep the seastone?" Raven showed her the blue-green barb. "Most excellent. Grade A seastone is hard to come by. That amount in that shape is probably worth as much as Morgan got for betraying me."

Cain wanted to protest, but knew the truth of her words. Morgan had betrayed her; that was an undeniable fact. He had been paid to provide assassins with an opportunity to kill her. The giant man knew it would be up to him to keep the prince from being harmed. How, he had no idea. All he knew was that without his intervention, Morgan Zematsal would perish.

"So, sweet prince," Captain Libera said, false cheer filling her voice, "would you mind explaining to the rest of us why you accepted the Eighth's offer? And don't say the money. That excuse isn't quite enough. Alexander said something about being the next captain. Elaborate."

Morgan took a long moment to collect his thoughts. "You weren't showing me anything about being a leader," he spouted at last. "All you did was order me around and place absurd restrictions upon me. The others were free to do as they wished. That wasn't leading. You just provided them with a ship to get from place to place. I was the only one who received actual commands."

"Birds in a flock share a common destination," Alexander said, "not necessarily a common goal."

"Well put, my friend, though you're not helping me. So, Morgan, you think I was a bad leader because you saw me give no orders," Captain Libera summarized. "You thought you could do better? I think I understand. Basically, because this crew isn't run like your militarized banditry is, you think I was a bad leader. Oh, that's rich." She tried to laugh, but only managed a few dry chuckles. "You immature, egotistical, idiotic fucking brat. Why wouldn't Raven kill you? No, don't tell me. I want to figure this out."

She put her hand to her forehead as she thought. "With me dead, Raven would have no reason to stay, and she's not one for vengeance. Even when she returned to verify my death, as captain, you could order her to go. So that's Raven. You may not think Damien would care for my death, but he would. He'd rend you limb from limb. Oh, but he's beating the snot out of Jay right now. Without medical care, he'll die when that fight is over."

"I would not heal him, as I would no longer be a Black Glove Pirate."

Captain Libera nodded. "So how am I doing so far?"

"Almost correct," he said sourly. "Were it not for Alexander's intervention, you would not have known I had a hand in it at all."

Her hazel eyes widened. "Oh, that's right! Wow, I'm impressed. Raven wouldn't have even gone after you. She wouldn't have had time to torture the motives from her family before her uncle came to pick her up. Oh, and even if you find a doctor who could keep Damien alive, he wouldn't seek revenge upon the one who killed me, because that person would already be dead. So that leaves you, Alexander, Cain, Lyn, and potentially Damien still on the crew. So why would you become captain despite being the last in line?"

The way she stared pensively off into the distance indicated the question was a rhetorical one. "It would involve some serious wizardry on your part, I'll say that. It wouldn't be impossible, but it would take so much time, effort, and meticulous planning. Any early thoughts you'd care to divulge?"

"Lyn is unsuited to be a leader," Morgan muttered. "She cannot handle some of the darker sides of-"

"That's not true!" Alexander protested.

Morgan turned a cool gaze in his direction. "Oh, isn't it? What would she do if Damien returned one day covered in the viscera of innocent women and children?" As defeated as he knew he was, the prince managed the smallest of smirks at the musician's lack of possible answers. "That aberration has barely enough interest to stay with the crew, never mind lead it, so that leaves Alexander between me and the captainship."

At this point, Cain probably should have mentioned that Morgan was technically his subordinate, but he knew it was useless. He would have been stepped out of Morgan's way in a heartbeat. Being the captain of his charge was an unthinkable situation. The look he shared with Captain Libera indicated she knew this as well. "So what would you do to become captain over Alexander?" she asked.

"Lyn gives you temporary relief on occasion. You know, when you insist on being called Queen." He gritted his teeth slightly as Captain Libera grinned. "I would do the same. In time, I would hope to overtake him."

Cain couldn't tell whether his captain had given a particularly loud wheeze or whistled softly. "Man, even I can appreciate what you almost did, Morgan. You had your bases covered. That convoluted plan almost worked. If it weren't my leadership position you were after, I'd give you full marks. I guess I have you to thank for that failure, Alexander. You saved the crew."

"Only getting close to repaying the favor, Captain," he said with a tired grin.

She rested a hand on his leg. "We'll argue about that later, my friend. For now, we must get down to business." She fixed Morgan with the keenest glare she could muster. "I should really turn you over to Raven for what you did. I'm sure she wouldn't mind keeping track of five torture victims at once."

"Four," the doctor corrected. "Stone is absent."

"Four victims. I can't deny I'd get a certain satisfaction from seeing you squirm. Did you know she can keep a man screaming for five days?"

"Eight," she corrected again.

This visibly surprised pirate captain. "Eight? How did... When did you have the time to get better?" Raven remained silent. "Anyway, dear Morgan, can you give me a reason why I shouldn't keep you screaming for over a week?"

Morgan had nothing to say. A sinking feeling in his gut told Cain that he would have to be the one to keep the prince alive and unharmed. He was no diplomatic speaker; he had very little experience negotiating with powerful people. He could only speak from his heart and pray he could change his captain's mind. "If I may, Captain Libera..."

She turned her hazel gaze to him. "What is it, Cain?"

Cain was aware of the position he was putting himself in. He would have preferred to leave the words to Morgan and focus on defending him physically. Unfortunately, the prince appeared too disheartened by his failed usurpation, and the only physical threat was from two women who could easily overcome either bandit, so he had no other option. "Morgan is young and headstrong. He hasn't learned to control his ambitions yet."

"He's older than I am, but I don't betray those I've sworn to serve."

"Captain Libera, you are not the serving type."

"Neither is Morgan," she retorted. "That doesn't excuse his actions. If I were to serve, I would serve to the best of my ability."

"Were you not banished from your family for defying orders?"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "You'll notice the key difference in our situations is that I defied orders so that one of my best friends would still draw breath, not to overthrow my father by killing him. Keeping those close to me alive overrides everything else. I may betray those connected solely by promised alliances, but I do not kill my nakama."

"Damien attempts to a daily basis," Cain protested. "He has tried to kill you several times since we've joined."

"You cannot judge him by the same standards as everyone else. He's much more dangerous to everyone, but-"

"How is that different? Why do you refuse to think of dismissing him, but threaten to torture Morgan?"

"Look, you can't use Damien in an argument. It's that simple. His abnormality means our morals, our rules, they don't apply to him. Not that it gives him a carte blanche to do whatever he wants. He has his own rules. Anything else?"

"Damien is bloodthirsty and unfettered. Morgan isn't wicked, just greedy and ambitious."

"I heard you the first time you said ambitious. He wants to be a great leader. There are hundreds of those around the world. I'm not aiming for being one of the Seven Warlords or Five Emperors. I will be the one Pirate Queen. Tell me, Cain, who is more ambitious?"

Enough silence stretched for him to realize it wasn't a rhetorical question. "You are."

"I am. But as ambitious as I am, I would never try to kill my crewmembers or my sisters. Damien is the exception. The only way to not die when fighting him is to fight back with intent to kill. That's just part of how he interacts with the world. Aside from that, I do not kill those who serve me or those I serve. Let's say, for example, the only I can approach One Piece is by serving one of the Gokou. First, I wouldn't expect you to follow me under their wing. Second, I wouldn't kill them, even if they stood directly in my way."

"Not all of us are blessed with your brains, Captain Libera. We can't all figure out a way around something in our path. Now, I'm not saying Morgan is unintelligent, far from it. He's way smarter than I am. You said so yourself, he planned this out very well. That fact that the plan was betraying you is more than unfortunate."

"I should say so," Alexander interjected. "Though I have no idea what you were trying to do when I caught you with your pants down, Morgan. How you expected to get me to even consider you as a captain after I saw you try to kill her is beyond me."

"Lack of quick improvisation aside, Morgan simply did what he could with the resources at his disposal. He had an obstacle he could not surmount, you, and the only way he could see to move past the obstacle was to remove it with a talented group of assassins."

"All you're doing is painting him as a smart traitorous snake instead of a simple traitorous snake," Captain Libera said. "What incentive is that for me to keep him?"

"You said yourself that it takes a while to get adjusted to this new lifestyle." Cain knew he was grasping at straws and really wished Morgan would chip in to save his own life. "Morgan has the potential to be great. It would be a shame to-"

"I have the potential to be great," she snapped. "And when I said adjusting wouldn't be easy, trying to murder me wasn't exactly what I meant. Let's say I'm unreasonably lenient. Why would he not try again? His failure this time was largely due to bad luck and the timely arrival of my nakama. You're right, Cain. He's smart, and he wants me dead. Next time, he'll account for more, set it up better. Why should I let him put that noose around my own neck?"

"There will be no next time," Cain vowed. "I'm sure of it. I'll make sure of it."

"You are not his master. You do not dictate what he does."

"I outrank him."

"Bullshit," she snarled. "You've never once pulled seniority on him. You've waited on him hand and foot as if you were still prince and bodyguard. That thick-headed bastard of ours gives more orders than you do. That's not an excuse."

"I will do everything in my power to keep that from happening."

"And what are you going to do, Cain? Watch him every second of every day? Physically restrain him? Face it, that's not going to happen. Even if you promised to do that, I wouldn't want it to. And if he decides to leave, you'll just be the subordinate again. That won't work, now will it?"

"He won't leave." Cain glanced down at the cook. "He has much to learn, if only you'll give him one more chance. Please, I beg of you. He doesn't see it, but I do. You definitely don't run this like an army, but that kind of leadership would completely backfire on this crew. It's not often that people you command would put their dreams and lives on the line for you. We all care for you."

"That's nice and all, but-"

"Heeeeeeeeeeey!" Everyone looked around to see Lyn stagger up, a half-empty bottle of red liquid in her hand. Her cheeks were tinged rosy pink, and her colored bangs were in disarray. She slumped and caught herself on the railing, her face contorted in a drunken frown. She brought her hand to her mouth to contain her belch and failed spectacularly. "Don' leave me out!"

Cain worked to visibly contain his happiness at seeing the first mate. She was exactly the person he needed. Captain Libera's soft spot for the childish woman was no secret. Even now, he could see the sniper's expression softening as she watched Lyn attempt to move across the deck. Cain reached over and provided a finger for Lyn to lean on as he guided her over.

"Wha's going on?" Lyn bubbled. "Urp! 'Scuse me!"

"Cain, could you please escort Lyn to her room?" Captain Libera said with all the sweetness she could muster. "She needs her rest."

He would not let the opportunity slide. "No, she should be here."

The pirate captain's smile froze. "I think it would be best if she lay down."

"This affects all of us," Cain said firmly. "She should-"

"Hey, Captain, you have a blanket!" Lyn gushed. "Are you tired? Silly Captain, sleeping isn't for outside times!"

Captain Libera's expression softened. "You're right. Go to bed; I'll be with you soon."

"What happened to not hiding things from the rest of the crew?" It was a low blow, and Cain knew it. Her grin slipped away, but the gaze she leveled at him bore no ill will. Only resignation.

"You bastard," she said. "You're no fun when you're right. He is right, isn't he, Alexander?"

"That he is, Captain." Alexander eyed the bottle in Lyn's hand. "Please tell me you're not drinking more. I didn't think you were a 'hair of the dog' person."

"No, sillyhead!" Lyn chirped as she worked her way beneath Captain Libera's outstretched arm. "It's just orange juice!"

"Orange juice isn't red," he reminded her.

"Oh." She frowned as she examined the bottle in front of her face. After studying it for a moment, she gave her brightest smile. "Lemonade!"

"That appears to be cranberry juice in a vodka bottle," Raven droned. "If the previous discussion is complete, Morgan and I must depart."

And with that, Raven ruined any lightness Lyn had brought. Cain's previous panic returned, and he edged between Morgan and the deadly doctor. "Now, that really won't be necessary. I don't expect you to forgive him, but torturing him to death isn-"

"No, didn't you stop the chores?" Lyn interrupted. "That was only to this island, right?"

"Not that kind of torture. Actual torture." Captain Libera gave a deep breath. "Lyn, Morgan did a very bad thing. He... accepted money to set me up to get killed."

Lyn's glazed eyes stared uncomprehendingly at her. "What?"

"He tried to get me killed," she repeated. "If it weren't for Alexander, I would be dead."

The first mate's face and bangs whitened. "Dead? No, you can't die! You're unkillable! You can't! I won't let you!"

Captain Libera winced as Lyn's arms constricted around her body. "I'm still alive, for the moment. The point is that he tried to take over the crew by killing me. I can't let that go, Lyn. He was the one who set this all up. An eye for an eye, Lyn."

Lyn pressed her lips on Captain Libera's cheek. "But you're still alive. No eyes!"

"Technically, Cassandra would not be the one to kill him," Raven stated. "That responsibility would be mine."

"None of you are killing your own crewmember!" Lyn screamed, her previous humor instantly vanishing. "I forbid it!"

"Lyn-"

"No! You can't do that!"

"If he's not a crewmember, then that restriction doesn't apply." All eyes went to Alexander. "Killing inside the crew is forbidden; I wholeheartedly agree with you there. But, if Morgan's not one of us..."

"He is," Cain affirmed. "He did not intend to leave the crew, merely rearrange it."

"Rearrange. Right." Captain Libera glared at the prince. "I still think I can kick you-"

"You said that you would never force your crewmembers to leave unless they killed one of their nakama," Cain said. He wasn't entirely sure she had established that rule, but he was banking on her being too drunk and wounded to remember either. "You said you would never go back on your word to your nakama." That, she had said. "You're still alive, so you can't kick him off. He has to leave voluntarily."

The pirate captain's gaze was sharp and intense. He kept from squirming by mentally reminding himself that she definitely wouldn't kill him. It was Morgan that he was worried about. After an agonizingly long time, her eyes shifted back to the defeated prince. "What do you say, Morgan? With me still alive, do you want to stay or leave? Put Raven from your mind. Don't let her influence your decision. How about this: I swear on the lives of my nakama that I will give you a week's head start before I chase you down. You can be as resourceful as you want. I know you're smart enough to do it. I will say that if you stay, your time aboard my ship will not be comfortable. I may not physically torture you, but you will not be happy. I think that's allowed, right?"

"Mm, sure," Lyn murmured. "Sleepy blankie snoozy make..."

Captain Libera rested her hand upon Lyn's head. "So there you have it. Will you take your week's head start and leave? Or will you stay at your own risk?"

Morgan stared at her for a long time. Cain kept himself from moving, not wanting to show his nervousness. He wanted them both to stay on the crew, but knew he was honor-bound to follow Morgan, regardless of his choice. Alexander watched the prince coolly, his fingers idly pressing the valves of his trumpet. Raven was even more still than Cain, a statue carved from the darkest jet. Lyn was either asleep or passed out, her arms still wrapped around the blue-haired captain. Captain Libera showed as much emotion as Raven did as she waited for Morgan to make his decision.

Finally, the prince knelt before her and bowed his head. "I choose to remain a member of the Black Glove Pirates, Captain."

"Is that your final answer?" Captain Libera asked quietly.

He raised his gaze to meet hers. "It is."

"Aw damn," she said. Cain had seen less predatory smiles on hungry timber wolves. "And I was really hoping you'd choose to go."

"Why is that?" Morgan inquired cautiously. "You said I had a week to elude you."

"Very true. I didn't say anything about what Raven would do."

His pale grey eyes slid over to the unmoving doctor and visibly gulped. "I assumed you included her in your grace period."

"A foolish assumption," Raven droned. "If you had chosen to leave, you would no longer be a Black Glove Pirate, so Lyn's order would not apply. Cassandra only said not to harm you until the end of the conversation. I do not disobey."

"And for that, I'm thankful," Captain Libera told her. "I will say, Morgan, that the woman you dismissed as a poor leader ended up saving your life. Not because she forbade me." She gave a raspy chuckle. "I do outrank her, after all. But a cool head is necessary when dealing with such important decisions. Orders made from passion tend to be poor ones. You should remember that."

"I will, Captain."

"Good. Now, we have to figure out your punishment. It won't be too severe, I assure you. I've had people try to kill me my entire life, some of them very dear to me."

Raven evenly met her glance. "You survived."

"Yeah, by the skin of my teeth," Captain Libera snapped good-humoredly. "But that's not the point. Let's see... First of all, I hereby confiscate everything you have worth more than two thousand Beli." Both bandits winced at this. Cain knew how much Morgan loved his finery. "No gold, no silver, no gems, no silk. You get a shirt and pants like the rest of us, or a dress if you prefer. Oh, and this restriction most definitely includes your crown. Give that to me now."

Morgan gritted his teeth and slowly removed his coronet. He placed it in her outstretched hand and stepped back, his hands clenched in fists. He looked like a completely different man without the golden band on his brow. Cain realized this was because he hadn't seen Morgan without a crown in years.

"Ah, you don't have to strip right this second," Alexander said as Morgan began unbuttoning his shirt. "Exposing yourself to women is inappropriate regardless of the situation."

"Tell that to Damien," Captain Libera muttered. "Bastard loves coming back without pants. Anyway, that's clothing. That money stash of yours is mine as well. I let you get away with hiding it, but no more. You haven't learned humility yet, so your choreload is now basically everything aboard the ship. When I say everything, I mean everything. You do everyone's laundry, change our sheets, aid your crewmembers in whatever they ask, clean up the exercise equipment, et cetera. Anything that isn't perfect, you make it so. First watch is your watch. You're lucky you're the cook, or else you'd take over Raven's watch if she chooses to leave. I don't need you falling asleep at the stove and incinerating yourself."

"Very well," Morgan said quietly. "Is there anything else?"

"Of course there is! Day after tomorrow, you and I are going to have a no-holds barred fight. I will show you why I hold the title as third-most powerful combatant aboard this ship. Feel free to try to kill me then. Raven won't interfere. She won't need to."

Cain knew the truth in her words. She was physically weaker than Morgan, but even with Morgan's elemental armor, the prince stood little chance of succeeding. The look on Morgan's face indicated he knew it as well. "I see."

"No, you don't. Not yet. Show me that hole I put in your hand. Hold it up."

Morgan pulled the fingerless glove from his left hand, exposing the month-old wound in the center of his palm. It had taken a lengthy surgery to keep the prince from losing the motility of his hand, and Raven had not erased the circular scar completely. Captain Libera moved her head from side to side as she analyzed it. "A damn good shot, I'd say. That was for hurting Alexander, was it not? He's just the second mate. I think I deserve something more than a scar."

Before either bandit could react to her words, a loud gunshot rang out. Morgan immediately screamed and brought his hand against his chest. Cain was at his side in an instant, but the bullet that clipped the edge of his metal gauntlet caused him to freeze in place. His eyes slowly went to his captain, then to the two holes in the blanket. As Morgan's screams quieted to whimpers of pain, Captain Libera shot him a condescending look. "Oh, don't be such a baby. Be thankful I need your fine motor skills to cook. Damien can only open and close all of his left fingers together. He can only count to two on that hand. You can go all the way to four."

With horror growing in his gut, Cain looked down at Morgan's left hand. Where the chef's manicured ring finger had been was only a bleeding stump. _It's better than him being tortured to death_, was the mantra that ran through Cain's head as he kept his expression blank. "You will earn your clothes and jewelry back through hard work, and your workload will lighten over time, but that finger is mine. Eventually, I'll allow you to get a fake one, but not a prosthetic. Plenty of men have made reputations for themselves despite lacking bits and pieces."

"Is that everything, Captain Libera?" Cain asked.

Her hazel eyes remained focused on Morgan. "Let's see. For my attempted assassination, he loses his money, his clothes, his jewelry, and his finger. He handles most of the chores, he always takes first watch, and I'll kick his ass in two days. What else could I do?" She pursed her lips in thought. "I'll make a slight edition to how hierarchy works on this ship. Unforeseen deaths aside, I hold the permanent highest position, occasional vacations notwithstanding, followed by Lyn and Alexander. Through seniority, Raven and Cain are next, and you're last. I think that you're stuck in the bottom position until further notice. Anyone who joins will outrank you. You'll have to earn a position of importance."

Morgan was still cradling his damaged hand, but managed to meet her gaze. "Very well."

"Still not finished! This one's more of a coin flip than a punishment, but that chance might turn out very poorly for you. When Damien recovers from his ordeal with Jay, you are going to tell him what you tried to do. I need to watch and verify that you actually did it. Don't worry; we'll do our best to keep him from killing you if that's his decision. Admittedly, that's more because I'd hate to have to kill Damien for breaking the 'no murder' rule than concern for your life, but the end result is the same."

Cain didn't know how to feel about this addition to Morgan's already extreme punishment. It was, as she said, a chancy penance. There was no way of predicting how the navigator would react to that news. At best, he would find it amusing and dismiss the matter entirely. At worst... he didn't even want to think about it. Raven might be the best at drawing out torture, but what Damien lacked in patience and expertise, he more than compensated for in brutality.

"Oh, chin up, Morgan!" the captain said merrily. "I think you'll find that all of these punishments are way better than the torture you should be experiencing. Actually, that's a good one. Raven, I have a few more things I want you to do, if that's all right with you."

"Your wish is my command."

"First, could you move your relatives from the medical ward? We need that place for doctoring, and I don't want to wake up to nonstop screams. Second, take care of Morgan's hand. You know, treat it as if Alexander had lost a finger that couldn't be reattached. That means don't skimp on the anesthesia or use an experimental acid treatment or something." Having learned of the two Moon Sisters' penchant for abusing loopholes, Cain was extremely thankful for the clarification.

"Third, could you postpone your torture until after you've made sure Lyn doesn't choke if she vomits when I'm sleeping? It hasn't happened yet, and I want to keep it that way. And fourth, sometime tomorrow when I don't need him, take Morgan to see what you're doing to Spiral and the others. I want him to know what could have happened to him. Don't teach him or anything; I have someone else in mind for that. Merely demonstrate your skills."

The black-clad pirate dipped her head. "That is acceptable."

"Excellent! If you could also get me that quarter billion they promised Morgan, that'd be fantastic, but not necessary. Anyhow, let's run through. Clothes, money, finger, chores, watch, beatdown by me, potential beatdown by Damien, demotion, torture viewing. That's pretty light, I think. Anything else, Alexander?"

"Me?" the musician asked in confusion. "Why me?"

"Because you're the second mate," Captain Libera explained. "You know what that entails better than I do."

"Well, we're not exactly a usual crew. Our roles aren't as... clear cut as most are. Still, I think that's a pretty comprehensive list. The only addition I can think of is a curbed allowance. Not eliminated entirely, but also not as large as it was."

"See, that's why I asked you. You're the backup planner. That's another thing you can do, Morgan. I'm not saying as a punishment, but as a learning thing. Cain said you're smart, and you are. Your decision making is fucking abysmal, to say the least, but that's merely an area for improvement. Try using that conniving brain of yours to help the crew, and I guarantee you'll get a lot more out of this experience."

She blinked heavily a few times and covered her wide yawn. "Any additional punishments can be added later. Raven, you're dismissed." The black-clad woman dematerialized into the darkness. "Morgan, go to the medbay. She'll take care of you there. Alexander, could you take Lyn to her room and watch her until Raven shows up?"

"I don't think so." The captain turned to him, clearly surprised at his refusal. "I am not going to try prying her off of you. I've half a mind to conk out right here, much less attempt to overpower Lyn, who I'll remind you is considerably stronger than I am. Do you know how hard it was to make seawater after everything else I did? I may just sleep straight through tomorrow. Wake me in two days."

Captain Libera gave an understanding grin. "I second that. You're as sensible as always, good friend. Go get some rest. Cain, stay for a moment. I need to talk to you." Mildly concerned, Cain inched closer. She waited until the door to the men's quarters shut behind Alexander before fixing him with her keen gaze. "You defended him."

"He is my liege lord, regardless of his current profession," Cain said, puzzled. "I will keep him alive in any way I can."

"Yeah, that I expected. You did your best to keep him alive. Wouldn't have worked without her," she ran her fingers through Lyn's multicolored hair, "but a valiant effort nonetheless. I'm more interested in your other reason."

"Other reason?" Now the large pirate was truly confused. "He's a fellow crewmember?"

"Not that. You wanted him to stay because you wanted to stay. You knew if he left, you would leave too."

Cain scratched his facial scar as he thought. "I did?"

"You didn't?" It was Captain Libera's turn to look confused. "I was sure that was part of it."

"Well, I do want to stay," he admitted slowly. "I just don't think that was part of my motivation. I was more focused on keeping everyone alive."

"Yeah, I noticed that when you shredded my dress." He was about to apologize profusely when he saw the glimmer of amusement in her tired eyes. "You're the one who's going to explain that to Lyn."

"As long as you're all alive, I'll be more than willing to do that."

Captain Libera nodded slowly. "You do know that I had to give him those punishments, right? I want to make sure you're okay with that. The man did try to get me killed and very nearly succeeded."

"I know. I agree that he had to face the consequences of his actions. It is not my place to dispute them."

"No, Cain, it is. I don't want you to just accept everything I do and say because I'm your captain. Alexander was voicing any disapproval he had long before I called him second mate. I don't want to be a ruler with an iron fist. I want you to know that I have reasons behind what I do. Sometimes, I can't see that those reasons are wrong. If you're ever confused or concerned about anything, I want you to tell me."

Cain rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, shooting off his finger seemed a bit excessive."

"See? Like that. Would you like me to explain why I did it?" He nodded. "As I said, none of those other punishments are meant to be lasting. Why, they might even all be lifted by the time we reach the Red Line again. But I need him to remember that he can't get away with attempting something like this. He will grow used to missing that finger, but he will never forget why he lost it. Besides, he doesn't need all ten fingers. Cooking doesn't need all of them, and his fighting style doesn't require fine finger manipulation like you or Raven. He uses his elementals for almost everything. A lost finger won't impede him in the grand scheme of things."

He knew she was right, as much as he hated the reality of the situation. He bowed his head and got to his feet. He had been half-expecting something to happen this night, but never in his wildest dreams would he have thought this. Maybe Lyn would start a barroom brawl or Damien and Jordan's fight night move into the city, but not Morgan betraying the crew, failing, then losing all privileges and his finger. It was a nightmare that would linger with him for a long time.

"If it's not too much trouble," the sniper said, "could you get us to our room? Staying awake is hard enough without trying to move as well."

"Of course, Captain Libera." He gently lifted the two women and stepped off the forecastle deck. Making sure not to snap any of the rigging, he wove his way over to the women's quarters and nudged open the door. He reached his arm inside and deposited them on one of the beds. As the pirate captain squirmed around in an attempt to free herself from the sleeping first mate or work herself into a more comfortable position, Cain paused. "I do want to stay. It wasn't why I defended him, but still."

"I know you do," was the quiet reply. "You're a friend to all of us, Cain. Morgan may not appreciate or even realize what you did for him tonight, but one day, he will. He won't be a crownless fool forever."


	20. Coming and Going

Cassandra watched her crewmembers closely. Months of travelling with Lyn and Alexander hadn't made reading their poker faces any easier. It also didn't help that Lyn had begun catching her sleights of hand, severely lowering her chances of winning. She was managing to hold her own against the irritatingly lucky first mate, but Alexander had been gambling for almost as long as she had been an assassin. He read into their body language and words in a way Cassandra hadn't been able to figure out yet. That was supposed to be her area of expertise. He said he would tell her once she won in an honest game, but she didn't see that happening anytime soon.

"Spirits of saints, are they still fighting?" Lyn whined, glancing over at the large clearing. "Even for him, this is crazy."

The pirate captain couldn't agree more. How Damien managed to fight for four days straight without stopping was something she could barely fathom, especially considering who his opponent was. Both he and his lookalike had several patches of faint fiery webbing on their severely wounded bodies, indicating both were on the verge of death and neither was ready to back down. Cassandra knew exactly who would win and why, but she would be ripped to shreds if she tried to interfere. She was forced to wait until one Damien overcame the other.

"5,000 Beli," Alexander said. "And I find it less crazy and more annoying, seeing as how he'll need at least a week's rest after this."

"A month, I'd say," Lyn responded. "Call."

"Call." Cassandra idly moved the bill in. "I'm more impressed with Jay. I didn't think she'd put up this much of a fight."

"More than what Morgan could do."

Cassandra grinned at the alchemist's words. Not three hours prior, she had engaged Morgan in single combat. It had taken less than an hour to beat the elementalist into submission. More accurately, it had taken fifty minutes of running helter-skelter to tire him out and another ten to add a myriad of bruises and cuts to his collection of wounds. She wasn't foolish enough to try to fight him from the start. It wasn't necessary to drag it out so much, but she couldn't deny that she had enjoyed herself immensely. Damien's colorful language certainly helped her come up with taunts to antagonize the wounded prince. "He'll get over it eventually."

"If he does, it'll only be because you overworked him," Alexander told her, placing a fifth card on the ground. "He may not share my reluctance to fight women, but he certainly hates losing to one."

"What reluctance?" Lyn asked, staring at the new card pensively. "You went up against Rockstar just fine."

"I said reluctance, not refusal. 7,000."

"Call."

"8,000." Cassandra didn't have the strongest hand, but she was reasonably sure her nakama had weaker ones. "I'm glad you won't lay down your arms for a set pretty eyes and wide hips. It means I don't have to worry about you." A loud explosion drew her attention to the two lethal fighters. "Or him. Out of curiosity, does Damien feel damage to his wings? They have some pretty big holes in them."

"Not that I'm aware of," Alexander said after a moment. "8,500. How did Jordan do that, anyway? His wings should be flexible enough to bend under his claws, not tear."

"Well, she is a biter," Lyn said offhandedly.

"Yeah, I'm filing biting fetish under things I never needed to know about my Sisters. It's your turn, by the way."

Lyn eventually managed to quell her hilarity. "Huh? Oh, I fold."

"Well, it was my sense that you all were pretty close. Didn't you know all sorts of intimate details about each other?"

"Okay, true, but most of Jay's bragging was about how hot the person she picked up was and how jealous we should be. 9,000. Didn't really work since Shi and I were pretty monogamous and the others weren't really into sex, but Yin always exploded."

"Ten grand. Still, isn't it interesting to learn more about people closer to you? Isn't that what you do?"

"They're my Sisters, not fellow assassins. I don't need to learn everything. Eleven."

"Twelve, and you're no longer an assassin. You can't say 'fellow.'"

Cassandra knew she had the stronger hand. "Fifteen. And I didn't stop being an assassin when I joined this crew any more than you stopped being a priest or Morgan a prat."

"The correct continuation of that was 'prince' if I'm not mistaken." He glanced at his cards, taking care not to reflect them in his glasses. "Call."

"Jack high," she said triumphantly, before gnashing her teeth as he revealed his cards. "You wily bastard."

"From you, Captain, that's a compliment. Tens full." He collected his winnings with a small smile. "I thought for sure I was toast until that last card. And just in time too. Looks like they're done."

Cassandra glanced over to see the two Damiens had indeed stopped moving. Both men were totally naked and drenched in blood. One Damien was barely on his feet while the other was on his elbows, his knees barely hovering above the ground. The real one had retracted his wings, but as Cassandra hadn't been watching, she didn't know which was which.

The standing Damien slowly reached down and grabbed the other's head. His knee crashed into a scarred ear, and they both fell to the side. The one who had been hit in the head rolled over and slammed his elbow into his lookalike's throat. The subsequent absence of movement prompted Cassandra to inch towards them. She made sure to broadcast her presence and make no sudden movements. Even on the brink of death, she didn't trust Damien to stay down.

As she approached, one Damien pulled the other closer to him. Hoarse whispers too faint to discern were being exchanged, the ramblings of dying fighters. Eventually, one clambered unsteadily to his feet, his arms hanging uselessly at his sides. He stared skywards for a moment, before baring a bloody grin. "Well, look oo's 'ere."

"So who do I declare as the victor?" she asked cautiously.

"The fuck you talkin' about?" he growled. "I don' fuckin' lose."

Cassandra couldn't help but grin. She had suspected that Damien would overcome Jordan ever since she had learned of her Moon Sister's ability, and it was nice to be proven right. Because the berserker's paradoxical habit of growing stronger as he got more injured was fueled by his uncontrolled emotions, he was the exact wrong opponent for Jordan to face. The assassin might share Damien's hatred of losing, but not his evergrowing rage. "You won't always win, but the day you are truly defeated is the day I kick you out of my crew."

He gave a short howl of laughter. "Aye, tha's fair. Tell th' tramp t' bring it whenever."

"Oh, you two are going at it as often as I can arrange," she assured him. "Now get some rest."

"Aye aye, Cap'n," He faceplanted into the dirt, his almost unlimited strength finally spent.

The pirate captain crouched by her Moon Sister, shaking her head in amazement. It was a testament to Jordan's incredible training that she was able to keep her form despite being on the verge of death. Cassandra pressed her lips to Jordan's bloody brow and whispered, "Time to swap, Jay. Heal."

For the longest time, Cassandra was worried that the doppelganger hadn't heard her. Her fears dissipated as she saw Jordan's most grievous wounds quiver. She confirmed the ability switch by poking the downed assassin's stomach and feeling her own firm muscle tone instead of Damien's unreasonably dense flesh. She sat back on her heels and gave a relieved grin as she plucked the receiver from her side. "Raven, you and Cain are up."

The Baby Den-Den Mushi went back to sleep without saying a word, but she knew the two pirates were on their way. Bearing in mind Alexander's words, she confirmed that the assassin's mimicry had extended to Damien's genitalia. She found it amusing that Jordan had been able to mimic him to that extent. She found it irritating that she had seen Damien naked enough to know Jordan had perfectly copied him without having to check the mostly-dead navigator. Her train of thought was disrupted when she heard her first and second mates come up behind her. "These two are freaks of nature."

"What makes you say that?" Alexander asked.

"It takes a special kind of person to want a rematch after they've won, and it takes an even more special person to voluntarily seek a rematch with Damien." The sniper smiled as she tried to think of another person who Damien had defeated, but still wanted another fight. The list was a very short one, mostly because the navigator's opponents tended to wind up dead. "But anyway, I'm heading back. I don't want Morgan to get too comfortable on his own. You can wait for Cain to pick these two louts up."

"Hell no!" Lyn exclaimed. "I'll beat you back to the _Knave_!"

Alexander idly placed the playing cards back in their box. "I'll stay here, thank you very much."

"So waddaya say, Captain?" The artist was already limbering up. "I gotta beat you at something!"

Cassandra rested her hand on Lyn's shoulder. "If you can keep up."

She bolted towards Quoin at her top speed. Her ring was over her glove, allowing her regeneration to boost her stamina. She had only taken four steps before something caught her legs, sending her crashing into the ground. Lyn somersaulted beside her, easily retrieving her thrown scabbard. She even turned around to give a cheeky salute. Cassandra smirked and propelled herself to her feet. She had a new goal in mind: play as dirty as she could to give Lyn a taste of her own medicine.

She ran directly behind Lyn for the initial stretch, simply hounding the first mate. When they reached the suburbs, she began throwing pebbles. Lyn responded by taking to the roofs. She recognized that the race had turned into a game and knew she was the superior traceuse. Even with the additional strength granted by her adrenaline overload, Cassandra was hard pressed to keep up.

After barely keeping up with the first mate using the rooftops, Cassandra caught the faintest whiff of tar and wet mortar, which was enough reason to alter her course. Lyn carried on towards the _Howling Knave_, but Cassandra knew she could catch up by running along the streets. She threw herself off of the building and landed heavily in the ground. Her legs had already healed away damage from the impact by the time she took her first step.

It took her very little time to locate the building site. She cast her eyes about and swiftly located what she was looking for. Ignoring the shouts of the workers, she grabbed a handful of rope, using one of her knives to cut it to a decent length. She was forced to defend herself from a few of the guards, but her accurate warning shots gave her enough time to exit the construction zone without killing anyone. As she sprinted back towards the first mate, she tied her lasso and hefted it. The rope was much thicker than what she was used to, but it should still make their game more interesting. She was reasonably sure Lyn had never seen her use a rope before.

Sure enough, when Cassandra used it to swing up and over Lyn's head, she saw the artist's eyes shine with admiration. She couldn't help but feel a sense of pleasure that she could impress Lyn so easily. She knew that Lyn thought everything was awesome, but having that wonderment focused on her was something Cassandra treasured. She would have treasured it a lot more had Lyn not cut the rope using a thin blade of air, sending the pirate captain careening downward. Cassandra barely managed to catch the lip of the roof and prevent herself from crashing to the street.

The game continued in this fashion for the entirety of the trip back. The two women hampered each other as much as they could without inflicting physical damage. Lyn had the advantage of being able to lightly wound her captain, knowing full well that Cassandra could heal away any injuries the first mate could give her. She initially had trouble with Cassandra's rope, but adapted quickly enough to avoid being lassoed. When they reached Quoin, a few of her busker friends intercepted Cassandra yet again, forcing the sniper to ascend to the rooftops.

Cassandra wound up being the winner, her breath coming no more heavily than if she had just walked back. She barely succeeded in hiding her grin as Lyn came up behind her, one hand across her chest. "That wasn't fair!" Lyn whined.

"There were never any rules," Cassandra responded. "And when have I ever played fair?"

"Never! But I just bought this!"

The pirate captain inspected Lyn's shoulders. "I didn't even leave a mark. How good am I?"

"You didn't?" Lyn twisted her neck around, eying the two rips in her jacket. "Oh wow! Hey, don't sneak off!"

Cassandra removed her hand from the galley door. "I wasn't sneaking off."

"Doesn't matter! I liked this one; it took me ages to find it! First Jay and now you. What is it with you people and destroying my bras? Just because you two're all lines doesn't mean-"

"Hey, I object to that. Jay only has breasts half the time, and mine aren't that small."

"Still, you're taking me shopping."

The pirate captain bit back a hasty appeasement when she remembered exactly what clothes shopping with Lyn entailed. It wasn't a bad experience, but it was definitely not something she wanted to do multiple times a week. "Uh... I think I hear Morgan having trouble with his pots."

"Captain!"

"All right, all right. We'll do it next island." When Lyn gave her brilliant smile, Cassandra knew it was safe to change topics. She threw open the galley door and strode imperiously inside. "So how are you doing, Morgan? Did Raven patch you up?"

The cook glanced at them over the counter. Cassandra could see the ointment covering the cuts she had put on his face, but his black eye remained untreated. She was most pleased to see that his gaze was no less spirited despite everything that had happened to him. She had been slightly worried that the punishments would be too much for him, but he was enduring them admirably. There was hope for him yet. "Hello Captain, Lyn. Raven said none of the injuries would scar and they should be gone in a week or so."

"No, she didn't." Cassandra glanced at Lyn in surprise. "There's no way Raven said 'a week or so.'"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "And how's the finger healing?"

Morgan showed her the bandage encasing his left hand. "Raven gave me some..." he visibly tried to remember the name of the drug, "pills and a shot. No infections and only minor swelling. She said to move my other fingers every once in a while to avoid stiffness."

"That's gotta hurt a lot!" Lyn exclaimed, bounding over to stare at the bandage. "How did you do it when Captain shot your hand? You were cooking the next day!"

"As I said, I had a lot of analgesics. Furthermore, Captain used a pretty small bullet that only nicked one blood vessel last time and hit no bones. This time is a little different."

"Aww, poor Morgan!" Lyn cooed, draping herself onto the cook.

"Aww, poor idiot who came a hairswidth from breaking the crew," Cassandra reminded her. "Could you do me a favor and make sure the medbay is ready for Damien and Jay? Make sure Cain's hatch is working too, not just the one to the stairs."

"You got it, Captain!" The exuberant pirate burst outside, the galley door swinging closed behind her.

Cassandra turned to sit at the counter. The chef didn't bat an eyelash as she began picking at the wood with the tip of a throwing knife. "I still think you should be on your hands and fucking knees, thanking that woman with every fiber of your being. You're only alive by her grace."

"How would you have explained my torture if she hadn't interfered?" She stared at him until he remembered. "Captain."

"I'd have told her someone in Raven's family absconded with you." He looked slightly crestfallen at her ready answer. "I'm sure you're aware of this by now, but the best lie is something that's true. Only Cain would think of telling the truth, but I'd find some way to keep him quiet."

Morgan had nothing to say, instead turning back to the meal he was preparing. Cassandra took the opportunity to look him over to verify that he was abiding by his new restrictions. His clothes still looked fancy, but they were unmistakably cheaper than his usual attire. His poet blouse had probably been white at some point, but years of use had colored it a faint splotchy orange. His black pants had had their previous owner's initials sewn on the buttocks, which meant Morgan had needed to ask Raven to remove them.

His jewelry was the most noteworthy change. The chef had the advantage of having easy access to dirt cheap ornaments, having sorted them out of the valuables Raven had looted two nights prior. The expression on his face when he had had to pick from the box labeled 'GARBAGE' in his own handwriting was priceless. His earrings, necklace, bracelets, rings, and anklets were all shiny but inexpensive, a stark contrast to his preferred precious metals.

"So, Morgan, I haven't had a chance to ask you since I spent much of yesterday sleeping and you were doped up on painkillers. What do you think of your punishment? Does it fit the crime? Was I too light, too strict? Were you in my position, would you have given a different punishment?"

The prince didn't respond immediately, but Cassandra knew he was thinking it over. She let him ponder in silence and interested herself in the carvings above the galley door. The seven pirates' faces were etched into a plank nailed above the doorframe, covering the thin spot where Alexander had erased Lyn's original carvings. Cassandra walked over and ran her fingers on her bounty poster, which hung below her wooden likeness. The epithet 'Insidious Amaranth' amused her, for she had always figured 'Black Glove' would be her nickname. She supposed the man responsible for her changed surname had also precluded the expected epithet. It was a bit cheeky of her to have named her crew after the head of the organization she had been banished from, but she had been feeling rebellious. It was no use dwelling on it now. Her crew had a nice theme to it.

"Any person who tried to kill me would be put to death, Captain, most likely by torture. I am grateful for being spared, but why did you not do so?"

"Ah, there are a thousand reasons," she said absently as she sifted through the bounty posters that came with the newspaper, hoping that the price on her head had increased. She had slipped through the Net; she was supposed to have a higher bounty. More money on one's head was a source of pride to most pirates, and she was no exception. When she reached the end, she sighed and threw the papers on the table. There was no way the Marines were underestimating her, surely not.

"Could you enlighten me, please?"

She turned to see Morgan staring at her expectantly. "Oh, you wanted more? Well, let's see... I've had people trying to kill me my entire life, some of them very dear to me."

"That seems contradictory, Captain."

"Come now, Morgan. Surely you of all people would know that your friends are often your enemies. Political alliances are all well and good, but there's a saying we assassins have: a handshake leaves one hand free."

The elemenalist looked down. "My alliances, as you call them, were organized by my father. I did not get close to anyone else, nobility or otherwise."

"Now that is stupid. You can't do everything yourself. I can't do everything myself. You and I are human, and even leaders depend on others. Take Alexander and Lyn. I am the captain, but they do a lot of work to help me run this crew as efficiently as possible. Those two and Cain are the pillars that hold this crew up."

"So what about the rest of us?"

Cassandra grinned widely. "Since you were so badly mistaken about how this crew operates, let me clarify a few things. Lyn, Alexander, and Cain are good human beings. Nobody would argue that. They are the face of the crew. They make friends, keep everyone happy, and generally make life as pleasant as possible. Everyone loves being around them. They form a nice team to counterbalance our more impure crewmembers.

"You, Damien, and Raven are a little different. So far, it seems like you three have made it your goal to create problems that the rest of us have to deal with. Damien starts fights as inevitably as the sun rises. Raven is attached to one of the strongest organizations in the world and cares about none of you. You tried to mutiny against me and become head of the crew. Any sane person would get rid of you three in a heartbeat to save the rest of the crew."

"Does that mean you are insane, Captain?"

She chuckled softly. "Oh, I am. You three may cause me no end of trouble, but you also give me very unique possibilities. Damien doesn't listen to me most of the time, but I can usually direct him at something I want destroyed and know he'll do it because that's who he is. Raven obeys me unconditionally and can act without anyone but me and Damien knowing. As for you... You're an interesting case. What do you know of horse rearing?"

Morgan shook his head. "Horses do not navigate mountainous terrain particularly well compared to other domestic animals."

"Well, I know a thing or two. One of my Sisters is quite fond of horses, and I've ridden my fair share of her herd. See, stallions tend to be quite temperamental and difficult to handle, and as her family doesn't communicate with animals in any special way, her stallions are gelded. Do you know what that means?"

"Castration."

She could see he knew where she was going. "Now, I don't want to go quite to that extreme. Turning you into a eunuch would be unnecessarily cruel. But in order for me to use you as best I can, you need to be curtailed somewhat. But as Alexander would say, just because I'm using you doesn't mean you're not using me too. I'll show you how to be a good ruler by being the best captain I can be. I won't pretend to be an ideal ruler, but I don't think I'm a bad one."

"Then why do you not geld Damien?"

"Mostly because he would see how many bones of mine he could extract before my regeneration failed. Raven would have to kill him, and that would defeat the entire point. Damien is extremely dangerous, but unless he's on a rampage, he doesn't go out of his way hurt those he considers weak. He lives to get stronger. It's one of the reasons he doesn't target Alexander and Lyn. You would fall under that category too, but you're just strong enough to register in his fucked up mind.

"Now, as long as you're a crewmember, I'll try to keep you alive. If you mutiny again, I will have you tortured to death. Nothing will change that. But aside from that, you are under my protection. All I ask is that you serve me in return."

Morgan resumed whisking as he contemplated her words. Cassandra took apart her pistols and began cleaning them while she waited. Her ancestors' Susurri required much higher maintenance than other pistols to keep functioning optimally, but they were still nothing compared to caring for her sniper rifle. She would have to see about getting the rifle replaced; it had endured more than its share of rough combat.

"So why are you being so kind to me even after I tried to kill you?" Morgan inquired.

"As I said, if I weren't nice to people who tried to kill me, I wouldn't have any friends. I was always called soft by other assassins, but I'd much rather be soft with powerful allies in high places than stuck alone with nothing but my own power against the world."

"Allies in high places?"

Cassandra grinned. "All of my Moon Sisters are heirs to their respective families, and they all love me. You can't even imagine how incredible that is, especially if you knew how they were when I first met them. And I don't even have to look that far. Lyn could walk into Mariejois and be welcomed with open arms. On the flip side, I know Damien will grow strong enough to tear G-1 apart with the entire Marine force trying to stop him. Because of this, I fear nobody. The Seven Warlords? Damien will kill them even if they don't oppose me. The Five Emperors? Alexander knows them backwards and forwards. I will become Pirate Queen, and I'm not ashamed to use everyone I can to get there."

"You keep saying using people, Captain."

"That's a good point," Cassandra admitted. "Is it still using people if they want to be used?" The pirate captain didn't budge an inch as the galley door banged open and a pair of warm arms encircled her neck. She noted with some satisfaction that Morgan had jerked at the sudden noise. "Here's another thing that will serve you well in life: always be on your guard. You can react much more quickly when things don't surprise you."

"Don't tell him to do impossible things, Captain," the first mate murmured in her ear. "Not everyone can be as paranoid as you."

"Hey, I don't see you jumping everytime Raven talks behind you."

Lyn pressed her cheek against Cassandra's. "Well yeah, but that's Raven. She likes to appear and disappear. And Alexander's used to things like that and Cain's a bodyguard so he's always keeping a lookout and Damien's Damien."

"Not to mention if Cain jumped every time Raven appeared, he'd have broken the _Knave_ in two before we reached Reichmann Island."

The artist laughed merrily at that. "That's true! He got used to it pretty quickly. Well, that and Damien kept knocking him overboard."

Cassandra's eye twitched as she remembered the first time the massive man had been sent flying through the walls of her ship. Only Raven and Alexander's quick work had prevented the _Howling Knave_ from sinking. "I swear, the very thought makes me want to punch him again. Too bad Jay beat him into a coma."

"So Damien is comatose?" Morgan asked interestedly.

"Okay, remember when I said you had to be polite to everyone? Damien isn't included. Feel free to continue calling him beast or monster or whatever it is you prefer. And no, he's not strictly speaking comatose. He'll most likely to be back to his usual irritating self in no time. Think of it this way, you won't have to worry as much about being beaten to a pulp for a while."

"Hey, hey Captain!" Lyn exclaimed. "What's this?"

Cassandra glanced to the side. When she saw what Lyn was holding, she violently pushed backwards, sending them both crashing to the ground. Ignoring the first mate's vocal protests, she scooted away from the blue-green object, eyeing it distastefully. She looked up to see Morgan's perfectly impassive face. His sky blue eyes betrayed his inner amusement, but she let it slide. So long as he didn't say anything, she wouldn't reprimand him.

"What the hell, Captain?"

The pirate captain struggled to regain her composure. "That, dear Lyn, is Grade A seastone. Where did you find it?"

Lyn shrugged. "It was sitting on the counter and I hadn't seen it before, so I picked it up."

"Haven't you learned not to go around touching everything down there?" Cassandra asked as she got to her feet.

"Yeah, but it wasn't wet and it didn't burn and if Raven left it out, it probably wasn't super dangerous."

"She does have a point," Morgan conceded. "Those of us who would be affected by it know better than to touch it."

Cassandra glared at him. "You're both right, as much as that annoys me. Lyn, put that back where you found it. Can you promise me never to tease any of us Devil Fruit users with that? Grade A seastone is really dangerous."

"Sure thing!" The cheerful woman skipped off to do as she was told. Cassandra smiled, once again thankful that Lyn knew when the situation required seriousness.

"Why do you still have that?" Morgan asked. "If you carried that around in combat, you could prick yourself on one of the barbs and render yourself catatonic."

"I'm not the only one with a hundred tricks up their sleeve," Cassandra said. "I may carry several blades and firearms on me at any given moment, but I don't hold a candle to what Raven carries around in her pockets. I've always wondered how she has that all on her without looking like a sphere."

Morgan returned to his cooking. "You are not the only one with unfathomable abilities."

Cassandra smiled, knowing the truth of his statement. All of her crewmembers had some interesting aspects she had yet to figure out. That was part of what made them so much fun to have.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Movement in the medical bay disturbed Alexander from his prayer. He rubbed his shoulders to relieve the familiar ache that accompanied long periods of stillness as he checked which Damien had woken up. As he was sitting between the two beds, the visible difference between the navigator and his doppelganger was obvious. Jordan had merely darkened patches of his skin to imitate Damien's scars, which only made them indistinguishable from afar.

"Greetings," he said cordially as the assassin opened his eyes. "How are you feeling?"

Jordan hummed to himself as he pondered the question. "Wow, I feel great."

Alexander nodded knowingly. "Yes, Captain's fruit really does have its advantages."

"I'll say." The impersonator moved his hand across his body to return it to its most androgynous state, causing the bandages to loosen around his slightly smaller body. "How long have I been out?"

"Only ten hours. That's actually pretty fast, all things considered." He unclasped his hands and looked at the recovered fighter. "I'm sorry; do you have a preference of 'he' versus 'she' or any other pronoun?"

Jordan gave a low laugh. "I thought I told you I don't care either way."

"It's a matter of courtesy. Are you sure you wouldn't prefer a more gender-neutral one?"

"Look, it really doesn't matter to me. I'm part of a group with six other women, so I'm typically referred to as 'she,' even if that's not technically correct all the time. I don't like the neutral ones though. I am whatever I feel like being, but they just bug me for some reason. Tell you what: you call me whatever you think I look like at the time, like how you might say 'the person in the red hat.'"

"If that's what you want," Alexander said. "Oh, Hothead says he'll welcome a rematch any time."

"Any time?" Jordan asked, a gleam in her eye. "How about right now?"

The musician gestured at the unconscious pirate. "Feel free to see how weak he is now."

Jordan pulled away enough bandages to touch Damien's skin. She flexed her fingers and shook her head. "That's just not fair. When I see Shishi next, I'm sending her his way."

Alexander tried to recall exactly who 'Shishi' was. She was most likely a Moon Sister, which meant she was probably talking about Shinobu. Unfortunately, he knew absolutely nothing about the other assassin aside from her name. "And why would Shinobu want to fight him?"

Jordan laughed loudly. "Oh, you think you've seen berserk fury? I've fought them both and I'll tell you, Didi may be too stubborn to quit, but Shishi's physically incapable of stopping. Let's see how he likes fighting then."

Her hand closed over his throat, causing Alexander to shift uncomfortably. He really didn't like the sinister look in Jordan's eyes. It was the same look Damien got when he was about to rip someone's throat out with his teeth. Unfortunately, he knew he was totally and unequivocally outmatched. As the androgyne had Damien's attributes, none of his attacks could possibly hurt her. Her grip tightened ever so slightly, prompting a low grumble from the unconscious navigator. Alexander hoped that if she were truly trying to kill him, Damien would be able to somehow, someway, fight back.

Jordan abruptly released her hold and turned to the musician. "So what's for dinner? I'm fucking starving."

Alexander was extremely glad to be used to sudden changes in mood. "Dinner was four hours ago, but I'm sure Morgan can whip something up for you."

The assassin nodded and departed from the medical bay. After making sure his friend was still breathing, however slowly, Alexander followed her up. He emerged just as Jordan exited the galley, a look of satisfaction on her face. "Coming right up, he says. He was singing a different tune, last I saw him. Did he get laid or something?"

"Well, he was certainly screwed," Captain said, descending from the poop deck. Alexander scratched his cheek to hide his smile. "But that's another story. Good to see you up, dear sister."

Her hand flew out, propelling something in their direction. Jordan caught the object with a wide smile and raised it to the pirate captain. "Cheers, Cici. You always know how to treat a guy."

"Considering how you'll get horrifically murdered before you get lung cancer, it's the least I could do."

"So thoughtful." Jordan cupped her hands around the end of the cigarette and lit it. "I gotta say, I really like that navigator of yours."

"Yes, well, you have the rare honor of knowing he likes you too. Let me tell you, that's not easy to find. Any chance you want to stick around and help him mellow out a bit?"

Jordan leaned down to look Captain in the eye. "Was that an invitation to join your crew, Cici?"

"The hell it was. There isn't any place for you to sleep."

"There's always the option to share a bed, you know."

"Who's sharing a bed?" Lyn chimed in from the women's quarters. "Oh, hi Jay! You're alive!"

"It would appear so," the androgyne responded. "Cici, you have got to have one of the most convenient Devil Fruits out there. I don't think I've ever felt better."

"You only say that because you used it to recover," Captain shot back. "Healing from injuries is all well and good, but Logia Users can entirely avoid getting hurt, not to mention their terrifying offensive abilities. Sure, I can walk off being impaled through the chest, but that damned Lava Man took on... how many Devil Fruits did you need to take him down?"

"Morgan, Laocoon, and I were the Devil Fruit people. We also had Crucifix."

Captain nodded thoughtfully. "To be fair, it more or less degenerated into a free-for-all, didn't it? You and Naga were the only ones who stuck together then Tolstoy Reichmann dragged me through a window with a spear going through me."

"Good times," Alexander said sarcastically. "Besides, my contributions were minimal. It was really Laocoon's poison that finished him off. That, and Morgan was able to distract him long enough for that poison to actually go into effect. Being a troublesome Logia, we had no idea how long that would be."

"Mm. Good times," Captain agreed. "Anyway, where's Raven?" She waited until the doctor appeared on the railing beside her to continue. "Wasn't your family supposed to be here by now?"

"I sidetracked them," Raven said tonelessly. "It bought me the time I needed to make a decision."

"Oh, you've made a decision?" the sniper said cheerfully. "Good for you! Could you wait until we round up the rest of the boys? They should be here to hear the verdict."

The black-clad woman bowed her head. Jordan reentered the galley and emerged a moment later with a platter of food and Morgan in tow. Alexander went to the men's quarters to rouse the slumbering shipwright and fetch a shirt for Jordan. Nobody liked being wrapped in bandages, especially if all of their wounds were gone and the bandages no longer fit. The androgyne bowed her head as he handed her the button-down shirt, and she began peeling off lengths of white cloth. When Cain opened up the forecastle deck and sleepily poked his head out, Raven spoke seven words Alexander had hoped he wouldn't hear.

"I have decided to leave the crew."


	21. Taking Wing

For a moment, nobody spoke. They all simply stared at the doctor perched on the railing. The silence was broken as Jordan dropped her platter of food. Everyone immediately began talking at once, not giving each other time to breathe. Cain climbed out of the men's quarters so abruptly that the entire galleon listed dangerously. It was a measure of how surprised the others were that he wasn't even reprimanded. They maintained their verbal barrage with nary a pause.

"Everyone, quiet down!" Cassandra shouted. The shouts dwindled somewhat, leaving most of them panting for breath. She extended her hand towards the black-clad doctor when she was sure she could speak without yelling. "Now, Raven has put a lot of thought in this decision. You all know this. Our job is not to dissuade her or argue that her decision is wrong. We are to support her as best we can, even though we'll only be able to do so for a few more hours."

"Are you really leaving?" Lyn burst out, hands clasped before her chest.

Raven regarded her emotionlessly. "I am. This crew does not need me. I am undeniably a useful addition, but the only vital member is Cassandra. Everyone else is simply support for her. My family needs me to maintain their position of power. Without me, my younger brother will become heir. It would be unacceptable for him to become head."

"But why?" the first mate whined. "You don't care about your family, and they don't care about you!"

"It is not a matter of caring. It is a matter of duty. Duty is central to my family and how it operates. Without it, the Eighth's Assassins have no reason not to kill each other for power. I had a duty to my family, but Cassandra demonstrated that duty can be overridden. I wanted to know more about this phenomenon, so I took my leave and joined her crew. However, I cannot ignore my family simply for my own goals."

"Yes, you can! That's how-"

"Lyn," Cassandra interrupted sharply. "What did I say about not trying to get her to change her mind? Be supportive."

"But this isn't right!" Lyn protested. "This won't help her at all! This is bad!"

"Lyn, this is something that you may not understand." The artist looked up at Cain in confusion. "This goes beyond personal growth. Raven is more than one of the Eighth's Assassins. She is the daughter of its leader. She has an obligation to fulfill. When duty calls, she doesn't have a choice."

"She is not a soldier! She is a Black Glove Pirate!"

"Being a Black Glove Pirate doesn't exclude her from being other things. One thing Captain Libera always says is that being on her crew is purely by choice. We choose when we join, and we choose when we leave."

Morgan stepped forward to offer his input. "This may be hard for you to grasp. You are rebellious by nature. You oppose all restrictions, perceived or not. Not all of us share your attitude. We have families who depend on us to do what needs to be done, regardless of what we must sacrifice."

"Those people aren't her family! We are her family!"

"We are like a family," Alexander said softly. "We function like a family, we treat each other like family, but we are not related by blood. I agree with you that it would be best for Raven to stay, but that's not my call. My job as her nakama is to back her up, even if it means arguing against my beliefs."

"But... but..."

Cassandra drew the first mate into a tight hug. "Look, I know you're sad. I don't want her to leave either." Realizing what she said, she instantly looked over at Raven. "And that does not mean I'm telling you to stay. I'm just saying I liked having you with us. Especially since you avoided the rest of us Sisters like the plague unless Pythia or I dragged you in."

"That's not fair, though!" Lyn complained. "She- Wait, you came out of your shell for someone other than Captain? Who?"

"I do not and have never possessed a shell."

Alexander smiled slightly. "You'd think after spending so long with us that you'd have picked up some more commonly used expressions."

Cassandra didn't know whether to be thankful or annoyed that the conversation had veered away from Raven's departure. She realized that one person hadn't said a word. Jordan was leaning against the mast, hands crossed over his open shirt. When he met the pirate captain's gaze, his eyes narrowed. He inhaled deeply on his cigarette, reducing the entire cylinder to ash. His massive exhalation of smoke caused Cassandra to turn her head away and cover her mouth and nose. Jordan was pissed.

"So, Raerae, you're going to leave."

Raven remained still as she looked at her Moon Sister. "That is what I have chosen."

"You do realize this has put me in a very uncomfortable position, right?"

"Your position does not matter to me."

Jordan viciously ground his cigarette into his palm. "Oh, but it should, _Granddaughter_. You wouldn't want to start things off on the wrong foot between us heirs, now would we?"

"The Eighth's Assassins are not known for their camaraderie. Do not obstruct me."

"Don't really have a choice, now do I, Raerae? Your family will suffer if you don't go back, but mine will suffer if you do. You think our connections with the Engineer will still be good if I fail such an important assignment?"

"Do not forget yourself, Jordan." All eyes went to Cain in surprise. His scarred lips were set in a thin line as he scrutinized the androgyne. "Raven is our nakama. She has made a decision, and we will back her as best we can. Even if that means inhibiting you."

"Do not forget who I am." Jordan's tight fist burst into flames. "Raerae will not be going back with her family, and I don't much care how I'm going to do that."

Raven appeared in front of the genderfluid assassin. "And how do you expect to stop me? You will not touch me, and I have spent far more time fighting Damien than you have. I know how to subdue him. Cassandra does not want for me to kill you, but I will not hesitate to incapacitate you if you try to interfere."

"She's right, Jay," Cassandra said. "I don't want you to fight, but Raven is going. If you try to use force, we will take you down. Don't think we can't, either. Out of necessity, we've come up with measures to use against Damien for when he next goes apeshit. We'll be able to deal with you."

The androgyne looked at them each in turn, displeasure evident in his eyes. Lyn had retreated slightly, her expression worried and tense. Cain's hands were ready to draw any tool he needed to make a weapon while Morgan's were clasped around his necklace. Alexander was fingering his trumpet's valves. Cassandra and Raven needed no preparation to be ready for combat.

For a moment, Cassandra was worried that Jordan would try anyway. Even on the brink of death, Damien's strength was not to be underestimated. Then, the androgyne turned away in irritation and jammed two cigarettes into his mouth. The pirates visibly relaxed when he lit them and took a deep drag.

"Are we okay?" Cassandra asked tentatively.

"Of course not," Jordan snapped. "I'm unbelievably fucked, but there's not much I can do about it, is there?"

Lyn ventured cautiously forward. "Is it really that bad?"

Jordan nodded. "Think of it as seven kingdoms, not assassin organizations. As the heir to the throne, I must behave as properly as I can and do everything required of me. Of these seven kingdoms, one is basically universally hated. If one of the kings asks the princess of another country to do something for him, it is expected that it will be done. Failing reflects poorly upon everyone."

"I see..." The first mate stared off into space as she thought. "Hey, is that what you meant when you called Captain a princess?"

Everyone glanced at each other in confusion. Their confusion only grew when Raven bowed her head. "Yes."

"When did you call me a princess?" Cassandra asked.

Lyn waved her hand dismissively. "Long time ago. Anyway, I know three princesses! Cool!"

"Excuse me? Am I not a prince?"

Jordan grabbed Morgan roughly by the hand. "Yeah, you and I are both princes. Now go make me some damn food. C'mon, show me the grub you used to dazzle Cici."

Sensing that a lack of topic would give Lyn the chance to resume her protests, Cassandra swiftly signaled for Cain to momentarily distract the childish first mate. The massive man understood instantly, scooping Lyn up and tossing her into the air. As the artist let out peals of laughter, Cassandra returned to thinking about Jordan. "I really do feel sorry for him. This was probably the most important assignment he's ever had. Interfering directly with the Heads or chosen heirs is a high honor. You only give those to people who absolutely cannot fail. For Jay, screwing this up is a huge blow. If he had any siblings, they would be seriously considered as candidates for Hundred Face when he fails."

"As regrettable as the situation is, the fact remains that there's a guarantee not everybody will be satisfied." Alexander shrugged his shoulders. "But that's life. As... interesting as Jordan has made our time on this island, we have a responsibility to Raven. Ordinarily, I'd say we throw a big party to celebrate your time with us, but I don't think you'd really go for that."

"No. However, there is one matter to clear up before I leave."

The pirate captain raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's that?"

"Alexander will take over my job as physician for this crew."

"Why do I never have a say in this?" Alexander sighed.

Cassandra cuffed him in the back of the head. "So Alexander's the new doctor. What's the deal?"

A loud crash from the galley temporarily distracted them. Cassandra was about to be concerned when she heard Jordan shout, "Fucking Raerae!"

The pirate captain put the issue from her mind and gestured for Raven to continue. "Obviously, I recommend you find a proper doctor as soon as possible. Alexander's spirit healing is no substitute for real medicine."

The musician bristled at that. "My healing field has accelerated the healing process of everyone aboard this ship. Why do you think recovering from fights doesn't take as long as it should? Damien is still alive because-"

"Alexander, you know she meant no disrespect," Cassandra cut in. "We do need a real doctor, just like we did when Damien got hit by three lightning bolts and took on a horde of marsh people. Your spirits are helpful, but they don't do everything. Additionally, you are the the most fitting candidate."

"That's what Lyn said when she made me first mate," he grumbled.

Cassandra smiled widely. "She was right then, and Raven's right now. It's your fault for being so damn versatile, not exactly lacking in the brains department with a plethora of nifty tricks at your disposal. So, Raven, what does Alexander need to know while we search for another doctor?"

"You already know what your spirit healing does in keeping the crew free from basic diseases and reducing recovery time. At the moment, there are only two patients that require medical care, as Cain's ribs have healed to the point where outside interference is unnecessary. Damien is obviously in critical condition, and while he is going to survive this ordeal, the proper steps must be followed to minimize or eliminate any permanent reduction in his ability. The same applies to Morgan and his finger."

"Yeah, I really don't think I'm qualified to act as surgeon."

"Invasive surgery is not required. Come to the medical ward." The doctor disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Alexander immediately moved towards the trapdoor, leaving Cassandra temporarily alone. As she had nothing else to do and Cain was still keeping Lyn entertained, she nudged open the large hatch that led directly to the sick bay and dropped in. Alexander gave a smile of amusement as he exited the stairwell to find she had arrived before him. They both turned to Raven, who had reappeared crouching on the wall above Damien's unconscious form.

"I am sure you are aware of Damien's usual medical routine, but this case is different than you are used to. His skin has toughened considerably since you were last in charge of his medical recovery, and his muscles have grown extremely dense. His mass has increased substantially, so you will require Morgan to aid you in changing his bandages at a minimum of twice a day or as needed. Ensure his intravenous infusion is functioning, and monitor his blood levels..."

As Raven continued explaining to Alexander, Cassandra wandered through the medical ward. She was completely amazed at what Raven had done to prepare for her departure. The doctor knew the contents of every single bottle, vial, and flask in the cabinets, so she had kept almost everything unlabeled. Only regularly-used medicines had been identified. This also ensured that none of the other pirates touched anything in the medical bay without her instruction. To do so would be stupidly dangerous.

Now every single container was labelled in amazing detail. Each tag had the chemical name, any common nicknames, usual uses, hazard symbols, and a number. A quick look around the room revealed a thick notebook resting on the counter. Plucking a vial at random from the cabinet, Cassandra opened the notebook and quickly matched the number to one in the book. Everything she could ever need to know about the contents of the bottle was written in Raven's easily legible handwriting .

_Oh, that's just not fair_, she thought. _Where on earth am I going to find someone as meticulous as Raven?_

She scoured the list as fast as she could, noting the absence of many poisons and toxins she knew she had seen in the medical bay. She knew that Raven was taking everything that wasn't listed. It didn't matter to Cassandra; the petite assassin was the only Black Glove Pirate to actively use them in combat. After closing the notebook and replacing the container of anaesthetic, she turned to see that Alexander had left, leaving her alone with the doctor.

"Where did Alexander go? You couldn't possibly have finished that quickly."

"We had been talking for some time," Raven droned. "He is currently in the men's quarters reading over the instructions for caring for Morgan's finger."

_Nope. Not fair at all_. "You really did think of everything."

"So long as I am doctor of the crew, the Black Glove Pirates will be cared for to the best of my ability."

"I know. They don't even know how much work you do, but I do. You stand watch every night and read every single medical book I buy for you. You test all of these potions a hundred times before you use them on us."

"I will admit that being part of this crew has given me the opportunity to expand my knowledge."

"In more ways than one," Cassandra agreed. "So, this is it. You're really leaving."

"I am."

Cassandra nodded, stubbornly refusing to let any tears escape. "I really did like having you here, Raven. It meant more to me than you can possibly imagine."

Raven remained still.

"And I probably won't see you ever again. Your family isn't going to let you get in the same hemisphere as me."

"That is not an unreasonable assumption."

Cassandra gave a weak laugh. "No, it's not." She stared at the smaller woman. Raven stared right back. "I really am going to miss you."

"You left your Moon Sisters once before."

"I was young and foolish."

"That was less than five months ago."

"Maybe I won't miss being corrected all the time," Cassandra said. "Joke, by the way." She took a deep breath. "Could you do me one last favor?"

"You are still my Captain," Raven droned. "Even when you are not, I will do anything you ask."

Cassandra nodded. "I know you'd prefer to just disappear without a trace, but could you say good-bye to everyone? It'd help us have some closure on this whole deal."

"As you wish."

The two pirates ascended to the main deck, where Cain was standing upright against the mast. Lyn was leaning onto his head and jabbing at the mast with her rapier. When she saw the two Moon Sisters emerge, she sheathed her weapon and neatly flipped down to meet them. "Man, Cain is super awesome!"

"We know," Cassandra assured her. "Now, Raven's leaving soon. I've convinced her to bid us farewell."

"Now wait a minute." All eyes went to Alexander. "You're still, right at this moment, a pirate, right?"

Raven nodded.

"Well, even without a party, we should still have a toast. Raven is a Black Glove Pirate, and in smaller crews, it is customary to celebrate her departure in some way."

"That's the angle you're going for?" Cassandra deadpanned. "Pirate customs?"

His bespectacled gaze met hers evenly. "So you're going to doubt me when it comes to traditions in piracy, the one who lived with pirates his entire life, but you're just going to assume I manage to keep Morgan and Damien on the road to recovery? That doesn't seem entirely logical. We're taking into account Raven's disinterest in social gatherings and toning it back to a simple toast. As you said, it'd help us with closure."

Cassandra rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "Raven, are you okay with this?"

"I do not care. My family does not have a set time for my arrival, though I do have to attend Stone, Solemnity, Rain, and Spiral in the near future. A toast would not throw off my schedule to any great degree."

That was good enough. "Hey, Morgan!" the sniper called. "Could you bring out some bottles of rum and mugs for the rest of us? Tell Jay to just wait for a moment for his food."

"I will need some assistance carrying all of that out," Morgan shouted back. "I am still operating singlehandedly for all intents and purposes."

Cassandra gestured for Alexander and Lyn to help the injured cook with his load. The first and second mate slowed slightly when they opened the galley door met a cloud of smoke. Jordan was evidently smoking up a storm. Cassandra had only purchased a single pack of cigarettes for the androgyne; if he wanted another, he would have to go buy it himself. Eventually, the three pirates exited the galley with the requested items. Lyn tossed one entire bottle to Cain while Alexander helped Morgan pour the drinks evenly. The cook did admirably well considering his left hand was in a sling.

When the five pirates who weren't leaving all had their respective portions of alcohol, Cassandra raised her glass. "And so today, we bid farewell to our beloved crewmember, Raven. I'm sure you all would like to say a few words. Everyone gets a turn, but keep it short and sweet. Who wants to begin?"

"Ooh, ooh, me, me!" Lyn's mug as already empty. Morgan was attempting to refill it, but the artist's constant movement made it quite difficult for him. "So... Raven! You're leaving! You already know what I think, so I just wanna say it was really great having you on board! You can move super fast and you know everything about medicine and bodies and stuff, but you're also so cute! I'll be really sad when you leave! If you can, write or call sometime! If you can't, that's fine too! I know you'll kick ass no matter what you do. So... yeah!"

"It'll be hard to follow that up, little miss, but I'll do my best." Cain offered Raven his finger, and Raven obligingly perched on it. "I can honestly say that you are one of the pieces that really grounds this crew. Everyone knows that you can handle almost any situation in single combat, especially against you-know-who."

"Who?" Lyn whispered loudly.

"Plus, we can always trust you to provide an objective view of whatever we face, even when it concerns Captain Libera's safety and well-being. She always says, having many different views of a problem makes finding the best solution a lot easier. And professionally, as a bodyguard, you've definitely helped me realize my strengths and weaknesses. I sure hope I don't have to try to defend Morgan from your family, because I know that won't be easy. No hard feelings either way, right?"

"If my family targets Prince Zematsal, I will factor in your knowledge of our abilities and adapt the mission accordingly."

Cassandra was torn between laughing and scowling disapprovingly. Cain opted for the former. "I'd expect nothing less, little bird."

"And on that cheerful note..." Morgan paused to give a hacking cough. "Blast that infernal impostor and those accursed coffin nails. Anyway, I will admit that for all the horrors you put me through, you have done an exemplary job ensuring the magnitude of any immotility stemming from grievous wounds is as diminished as possible. Truly, I have known nobody, man or woman, whose surgical skills are so efficient, precise, and fast. It will be a shame to lose you as the doctor of this crew."

_That's basically as good as he could give_, Cassandra allowed. "Alexander?"

The musician slowly swirled his mug as he thought of what he was going to say. "Raven, I have had the special privilege of watching you grow. When I first met you, you were ready to cut my throat. As recently as last night, we were talking about how dreams work. I think it's safe to say that the Raven I met those months ago pales in comparison to the Raven I'm watching go. You're superior in every way to the woman you were before you joined the crew, and I think being a pirate was good for you. Of course, I don't know much about how your family works, so I can't say whether being a pirate was good for your status as assassin heir, but I'm glad for you. As Lyn said, you'll kick ass no matter what you do.

"Oh, and I'll speak for Damien since he's still arguing with Death in the doorway. He'll miss you."

"No, he will not."

"Fine. He'll miss having someone strong and readily accessible to fight, and you happen to fall into that category."

Raven considered his choice of words. "That is true."

With a heavy heart, Cassandra began speaking. "All of these louts are right. You may not realize what you contribute to the crew, but you have to know that you will forever be part of our history. These few months that you've been with us have been so much fun. I've seen you grow into a woman much more capable of stepping into the role of Granddaughter of the Eighth than you were when I was banished. You learned about healing the body as well as hurting it. You learned about relationships, both emotional and hierarchical. You saw forms of combat you wouldn't see anywhere else. I'm sure you'll take all of these skills and become the best heir you can be.

"Now, I'm not saying good-bye. You may think I'll never see you again, but I know better. As much as you dismiss our relationship as Moon Sisters as coincidental, we are connected. Our fates are intertwined. It's only a matter of time before we see each other again. With that in mind, I pray to the seven gods of life that we both live until that day."

She raised her glass and shouted, "To Raven!"

"To Raven!" The five pirates crashed their glasses together and drank deeply.

Cassandra knew she wouldn't feel the doctor's absence until Raven actually left. She settled for merely staring at the black-clad woman. Raven stared right back, her jet black eyes as empty as ever. Even now, they held no emotion. She was only waiting until the ceremony was done so she could leave. "Have I satisfied the requirements of the pirate tradition?"

Alexander gave a sad smile. "Yes, Raven, you have."

"Then as of now-"

She was interrupted by Lyn's shriek of surprise. Cassandra turned in time to see the first mate get submerged to her nose in thick rock. Her hands immediately went to her pistols while her mind processed her surroundings. Her Devil Fruit had eliminated any effects the rum had on her, so her senses were as clear as ever. This meant that Morgan was not defending Lyn; Cassandra would have detected any threat or danger long before the prince would. With that in mind, she fired round after round at the stone humanoid, but it was no use. His elemental armor protected him completely.

"Don't move," the traitorous cook warned. "I will crush her like a bug." A stone finger was levelled at Raven. "If you so much as twitch, I will pulverize her. If you think you know exactly where I am, feel free to try to stop me. Otherwise, stay still. Actually, I have a better idea. Cassandra, if you would be so kind as to instruct your doctor to not move a muscle until you say otherwise?"

Cassandra gritted her teeth. She slowly nodded at Raven, who simply gazed at her.

"Ah, ah, ah," Morgan said. "You need to say it explicitly."

"Raven, don't move at all until I say you can," Cassandra managed through her clenched jaws. "I don't know what you hope to gain from this, Zematsal. You're dead the minute you drop that fucking armor. Cain won't be able to stop you this time. It's a shame I won't have Raven to torture you slowly and painfully, but I'm sure I'll be able to fill in for her just fine."

"I'm trembling here, Captain. I know how much dearest Lyn means to you. You're not going to risk her being hurt. But just in case..."

A large stone foot shot out, crashing into Alexander and sending him flying out over the ocean. No sooner had Cassandra shouted Cain's name than the enormous man dove overboard to prevent the alchemist from drowning. The_Howling Knave_ heaved tremendously, forcing Cassandra to grab a railing to keep her balance. Raven remained perched on the lowest yard, her footing never wavering in the slightest.

"He posed no threat to you," Cassandra snapped.

"On the contrary, he could make my position very dangerous. On that note, come with me to shore. I don't want him popping up behind me or any such shenanigans. Raven can come too, but only if you order her to stay seven meters from me at all times. Remember, one wrong move..."

The rocks shifted, and Lyn's muffled scream pierced Cassandra's heart. "Okay, okay! Raven, whatever you do, don't go within seven meters of Morgan. That's an order. Now, can you please put Lyn down?"

"I'm afraid not. Come, before Cain returns."

The elementalist boosted off of the ship, landing heavily on the street by the harbor. Raven transported Cassandra after him in an instant, alighting on the cobblestones the requested distance away. At this point, Cassandra didn't want Raven to torture Morgan. She wanted to do it herself. While she couldn't keep a man suffering for eight days straight, it would be more than worth it to be the direct cause of his agony. She had been wrong to give the prince a second chance. His pride was obviously too fragile to endure any indignity.

"Okay, we're here, away from the water, away from Alexander. Raven's not going anywhere. So what do you want?" she demanded. "Is it my position? We already know you can't handle that. You want your privileges back? Your finger? Your crown?"

"You know what I want."

Cassandra was in no mood for games. "Quit fucking around, Morgan. You take Lyn hostage and kick Alexander into open sea? We aren't playing a game here. You risked your life to do this. Tell me what you want."

"I already told you, you know what I want. Think hard, Cassandra. Sweet Lyn's life depends on it."

And so the pirate captain thought. Her mind worked as well if not better under stress. The timing was peculiar. Cassandra gave the prince enough credit to know he was no fool when it came to planning something as dangerous as this. Obviously, he had chosen a time when Damien wouldn't snap him in half for attempting a second usurpation so soon after the first, and the navigator's recovery time was as notoriously unpredictable as the man himself was. The sooner Morgan acted, the lower the risk of dealing with the berserker was.

On the other hand, Morgan had been under heavy painkillers for the past day and a half, so doing it so closely after his disastrous failure had been impossible. He had chosen a time when all eyes weren't on him, as they had been since his botched mutiny. That was smart. But the specific timing was off. There was something peculiar about when he chose to seize Lyn, something Cassandra couldn't put her finger on.

Suddenly, she realized what he wanted. She looked up at the soft features of the elemental's face, betrayal filling her heart. "Oh no."

"Oh, yes," Morgan shot back. "A prince always gets what he wants."


	22. Lunar Interference

Raven did not understand why Morgan was acting as he was, but she could see that Cassandra knew. She remained perfectly still, her attention fully focused on the elementalist. She was looking for the slightest weakness, any opportunity to kill the prince. She had thought that he would be more humble with the many punishments he had. She was evidently wrong.

"A prince always gets what he wants," Cassandra repeated. "You're only trying to confuse me, and it won't work."

"Aww, but aren't I telling the truth?" Morgan taunted. "I am a prince, and I will get what I want. I know how you'll do anything to keep your precious people alive, even if it means going against what you stand for."

Raven moved to the captain's side. "I do not understand."

Cassandra kept her eyes on the stone elemental as she explained. "Because you're still technically a Black Glove Pirate, you'll follow all of my orders, correct?"

"That is technically correct."

"Well, because of that, I can still order you to stay. Then you'll stay, regardless of your decision."

"I do not understand how that benefits Morgan."

The gunslinger gave a short laugh. "That's because it doesn't. It doesn't benefit Morgan Zematsal in the slightest."

Raven turned to face the large rock humanoid. "I see."

"Looks like we're all on the same page!" came the response. "Now, give the order and we can put this all behind us."

"It doesn't work that way, Jordan," Cassandra snapped.

"Yes, it does." His stone fist tightened, causing Lyn to give another muffled scream of pain. "Either you tell Raerae to say with you or dear, sweet Lyn gets crushed. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"Of course I don't. I would never let that happen. But what is your plan if Lyn does die?"

"You said yourself that wouldn't happen, so I didn't care to make that plan. Now Cici, stop stalling and hurry up. I don't think she's feeling mighty comfortable."

Cassandra clenched her fists. "You're not going to kill her. If you do, you lose your bargaining chip. If you lose your bargaining chip, I'll collect your head. Morgan can't beat me, especially not when Cain and Alexander learn that you killed Lyn and I get reinforcements."

Jordan contemplated this. "Yes, it is true that my chance of surviving is slim if she dies. However, I know you, Cici, and people don't change. So long as I don't kill her, you won't have me killed. That has always been your philosophy, right? So yeah, I won't kill her." His stone fist contracted more, and the following snap was punctuated by Lyn's loudest scream yet. "Oh, I think that was a leg. That's gonna need some immediate medical attention, I'd say."

"You bastard," Cassandra spat. "I may not kill you, but making you regret laying a finger on her will be a lot of fun. There's a couple moves I wanted to try on Damien, but I'm sure you'll make an equally satisfying test dummy."

"Talk, talk, talk. I'll gladly take whatever punishment you give me so long as I complete my mission. Now- ungh!"

He clapped his free stone hand to his head and staggered to the side. Cassandra put a hand to her pistols, ready for the slightest weakening of control to find out where the impersonator was in the elemental and shoot. Whatever Jordan was experiencing was enough to throw him off kilter. Raven did not know what was going on, but was no less prepared to intervene than before. The way Jordan was thrashing about, he was coming close to crushing Lyn.

"What's going on?" came Cassandra's question.

"I do not know."

Jordan continued to teeter about, giving grunts of exertion. He smacked the side of his head hard enough to send shards of stone spinning off. "Stop..." he managed as he fell against a building. "Get out... get out!"

He abruptly pitched forward, winding up right in front of Cassandra. The pirate captain stared at the stone figure before her and rapped her knuckles on it. "Hey bastard. Don't go mental on me just yet. You can go crazy after I punish you for hurting my nakama. And Morgan."

The rock elemental turned its head up to face her. "Very funny. Lynlyn, if you do that again, I can't promise your life."

"Don't give me that." Raven knew Cassandra was almost always ready for the unexpected, so she interpreted it as a sign of emotional fragility that the pirate captain jumped ever so slightly when she heard Lyn's airy voice. This was another indication that leaving the crew was the right choice. She did not need such weaknesses. "You said yourself that you won't kill me, Jayjay."

"Yes, but if I'm busy reliving Cici's apparent demise, I may not be able to control my damn body."

"I'm touched." Raven did not understand why Cassandra was emotionally stirred by Jordan's words, as the present situation would certainly register as more dire in the captain's mind. "Lyn, as amusing as your distraction tactic is, I'd do what Jordan says. Don't forget that you showed me those memories too. I know how that feels."

Cassandra relaxed as her collar compressed slightly, indicating that Lyn had wrapped her in an incorporeal embrace. "As much as I love having you here, go tell Cain not to interfere. He should be done fishing Alexander out." As Raven felt the spirit brush past her, Cassandra focused back on the treacherous assassin. "Okay, let's all take a deep breath and calm down. Jordan, I admit your actions were effective, if a little drastic. I don't think anyone was expecting you to take Lyn hostage or kick Alexander into the ocean."

"I was."

"Okay, Raven wa-" The pirate captain looked about, suddenly realizing that Raven was no longer at her side. She turned around to see the doctor crouched on a nearby lamppost, nearly completely hidden by the glare of the light. "She didn't forget like I did that you're a traitorous scoundrel."

"Now, Cici, that hurts. I would never betray you."

"And what exactly do you call assaulting my crewmembers?"

"Um... drastic measures? Look, I wouldn't hurt _you_, but I have to get my mission done. You know that, right? I can't let Raven go back. That wasn't what I was hired to do. This came from the Engineer himself. He personally asked me to do this. I don't have to tell you that I cannot fail this mission. If I do, I won't be Hundred Face. I can't give that to Traytray. You know how hard I worked for this."

"And you know how I stick by my philosophy. I will not force my friends to do what they don't want to. The problem is, you have one of my nakama, and there doesn't seem to be any way around that."

"Incorrect." Cassandra turned to Raven, her brows drawn together. "Jordan, retreat to your original position so I may confer with Cassandra."

"Now now, Raerae. Don't be plotting anything."

Instead of waiting for the impersonator to move backwards, Cassandra swiftly strode to Raven's perch. Her eyes fixed upon the crouching woman and muttered, "Please tell me you see a way out of this that I don't."

"It depends on how true you want to be to your philosophy of free will."

"You know that's how I live."

That was all the answer Raven needed. "Then tell Jordan that he wins."

Cassandra frowned, but nodded and turned to face the doppelganger. "Okay, Jordan, just don't hurt her any more. You wi-"

The pirate captain paused midsentence, then her eyes rolled up and she fell to the ground. Raven landed by the downed woman and briefly checked to make sure she was still alive. Feeling the pulse beneath her fingertips and knowing she had very little time, she pulled the seastone ring from Cassandra's gloved finger and placed it on the nape of the captain's neck.

Jordan took a step back and held his hands before him. "What are you doing?"

"I am removing your bargaining chip, Jordan. You will not kill Lyn, of that I am sure. However, Cassandra is the one concerned with keeping harm from befalling her. My role as doctor is to tend to injuries, not prevent them. If you inflict a wound that will eventually result in Lyn's death, I will be able to detect it before you leave. Anything aside from that is irrelevant."

"And you of all people would attack Cici for that?"

"She is currently in the way of her own life philosophy. I am helping her by eliminating her from the equation. Now, only you and I remain."

"I still have Lynlyn."

"You will not kill her, and I will tend to any injury she has or will sustain in the near future. She is also not part of the equation."

Jordan gave a weak chuckle. "But she's your crewmate, right? There's no way you don't-"

"It seems you have forgotten who you are talking to, Jordan Lovat. I protect one woman and one woman alone. The rest I serve."

"Okay, so it's just you and me. Why did you need to pare it down to us two?"

"We are the assassins involved in this situation. You wish to fulfill your assignment by preventing me from returning with my family to receive the title 'Granddaughter of the Eighth.' I have decided that that is the correct course of action, and I will not be dissuaded. We are at an apparent impasse, save for the proposition I have for you."

"Oh?" Jordan leaned in. "And what proposition might this be?"

"I am leaving the crew, but I do not believe Cassandra will be safe from Damien. I believe he will kill her if someone is not there to stop him."

"So kill him when you leave the crew. What does this have to do with me?"

"Cassandra has expressly forbidden me from killing Damien without her explicit approval or unless he kills a crewmember. She has amended her order to include whether or not I am a pirate."

Jordan scratched his head. "But when you leave, you don't have to follow her orders."

"Do not treat my relationship with her as some capricious connection. My life is hers, regardless of whether she is my superior or not. I will never intentionally disobey her. She has told me to do what I believe is the correct choice, and I believe that becoming Granddaughter of the Eighth is the correct choice. But I will still follow every order she gives, and I will not stop even when I become Daughter of the Eighth."

"Don't get me wrong; I love Cici with all my heart, but you don't think there's something a little wrong with that, one of the Heads at the beck and call of someone who's not even an assassin any more?"

"I do not see a problem with that."

"No!" Jordan gave a burst of laughter. "No, I suppose you wouldn't. Image means nothing to you, only results. So, let me hear this proposition of yours. If I don't like it, I'll skip right past the injuries and crush her like an ant."

Raven did not deem it necessary to remind Jordan that his life expectancy would be greatly shortened by such an action. "I will return with my family to become Granddaughter of the Eighth-"

"Wrong answer," Jordan cut in. "My mission is to prevent that."

A blade of compressed air glanced off his stone armor. Raven lowered her foot, reflecting that she would definitely need to practice the attack more to earn her tattoos. "Fra Furtun. Do not interrupt me again, Jordan. I will become Granddaughter of the Eighth. That is your concession. However, I will not remain at my father's side as is expected of the Granddaughter. Additionally, I will leave Cassandra in your protection. Those are my concessions."

"Hey, first of all, why is me protecting Cici a concession on your part? I'm the one stuck with her instead of doing what is expected of me."

"It is a concession because you alone cannot keep Damien from killing her. If he decides he wants her dead, you have a chance of stopping him only with the help of others. You come from one of the most powerful organizations in the world, yet you cannot hold your own against a single man."

"Hey, I'm alive and kicking while he's-"

"You are only alive because of Cassandra's healing. Nevertheless, Cassandra has ordered me to keep him alive and not to kill him. If not for that, I would hire you to kill him yourself."

"How about I kill him as a favor between us Sisters?"

"Then I would kill you."

Jordan's rock features contorted. "Wait, why would you do that?"

"Have you forgotten everything I have told you? I believe Damien is dangerous and a serious threat to Cassandra's life. He throws himself into situations with suicidal recklessness. He will not rest until you have forcibly separated his head from his body or his opponent is defeated. He is very similar to me in that he does not care for those allied with him. If it were up to me, he would be dead. However, it is up to Cassandra. She considers him a crewmember and her nakama.

"Those who kill a Black Glove Pirate are killed in return."

The impersonator took a moment to contemplate her words. "Now that's what I call scary."

"This is my proposition. Take my place as Cassandra's protector and keep her alive. In return, I will claim my title as heir apparent, but not remain with my family."

Jordan advanced forward suddenly, forcing Raven to retreat to maintain the distance she was ordered. The impersonator halted at Cassandra's prone form and crouched down. Large sections of rock sloughed from his armor, crashing into the ground before fading from existence. He flicked the seastone ring from Cassandra's neck and pressed his hand to the back of her head. As the rest of his elemental disappeared, Raven saw that he had reverted to his most androgynous state and that Lyn was held in his arms.

"You know what, Raerae? I'll accept your deal. You wanna know why?"

"Enlighten me."

"Three reasons. One, Cici is my big sister. Protecting her from her own bad decisions is what a good sibling does, yeah? Two, you're my little sister. It's nice to see the Gloomy Ghost isn't so gloomy. And three... yeah, the Engineer won't be thrilled with me not accomplishing my mission, but I got something even better. After all, it's very rare to be able to ask a favor of the Granddaughter of the Eighth."

Raven did not understand. "Ask me a favor?"

"I'll accept your deal, but in return, you owe me. I'm leaving that deliberately open. I don't want lifelong servitude like what you've given Cici. All I'm saying is that I can ask a single favor of you when I need to. Don't worry; I won't have you contradict any of Cici's orders. I just want to have you in my debt, seeing as how what I'm doing is much more dangerous and unwelcome, don't you think?"

"I accept."

"Look, it's not that hard to..." Jordan frowned and leaned in slightly. "Wait, you accept?

"Yes."

"Just like that?"

"Yes."

"Huh. Okay then. We have a deal. I'd shake your hand, but you're stuck a certain distance away. I'm holding you to your word, Raerae. Do not break it."

"And do not fail in your duty, Jordan."

Jordan gave a wide smirk. "And that's that. Hey, Cici, wake up! The grownups are done talking."

Cassandra groaned, and she put a hand to her head. Rolling onto her back, she stared up at the androgynous assassin. "What happened?"

"Raerae knocked you out so we could have a little chat. Good news, I'll be sticking around for a while to make sure Didi doesn't tear you a new one."

Cassandra only looked confused. "What?"

"I will be going to claim my title as Granddaughter of the Eighth, and Jordan will protect you until I return."

"...What?"

Sensing that the drug she had chosen was slightly more effective than she had originally estimated due to the brief period where Cassandra's regeneration was not activated, Raven proceeded to relate the details of the proposition. It took a few minutes for Cassandra to believe what had transpired, but in the end, she was leaning against the lamppost and smiling broadly. Raven interpreted this as a sign that the situation had been resolved to her satisfaction.

"Well, hasn't this been fun," said the pirate captain. "Raven, I repeal my previous distance command. Come here." Raven did as she was instructed. She did not avoid the flick to the head Cassandra gave her, knowing it was the pirate captain's non-verbal admonishment. "That was for knocking me out. It turned out okay, though, so I'll let it slide. As for you, Jay..."

"Now just remember, Cici," Jordan said as he backed away. "Nobody died. No need to torture me or anything. We're cool, right?"

Cassandra smiled. "We are. Give me a hand, will you? Raven's damn poison-"

"Yeah, I got it." Jordan adjusted Lyn so he could help Cassandra to his feet. The person in his arms and Cassandra's hand in his completely prevented him from reacting when the pirate captain pulled out a pistol and shot him right between the eyes. He fell to his knees with an expression of surprise on his face. His arms fell slack, but Cassandra caught Lyn before the first mate could hit the ground. She got to her feet as the assassin slumped to the side and emptied the magazine into his body.

"Nobody treats my nakama like that and gets away with it. Not even you."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

There were times when Cassandra was very frustrated with her Devil Fruit. It worked very efficiently, but it did have its drawbacks. The one she was currently dealing with was the difficulty she had getting drunk. Sure, she could find some potent beverage, but her fruit made the line between pleasantly inebriated and blackout plastered very thin. It also didn't help that her alcohol tolerance without her Devil Fruit was pathetic. She settled for taking potshots at weather vanes in between swigs of cider. The entire situation was just too bizarre for her to process.

She had been fine with leaving the island when Damien was unconscious. While Damien was somehow a talented helmsman and navigator, it was possible to sail without him at the wheel. They couldn't go as fast as they would like to, but he wasn't necessary. Depending on him was idiotic, anyway.

However, she was far less inclined to leave with most of her crew in the medical bay. Only she and Cain were unharmed. Alexander was doing remarkably well. Using a reflexive defense Cassandra could only attribute to having an unpredictable psychopath for a best friend, he had managed to turn his clothes into metal armor and significantly lessen the damage from Jordan's kick. His torso was covered in ugly bruises, but he was otherwise uninjured. His grin and casual mention how this proved Damien's usefulness assured Cassandra that he was fine.

Lyn was marginally worse off. Her broken leg would take much longer to heal, but she was her usual exuberant self after Raven verified the damage was minimal. Thankfully, it had only been a non-displaced fracture. The first mate was quite vocal about her displeasure with her immobility, but she hadn't refused treatment or caused any problems.

The worst addition to her list of injured pirates was Morgan. Jordan had been completely candid when she recounted what she had done to him. When she had asked about his missing finger while he was cooking and he told her what he had done, she hadn't held back. It had been easy for her to overpower him with Damien's strength and smash him through the galley floor. From there, she had dragged him to the medical bay and knocked him out. After taking his clothes and his abilities, she had stuffed the seastone barb into his mouth and tied a bandage around his head. With him out of the way, it was easy for her to take his place.

That was an act of cruelty even Cassandra wasn't entirely comfortable with. She felt more justified than ever in shooting Jordan in the head. Such prolonged contact with Grade A seastone had serious medical consequences. If not for Alexander's arrival after he was rescued from drowning, Morgan would have died. Cassandra believed the punishments he had given him were enough. She would only wish being tortured with Grade A seastone upon her worst enemies.

Still, Raven had been able to stabilize his health. Cassandra was glad that Cain was more concerned over his crewmates then taking revenge. The last thing she needed was him to go after Jordan. The problem was that her fighting force was significantly reduced. She didn't feel comfortable leaving for the next island with half of her crew out for the count. She wasn't concerned about any fight that could occur. The combination of Cain, Jordan, and herself could handle a variety of threats, but she didn't want her weakened crewmembers to be targeted. It was too much of a risk.

She knew who was coming up behind her without turning around. "The fuck do you want?"

"Aww, why so bitter, Captain?"

"Drop it and go away." She let off another volley, carefully keeping one of the roosters from moving as she shot slivers of metal from both sides of it. "Leave me be." She stiffened as she was embraced from behind, and her jaw tightened painfully. "What part of what I said was unclear, Jordan?"

The androgyne leaned on the railing before her. "Let's get something straight, Cici. I'm not joining your ragtag bunch of misfits. You can't boss me around because I'm not becoming a Black Glove Pirate. There's no way Hundred Face would dream of doing that. I'm just here to make sure Didi doesn't kill you."

"Your concern is touching, but let me be clear." Cassandra aimed squarely at her Moon Sister. "Jordan, I don't care if you don't join my crew, but so long as you're aboard my ship, our rules apply to you. I won't make you take watch or do chores, though that's mostly because Morgan's the cabin boy. But you don't harm anyone aboard my ship. You don't kill any of them. I won't order you to do much, but do not interfere with my plans. I will have you removed."

"You'll have me removed? That's cold, Cici."

"You hurt my nakama badly. Sister or not, that's unacceptable."

"Friends of friends are just other people. Not all of us are as fanatic as Raerae when it comes to doing every damn thing you want. I'm an assassin, remember?"

Cassandra gave a humorless laugh. "Oh, I haven't forgotten. You kill any of my crewmembers, and I will maroon you."

"Deal. Now, onto more pleasant matters..."

"Wait, Jordan, I'm not finished-"

"Did you know Yin has a girlfriend?"

The pirate captain froze with her mouth open, quickly scanning her memory bank for everything she knew about her short-tempered Moon Sister. "Bullshit."

Jordan smiled. "Yeah, I just wanted to throw you for a loop."

Cassandra shot twice. She knew exactly which way and how her target would dodge the first shot. To Jordan's credit, she barely winced when the bullet penetrated her bicep. "What were you saying about hurting your nakama?"

"Is that all you're going to do? Use my crewmembers against me?"

"No, Cici. I don't want to fight. I just don't want you to be mad at me."

"We're adults. Live with it."

Jordan grabbed the bottle of cider and took a deep swig. She raised an eyebrow as she read the label. "I still think your father laced your apples with heroin, the way you consume everything that even tastes like one. Although this is actually pretty good. When did you become good at picking out drinks?"

The sniper gave up. She was still irritated with Jordan, but she knew she couldn't hold a grudge indefinitely. She had forgiven Morgan readily enough, but she had been able to punish him. Additionally, he hadn't hurt anyone but her. Jordan had gone after her crewmembers. She would find some way of punishing her meddling Moon Sister. Physical injury wasn't the only way to get at her. "See, there's a funny thing. When a man grows so accustomed to luxury that he learns how to cook just so he can continue eating fine dining, he learns what makes food good. He's a fucking idiot and a traitorous one at that, but the man has his uses. It's a shame you tortured him half to death."

"That zakuski he made earlier was really good," Jordan admitted. "Guess I may have gone a little overboard with the whole Grade A seastone thing."

"You're damn straight you did," Cassandra snapped. "He is my crewmember, Jordan. I punished him as I saw fit. You had no right to-"

"That bastard nearly killed you, Cici."

"Yeah, and who put me in the catacombs of Baoshan with Pythia telling me how to make an antidote from the next sea over?"

Jordan only grinned. "Must have been some other Changeling. We all look the same, you know."

"And when I saw you at the Academy a week later, did I do anything too bad?"

"No, of course not!" Jordan took a deep swig. "You had only told Pypy that I fed her centipedes to some birds and turned her snakes into a handbag because I helped you. And how convenient that you were unavailable for that week and couldn't confess. I still don't know who you got to hide her damn pets, and believe me, I tried to find out any way I could."

Cassandra shrugged as she reclaimed her bottle. "You should have known better than to cross me. I was thinking you would do something like that, which is why I had Pythia on speed dial and is the reason I'm not dead."

"Oh, don't make it sound like Pythia was always on your side. Remember when she tried to wipe out the entire class for teasing her?"

They both laughed at that. "Yeah, that was fun. We were all so paranoid after that, and by the gods was she not thrilled when we killed every damn bug we saw for the next month."

"Well, you were the one who convinced her to teach us how to recognize the dangerous ones. Did you know that you saved Yinyin's life because you got her to do that? Mission to some jungle, she was able to avoid the tiny frogs that would have killed her otherwise."

"Good for her..." Her most recent experience with poisonous frogs had been interesting, to say the least. This reminded her of something that could not remain unsaid. "As much fun as this nostalgia trip was, there's one more rule I have to mention. Do not impersonate any of my crewmembers or me. That is completely forbidden."

"Oh, come on, Cici," Jordan whined. "It's so much fun!"

"I mean it, Jordan. You can't do that. If you do, Damien might start attacking us willy-nilly, and not all of us can take his punches." The androgyne gave a look Cassandra was all too familiar with. "Fine, two rules I have to mention. No questioning why Damien is on my crew."

"Hey, I understand why. It's like having a mature Oshu aboard, and the gods know how useful they can be when discretion isn't needed. I just wish he weren't so..."

"Belligerent?"

"Feral suits him better." Jordan gestured for the bottle back. "Still, because I know you, I know you think you know what you're doing, and you're usually right. I'm just saying don't regret when it comes to bite you in the ass."

"Isn't that the truth. Still, he'll be the best fighter in the entire world if he doesn't get his dumb ass killed first. I'll be the Queen of the Pirates. It's only fitting he helps me get there, accidentally or otherwise. If you want, you can help me draft some pamphlets I can distribute so I don't have to waste my breath every time someone takes an interest in my crew."

Jordan grunted and downed the rest of the cider in two large gulps. She stared at the bottle, then gave a wide smirk. "Hey Cici, remember that trick you used to do?"

Cassandra knew what the androgyne was referring to and rolled her eyes. "Sure I do. Whose strength do you have?"

"Being Caicai is fun, even if I can't maintain his height for any useful stretch of time. Hey, I bet you can't do it with a pistol."

"Who the hell do you think I am? Of course I can do it with just a pistol."

Jordan's smile had Damien's vicious canines. "I'm gonna need your eyes to make sure you don't screw it up."

"I'm offended," Cassandra said. In truth, she wasn't entirely confident that she could hit a bottle thrown with Cain's strength using only a pistol with the expected accuracy. She was also sure Jordan would spin it as hard as she could, making the shot even tricker. Still, she had a reputation to maintain as one of the best gunslingers ever graduated from the Academy, shaming even most of the instructors. There was no way she could embarrass herself in front of her own Moon Sister. She drew her great-grandfather's pistol and removed all but one bullet. The reduced weight would give her greater control, and she needed every advantage she could get.

"Ready when you are," she said as surely as she could. "Voluntas Carnae."

"Remember, not until I get your eyes." Jordan threw the bottle with all of Cain's might. In no time, the bottle was but a speck in the sky. Cassandra wanted to send the androgyne a scathing look, but needed to devote all of her mindpower to calculating everything she would need to take the shot. She only barely knew Jordan had touched her neck when her left hand tingled. She brought up her right hand to steady her left, taking careful aim.

She took a deep breath and focused hard. "Minervae Digitus Niger."

Time seemed to stretch as the bullet left her pistol. She kept her eyes on the bottle the entire time, every slow revolution it took. She waited and waited for the bullet to reach the rotating glass container. She prayed the she had calculated every single variable correctly. It wouldn't be the end of the world if she missed, but it would be a good indication that she needed to train more seriously.

Her breath hitched when the bullet entered the neck of the bottle. Her shoulders slumped slightly when it clipped the side of the glass container, shattering it into countless pieces. She released her adrenaline boost and began jerkily refilling her pistol.

"You missed," Jordan observed.

"Did I? I didn't notice." Cassandra heaved a sigh as she calmed herself down. "Well, at least I got the bullet in the bottle with a goddamn pistol. I could have threaded that with my rifle."

"Yeah, I know. I still won the bet."

The gunslinger only sighed. "Fine, fine. What do you want for winning?"

"Well... I am staying with you for some time, right? So that means I have to sleep somewhere, right? I call Lyn's bed."

Cassandra gave her Moon Sister a disapproving look. "You want to sleep in Lyn's bed? It's right across from mine, you know."

"I won the bet, Cici. That's what we wagered. Retroactively."

The pirate captain smiled. "Okay, you're right. You can sleep in Lyn's bed. Just remember that you specified Lyn's bed, not the bed Lyn is sleeping in, and my first mate is sleeping in the medical ward where you put her."

"Wait, Cici! That's not what I meant!"


	23. Maritime Rules

Alexander bowed his head to the News Coo, tipping the seagull generously as it gave him a newspaper. The bird gave a smart salute and took to the air to continue its paper route. The first thing Alexander always did when getting the newspaper was check the bounty posters. He leisurely flipped through them, scrutinizing every poster to at least remember the faces. He doubted he would meet any of them, but it wouldn't hurt to be on the lookout. He recognized a few of the bounties as updates, but they weren't anything impressive.

Shaking his head, he set the posters aside for Captain to see and flipped to the front page of the newspaper. His bespectacled eyes read the headline, and he froze. Blinking several times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, he reread the headline several times. He began reading the article as fast as he could, needing to know more about it. His nose inched closer and closer to the paper as he grew more engrossed in the article.

His fingers clenched into fists when someone abruptly cleared their throat behind him. A person he didn't recognize was leaning in over his shoulder, but Alexander was used to seeing apparent strangers around. As Captain had expressly forbidden Jordan from impersonating any crewmembers, the androgyne had just taken to changing her form constantly. She gave a pixyish grin as he slowly loosened his fingers. "What's so interesting, four-eyes?"

"Where's Captain?" he countered, hiding the paper from her. He wanted to share the news with his captain. It didn't relate to the assassin at all.

"Fuck if I know. Am I my sister's keeper?"

Alexander knew she was lying. "Just get her, would you please? I would do it myself, but I'm still a little hurt from when you kicked me in the ribs."

"Oh suck it up, you big baby. Didi still hasn't woken up yet, and you're whining about a couple of bruises?"

A gunshot cut her statement short. Captain exited the galley, idly chewing a mouthful of her favorite fruit. Alexander couldn't help but admire how natural it was to see his leader with a smoking gun in one hand and an apple in the other. "No bullying my nakama, Jordan. What've you got for me?"

"Something really really amazing happened. You know 'God Wanted' Anne of the Five Emperors?"

"Doesn't ring a bell."

He was about to continue when her words registered in his mind. "Are you sure? Have I never told you about the Five Emperors?"

"You probably did when I wasn't paying attention."

The blunt response caused Jordan to give a snicker, but her face was completely impassive when Alexander turned to confront her. "Anyway, she's one of the Five Emperors of the New World. She sailed against the Third Pirate King himself. He personally tore apart her entire fleet, but she continued to fight against him. She rebuilt from the ground up and continued to fight him. She didn't want to be Queen or anything; she just wanted to conquer the New World and rally against the partitions the Second Pirate King set up. Even when three other emperors smashed her fleet and scattered her crew, she never stopped. She was even targeted by Jovon. Everyone always expected her to come back every time."

"Bet you a thousand Beli you don't know what Jovon is."

Captain bounced her apple core off of Jordan's head. "So what did Miss Never-Say-Never do this time?"

"Well, that's the weird thing. She died."

"That completely goes against what you just told me."

"Yeah, and that's what makes it so bizarre," Alexander said excitedly. "See, she's basically unkillable. She's been a part of the New World since the reign of the Second Pirate King. For her to wind up dead is kind of a big deal."

Jordan grunted as she dug a packet out of her pocket. "And how do they know it's her, if she's so hard to kill?"

Alexander shook his head. "You would suggest that, wouldn't you. You don't think the World Government would make absolutely positively sure that one of the most powerful people in the world was killed?"

"I'm just saying it's a lot easier to make problems like that disappear than deal with them. Do you know how easy it would be to hire a cousin of mine to fake a death? Getting a cosmetic surgeon isn't hard either, especially with that fucking Fairy Doctor stealing our clients. Now if she's the cockroach you say she is, I can imagine it would be a lot easier to get rid of her crew and spirit her off to some godforsaken place with a fake corpse on her ship than it would be to wipe her out."

"And what would Anne stand to gain from that?"

"Do I look like her fucking shrink?"

"Wouldn't surprise me."

This time, it was Jordan's turn to throw the apple core at the pirate captain. "My point is you don't know Anne. You only know stories. She could be a coward who pays off everyone who meets her to spread those tales. And before you throw a shitfit," Jordan preempted as Alexander shot to his feet, "I'm not saying that's the truth. I'm just saying you only know what washed up pirates and government-controlled papers have told you."

Alexander stared at the androgyne evenly. She stared right back, idly drawing at her cigarette. In a way, Jordan's character didn't surprise the musician at all. Rather, he found her interesting. "What do you want in life, Jordan?"

"Someone with huge tits or a massive cock."

The alchemist couldn't help but choke at her frankness. He eventually recovered enough to manage a glare. "You're not taking me seriously."

"I'm being perfectly serious. A well-endowed partner cuts down on promiscuity, I hear."

He glanced to his captain for any clue that Jordan was messing with him, but the sniper's face was completely blank. After reminding himself that Jordan was an assassin with a completely different set of morals than him, he continued speaking. "Well, some of us have real aspirations that we want to fill. I have three: I want to talk to the Fleet Admiral and his policy on dealing with pirates, I want to play a concert for the entire world to hear, and I want to compose a pirate song that will last throughout the ages. There is almost nothing that would make me deviate from those ultimate goals. I know Anne wanted the New World for herself, and she wouldn't throw that dream away for anything."

Jordan blew smoke rings into the air as she thought. After a moment, she reached over and took one of Captain's pistols, aiming it squarely at the leader's head. "Say I give you a choice: cut off your fingers or Cici dies. Pretend she's in seastone or something and I'm the biggest pop star threatened by your success. Do you give up your dream for her?"

"Without a doubt." It was Jordan's turn to look surprised. "You don't understand, Jordan. I don't expect you to. To you, Cassandra is your Moon Sister. I don't know what that means to you, but to me, she is my captain. Without her, Damien and I wouldn't be here. I'll give everything I have to make sure she becomes Queen of the Pirates, even my own dream. Of course, I'd much rather I didn't have to, but don't misunderstand the lengths that we'll go to to serve our captain."

The androgynous killer stared at him with unmasked amazement for a moment before turning to her Moon Sister. "Jeez, Cici, how on earth do you keep attracting such devoted zealots?"

Captain actually did choke on her apple, needing Alexander to pound on her back to dislodge the fruit from her throat. "Yeah, devoted zealots," she repeated weakly. "Tell that to those two bastards you sent to the med bay. I don't think they know the meaning of the word 'devotion.'"

"I actually think Didi doesn't."

Alexander sighed and went back to his newspaper. He wasn't going to get into an argument about his best friend's intelligence. Damien never cared for what others said about him, but Alexander did. He knew that Damien wasn't as dumb as he appeared, though it was quite difficult to tell through the navigator's irrational actions. He couldn't help but snicker as he recalled some of their previous antics. He shook his head as he focused on reading about the economic downturn of some Grand Line nation.

"Hey, Cici. Lemme borrow your eyes for a moment."

"What is it this time, Jay?"

"Would you quit avoiding me? I just need them to check something."

"You can tell me, and I'll check it for myself. I'm not letting you just take them again after what you did last night."

"Oh, come on. I didn't hurt you or your precious crew, did I?"

"No, you only pissed away 1.5 million on alcohol and got beaten within an inch of your life when you refused to pay the tab, a tab I had to pay to prevent them from dismembering you when they saw you snoozing uninjured in the alley."

"You didn't have to pay that."

"Bullshit, I didn't. You know, for hanging around to protect me, I seem to be doing most of the protecting here."

"Hey, at least I didn't use it to see how much smack I would need for you to-"

"Yes, I'm sure you don't remember drunkenly informing me that the reason you didn't mainline enough heroin to kill a giant is you couldn't find a dealer. I didn't know you were such a druggie."

"I'm not. I just know there aren't any lasting effects on you, you lucky bitch. C'mon, you need to seriously loosen up. I'd have thought Lynlyn would be all over that."

"Hey, I've loosened up. I went clubbing when Damien was handing your ass to you."

"Yeah, and you had to have a hundred weapons on you before you even considered it. Don't even try to deny it; Lynlyn told me everything. Aren't you the least bit curious about everything the world has to offer? I hear there's this new drug that gives you the most amazing trip without too bad a crash. Sure, it's addictive as fuck, but that doesn't matter to the Nao Nao Fruit, does it?"

"Captain Libera." Cain's interruption instantly cut the conversation short. "I've spotted a ship that I think you'll want to take a look at."

Alexander didn't bother getting up from his chair. Even with a spyglass, he had difficulty making out distant shapes. Raven had recommended he see an optometrist, but as the Log Pose had been set for almost a week, he hadn't thought that scheduling a visit would be worthwhile when the Black Glove Pirates could depart for the next island at any time. He made a mental note to find an eye doctor and make an appointment immediately when they reached their next destination. He only had a few pairs of glasses left anyway.

The sudden rush of activity distracted him from his reading again. Captain was arguing heatedly with Jordan while Cain was quickly talking through the main hatch. Alexander frowned as he lay down his newspaper. "What's going on? What's happening?"

"There's a Marine ship on the way, a big one," Captain said hurriedly. "Look, Jay, you hospitalized my best fighter. You're to take his place. Plus, you still owe me for that tab."

"Fine, fine, if you'll quit bitching about it. How much time am I going to be flying solo, Caicai?"

"No more than fifteen minutes."

"Don't be silly." Morgan leapt through the hatch and landed on the main deck. Alexander's eyebrows rose when he saw the large bundle on the prince's back. "You are a Winter Isle bandit, Cain. We can have it done in ten."

"Morgan, you don't have to help me."

"The hell he doesn't," Captain spat as she emerged from the women's quarters, several bandoliers of ammunition across her chest and her rifle slung over her shoulder. "His tremors stopped, and he can help with one arm, right?"

If there was one thing that defined Morgan in Alexander's eyes for better or worse, it was his unwavering pride. When questioned about it, he simply stated that it was unfitting for a prince to mope childishly over his defeats. "Of course I can. I will not be impeded by such a trifling injury."

"Good, because you're protecting the ship when Cain joins Jordan. Alexander, you're fine working with him, I assume."

"Of course, Captain. Let me prepare for battle as well."

"Do what it is you need to do. Jay, take Damien's power and fuck them up. You've fought with him; you know how to kick ass. I've got your back while Alexander and Morgan will protect the ship. Cain will be with you as soon as he's decked out. Will you be using Basilikos?"

The massive pirate shook his head. "I have another weapon at the ready."

"Then if you could boost me up so I can get started."

Cain obligingly tossed the pirate captain to the crow's nest. Alexander entered the men's quarters, his heart beginning to race as he thought of the impending battle. He was ordinarily a peaceful man, though admittedly he was no stranger to conflict. However, even he couldn't help but relish the prospect of delivering retribution upon the organization that used unnecessary cruelty in its effort to eradicate an entire way of life. Spirits began gathering about him as he prayed under his breath. He knew he couldn't call upon the same wrathful souls that his fellow summoner could, but his mastery was greater and his burst power stronger. He was not someone to be ignored.

He ignored the brand new instruments he had acquired and wrapped his fingers around the battered trumpet he had taken with him from his home island. His connection with this instrument was the strongest, even though he wasn't sure it could handle much more. So long as he didn't expose it to any direct combat, it would be fine. He shrugged off his suit jacket and undid his tie, placing them carefully in their proper places. He rolled up his sleeves as he climbed back up to the main level and exited his room.

Cain bowed his head to the passing musician as Morgan helped with the straps of a large cuirass. Alexander ascended to the poop deck where Jordan was waiting, her eyes fixed on the distant ship. As he took his place beside her, she glanced down at him. "Hey, Alal."

"Alexander."

"Not gonna work with me. You've known Didi the longest, right? What's his strongest opening attack? I kinda ambushed him before so I didn't get to see it."

"I actually haven't seen him fight much recently. Just remember that Captain will protect you, so just go nuts."

Jordan smirked. "Oh, I know she will."

"Also, it would be best if you hung back until they got in my range."

"And why is that? Didi's a tank. I don't think you can hurt him."

"He's also not immune to my summoning, and I'm doubly concerned because you're just aping his powers, so I don't know how you'll be affected. Just hang back. I promise it won't be too troublesome for you."

"Whatever you say, man."

For a while, the only sounds Alexander could hear were the pounding of the surf, the shots his Captain took, the prayer on his tongue, and his heartbeat in his ears. His hands trembled in anticipation for the battle to come. It would be the first time facing Marines since the departure from the Charred Island. He was not the same man that left that island. He was stronger, smarter, and more mature. He wasn't as sheltered as he had been. He had seen more of the world than he had expected to see even without entering the Grand Line.

He would help his captain remind the Marines that dealing with pirates was a risky venture.

"**Voix Sonnerie!**"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Jordan whistled in admiration at the contained explosion she saw before her. The entire Marine ship groaned under the sudden concussive force that struck it. The subsequent wave of water crashed into its bow, causing it to rear high into the air. Marines shouted in panic as they scrambled for support, the ship pitching wildly beneath their feet. Jordan looked down at the portly musician, who was breathing reasonably hard from exertion. She clapped a hand to his back, remembering at the last second to hold back so she didn't break any bones.

"Damn, what did your mothers feed you two? Didi's a beast and all, but what the hell got into you?"

"Next to the big scary scarred man, who ever suspects the well dressed short one has a few tricks up his sleeve?" he responded in amusement, his voice slightly hoarser than usual. "Being underestimated is one of my greatest advantages, you know."

"Ain't that the fuckin' truth. I should've tried being you a while ago."

"Yes, well, I'd get the everliving daylights beaten out of me if I tried to do what you're about to. Don't worry; Morgan and I can protect Captain."

"I'm more worried that you'll keep Momo in line."

"Just get going already. We don't want them getting any closer."

Jordan pushed him backwards hard, sending him flying from the poop deck. She imagined Caicai would catch him, which was fine with her. She needed the room to take off. She knew how Didi moved, how he jumped, how he fought. Fighting against him had never been boring, so fighting as him should be a blast. With a running jump, she exploded into the air, leaving a trail of fire in her wake. She took a glance behind her to make sure she hadn't damaged Cici's ship too badly. She was relieved to only see a scorch mark at her departure point instead of the wreckage she could have left.

With a howl of laughter, she crashed onto the deck of the Marine ship. She was instantly set upon from all sides, but that was fine with her. She had seen Didi unleash an explosion from his entire body. She didn't know how to do it, but her body did. Her attackers were propelled backwards, screaming in pain as their flesh burned. Without missing a beat, Jordan threw herself at the nearest group, claws sprouting from her fingertips as she cut through the soldiers. Bullets slammed into her body from all directions, but none penetrated too deeply. Even when a sword was plunged into her side, the pain only served to indicate who her next victim was. The swipe took the offender's jaw clean off.

The assassin knew she couldn't perfectly replicate Didi's style. That didn't concern her. She was more than willing to incorporate her own tricks. Unfortunately, most of those tricks involved misdirection, which was difficult considering she had the nearly undivided attention of every jackass on the ship. Still, there were worse situations to be in. Being reprimanded by her parent for failing her assignment came most readily to mind, but she already had a damn good excuse for that.

"Come on, is that all you got?" she taunted as she drop kicked some swordwoman into the main mast. "Don't make this too easy for me!"

"Men, stand down!"

The attackers stopped coming, but Jordan didn't let up. She threw herself at another soldier and broke his nose with a sharp headbutt. Someone came up behind her, but his brains burst over the deck before his sword could fall. Without pausing to thank the vigilant sniper, Jordan used her claws to run straight up the mast. She pushed off and peppered the Marines below her with fireballs as she soared towards the helm. It would be a lot harder for her if she fought alone, but she would be a lot less concerned if the ship didn't get anywhere nearer Cici's. She didn't trust Momo to defend the eldest Moon Sister.

Much to her annoyance, she was stopped before she reached her destination. Something caught her from above and smashed her downwards. She crashed through the railing and tumbled backwards to the main deck. She bounced to her feet, rubbing a large bleeding slash as she glared at the sailors surrounding her. Despite the carnage she had wrought, they all stared at her with steely determination. She wished she could figure out how Didi got stronger as he fought. That would be incredibly useful in this situation.

"I have heard about you."

Now that got her attention. She turned to face the pair that landed inside the circle of Marines. The man wore the hat, suit, and coat of a Marine officer while the strawberry blonde woman wore only the coat. It was the woman who had spoken, so it was the woman she addressed. "And what do you think you've you heard about me?"

"That you are a man who cannot be reasoned with, that you slaughter without abandon. It would appear the reports have been skewed against you."

Only years of being mistaken for someone else kept Jordan from bursting out in laughter. It was rare that she was mistaken for somebody she wasn't currently impersonating, but these Marines had apparently only heard of Didi by secondhand information. Granted, she currently had the form of a large athletic man to best use the berserker's powers, but she didn't look a thing like him. "Is that so."

"Nevertheless, you have killed my men without provocation."

"Pirates kill Marines; Marines kill pirates." True statements that didn't mean anything. "I don't need to be provoked."

"If that is what you think, so be it. No more of my men need to die. Commander Wilco and I will be more than sufficient for you."

Jordan completely failed from containing her hilarity when she saw what the Marine captain was brandishing. "If that's what you're bringing to the table, I'm thinking you'll need all of your men!"

Commander Wilco leveled his broom at her. "You will pay for your crimes, Damien."

The doppelganger cracked her knuckles. "Oh, you have no friggin' clue about my crimes, and best of luck finding out what they are."

She threw herself at the female Marine, but was completely blindsided and smashed into the deck. She shot to her feet, only to be smacked upside the chin. As she backflipped and landed on her feet, she fixed her eyes on the man with the broom resting on his shoulder. "Fire cannot burn what it cannot touch. This man is a pushover, Captain."

"Then subdue him and we will proceed."

"Not gonna happen!" Jordan exhaled a massive burst of fire, forcing all of the Marines back. She knew the attack was coming and threw out her foot in response. She expected the broom would break, but it only bent under the force of her blow. Still, she used it as a springboard to launch herself at the female captain, but she was forced to prevent the broom handle from poking into her eye. She lengthened her arm slightly to extend her reach and lashed out. Scraps of cloth sailed through the air, but not a drop of blood.

This commander was not an easy opponent. Jordan gave a sour grin. This might be harder than she expected.

The Marine commander slid backwards, his shirt in tatters from the androgyne's previous attack. Jordan's jaw dropped when she saw Wilco deflect one of her Moon Sister's bullets with his broom. Jordan had seen those cartridges; their payloads were not small. At this close range, the bullets were traveling at incredible speeds. To do that with a mere wooden cleaning tool was no mean feat.

But Jordan was no fool. As she assaulted Wilco with a rapid flurry of attacks, throwing in a wayward elbow to a nearby Marine's throat, she began figuring out why he had chosen such a peculiar weapon. The wood was especially elastic, which made its movements hard to track. However, it was more massive than a whip, as was evidenced by the fact that she was being knocked every which way whenever he managed to get a blow in. Its appearance also made his opponent question his competence and fighting prowess, a philosophy Jordan really liked to get behind when all of the attention wasn't focused on her. She always preferred to be the one using sneak attacks to win the fight while her allies were in the spotlight. Having the roles reversed was something she wasn't used to.

Slowly but surely, she was overcoming the Marine commander. Granted, he had to constantly protect himself from sniper bullets and that made him more vulnerable to her attacks, but there was one big reason he was losing. His weapon was annoying, but was dealing no real damage to her. Didi's toughness was proving extremely useful; most of Wilco's attacks had only left pale marks on her skin. Surely, a Marine officer wouldn't win fights with such a powerless weapon. This led her to one very disturbing conclusion: the captain was the one she had to look out for.

The female sailor hadn't moved since she had issued her order. She simply stood before her men, arms crossed and gaze unblinking. If she wanted to wait until her subordinate was a puddle of goo, that was her choice. Jordan repeatedly tried to seize Wilco's broom, but the way the commander controlled the tool made it seem alive. Jordan wasn't sure if it was even made of wood.

Keeping in mind whose powers she had, she never let up on her assault. Eventually, Wilco was forced to focus entirely on defending himself from bullets, punches, kicks, slashes, and everything Jordan could think of to rip his head off. Jordan couldn't help but give a nasty smile at the first sign of blood she drew from the Marine. Finally, a line of red was punctuated by a tiny stream of blood that stained his torn uniform. His eyes hardened and he began moving faster than before, but so too was Jordan spurred on by the sight. She would take him down.

Jordan's heel flew around in a flaming arc right towards Wilco's stomach, but something got in the way. A large white object intercepted her foot before it could complete its course. Jordan hopskipped backwards to put some distance between them. The Marine captain stood before her subordinate, the white object implanted in the floor to prevent it from being moved. As she stood up straight and yanked the object out, Jordan saw that it was curving out from her arm somehow. "That is enough, pirate."

The capain didn't budge an inch when the broom handle impacted the top of her head. "The filthy pirate damaged the ship enough, Theresa. Don't go damaging it further."

"Ships are repaired much more easily than people, Commander Wilco."

"People heal on their own. Ship repair requires money and manpower. Do you know how long it took me to restore the ship to its former glory after last time?"

"Four days, sixteen hours, twenty one minutes, and fifty seven seconds." The unanimous recitation came from every Marine on the ship.

Captain Theresa nodded. "That long. Well, I hope not to make that big a mess this time."

In an instant, she was before Jordan, her coat flapping behind her and her arm outstretched. From her hand grew five enormous white claws that Jordan instantly knew she didn't want to hit her. Bearing in mind the berserker's metal bones, she raised her forearms and hopped to the side to lessen the damage.

She was not at all thrilled to feel something slam into her back, keeping her in the path of the captain's claws. The five appendages bit into her arms, but were thankfully halted by her own metal bones. She now realized exactly why Wilco fought the way he did. Having both Marine officers focused on her might have thrilled the man whose powers she had, but she didn't relish the prospect. She spat a ball of fire at Wilco as she dodged another swipe, but he simply pushed his broom through to smack her back into Theresa's range. This time, the claws bit deeply into her side, drawing quite a lot of blood. She lashed out to hit the superior officer, but Theresa simply leapt over the attack in a neat front flip, bringing her foot over her head. Jordan saw with surprise that there were claws sprouting from that limb as well. "Shi-"

Sound simultaneously increased to a painful degree and ceased to exist. Jordan fell to her knees, clutching her head in agony. She had a fraction of a second to figure out what was going on before the ship listed dangerously to the side. She smashed her hand into the deck to prevent herself from falling into the ocean. Despite her action, she could feel the very boards of the ship tremble as if they were ready to loosen at any moment. Ignoring the pain in her head, she stabbed her other hand into the deck as the ship corrected itself by pitching in the other direction.

Cracking her eyes open, she could see the Marines tumbling to and fro, soundlessly shouting in panic. Captain Theresa's claws were embedded in the mast, her other hand securely fastened around Commander Wilco's cloak. The captain did not look pleased at all, the head of his broom pressed against his superior's throat. As the ship regained its equilibrium, Jordan twisted her pinky in her ear in an effort to restore its functionality. She wished she could have had the chance to impersonate a Marine and move about that way, but Theresa's eyes had remained fixed on her the entire time. _She just won't let me catch a break_...

She then remembered one of Didi's little tricks she remembered her elder Moon Sister warning her about. After a deep breath, she released a bright surge of fire that effectively hid her location from her enemies. As she retreated, however, a long white claw pierced through her shoulder. Theresa soared through the flames, pinning the androgyne to the wall with a scream of pain. "Don't try to scurry away, pirate. You engaged us; face the consequences."

"Go to hell!" Jordan brought up her feet to kick the captain away from her. Her heels only crashed into more white keratin that sprouted from below Theresa's breasts to protect her stomach. The two claws that grew from her calves kept her attached to the deck, completely nullifying the assassin's attack. A thick white claw even sprouted from her shoulder to stop the sniper round from hitting her head. Jordan was glad to see the bullet shatter the claw, but as the claw suddenly curving down from her scalp protected her, it didn't do Jordan any good.

"Interesting you mention Hell, pirate. I keep order and peace. You sow misery and chaos. The only one of us going to Hell is you!"

She drew her hand back to stab the androgyne, something about which Jordan could do very little. She knew Didi was unreasonably tough, but he wasn't impervious to damage and she wouldn't enjoy the experience. She set her body aflame to ensure Theresa would regret getting so close to her. All that was left was the impalement. She refused to close her eyes and show any weakness. She was Hundred Face, named heir of the Changeling Assassins. She was the killer. She wasn't killed. There was no way she could die here.

"Asja!"

The ship gave its loudest protest, almost sounding like a wail as something crashed into it. Jordan completely forgot about the keratin spikes about to impale her as she saw the new arrival. The enormous man reared up to his full height, white armor gleaming brightly in the sunlight. The gargantuan mace slung over his shoulder looked extremely well-made, unlike his usual limited use, instantly created weapons. Never had the assassin been so happy to see a bodyguard.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Cain was used to sizing up his opponents at a glance. It helped that Captain Libera had been yelling down whatever she found out about the Marines whether by peering through her scope or using her incredible sense of hearing. He knew that the short pale-skinned man in full Marine officer garb and the broom was Commander Wilco and that the woman who kept sprouting spikes was Captain Theresa. He knew that the commander's primary combat purpose was to keep the enemy pinned while the captain ripped them to shreds. Captain Libera had also instructed him to distract their attention away from Jordan. Well, that was no problem. Cain was extremely good at drawing attention to himself.

"I am Cain Alcides, shipwright and weaponsmith of the Black Glove Pirates! So long as I stand, no man or woman shall set foot aboard the _Howling Knave_!"

"Well, that's easy then," Theresa said. "A man with no bounty is a man not worthy of a firing squad. Marines, prepare to board their ship! Leave Damien and this one to me and Wilco!"

The massive pirate had to double check to make sure he wasn't hearing things. Jordan currently resembled a particularly muscular man, but nobody who had even heard of Damien would mistake the two. Although they exhibited the same powers because of Jordan's Devil Fruit, their appearances and characters were very dissimilar.

He had no time to puzzle over the matter when the two Marines both leapt at him, Jordan still stuck on the captain's claws. Cain was extremely confident that Commander Wilco would pose no problem for him. He was mainly concerned about Captain Theresa and her claws. She was the one he targeted first with a sweep of his mace. Although the officers managed to avoid the blow, the flanged head of his weapon tore through the main mast. He would use the mast in a moment, but he first had to free his captain's sister. The fact that Jordan now closely resembled the prince he was sworn to protect was surely no coincidence.

Ignoring the androgyne's attempt to distract him, his hand shot out in an attempt to grab Captain Theresa. Just before he closed his fingers around her, he clenched his hand and smashed his fist into the Marine. The razor sharp spikes that had sprouted all over her body still punctured his metal gauntlet, but not deep enough to prevent her from being blown backwards. Commander Wilco prevented her from flying from the ship with his broom, giving Cain the opportunity he needed.

The armored pirate neatly plucked Jordan from the Marine's claws and cast her gently to the side. She reacted admirably quickly, ignoring the bleeding holes in her shoulder and stealing a hat from the corpse a nearby Marine. As her features began to shift, Cain had a sinking feeling that he would have to be extremely careful to avoid hitting her. He then remembered the flurry of punches he had hit Damien with, only to have the navigator emerge virtually unscathed and ready to return the favor. Cain didn't have to be careful about Jordan at all.

He also found out that he had to be more concerned about Commander Wilco than he had originally anticipated. The Marine officer's broom jabbed through the holes in his visor and into his left eye, causing him to roar in pain. However, he couldn't afford to give his opponents even a moment's opportunity. He lashed out with his right hand, grabbing the fallen mast and wrenching it free from where its rigging had snagged on other masts. He swung the entire length of wood around, intending to decimate the entire area.

While he wasn't able to do as much as he had hoped, the Marine ship was definitely broken beyond easy repair. Only the timely intervention of Captain Theresa, who spun around and sliced through the wood like a buzzsaw, prevented the ship from being destroyed entirely. A large chunk of the mast bounced away and spun off into the water. The portion Cain held in his hand shattered against the cabin of the ship, but weakened it enough that the subsequent attack from his mace pulverized it without any trouble. Men shouted in alarm as the entire area was showered with splinters and bits of metal.

"Even for a pirate, such disregard is outrageous!" Commander Wilco flew into Cain's field of view, attempting to poke him with the broom, but the massive pirate was prepared. He leaned back as far as he could, then tucked his chin to his chest and threw his head forward. His fierce headbutt sent the commander crashing into the rear mast, embedding the Marine in the wood.

He was reminded that he had bigger problems to deal with when a piercing pain shot through his left calf. The Marine commander had been an annoyance, but his superior was quite dangerous. He turned to deal with Captain Theresa, only to find his leg flying out from underneath him. He had to twist his body and slam his black gauntlet into the ground to maintain his balance. He knew what Captain Theresa's next move would be even without seeing her, and he tried to get his mace up to block.

Much to his surprise, the captain's attack was intercepted by another party. A young Marine in bloody clothing crashed into the Marine officer from the side, throwing her off kilter. Instead of plunging her hand into Cain's arm, she was forced to grow several white claws on her side to lessen the impact of his mace. She was still launched away from him, giving him much needed time to gather his bearings. He recovered admirably, making sure not to put too much weight on his injured leg. He could feel the blood soaking his pant leg, but paid it no heed. He could tend to it once the battle was over.

Cain knew the importance of attacking at every opportunity. Swiftly locating his opponents, he bulled towards them with his weapon outstretched. Commander Wilco was busy trying to extract himself from the mast without further damaging it, but an angry Captain Theresa looked more than ready to resume their fight. Large claws sprouted haphazardly from her body, some even growing from other claws. That combined with her wild blonde hair and bloodstained outfit gave her an appearance that would have frightened a more craven man.

Captain Theresa threw herself at him like a whirlwind of blades. Cain backpedalled around the broken main mast, using his armor, mace, and bits of wood to protect himself. He winced as a claw managed to pierce his armor and dug into his flesh. He swung his arm around, but she clung on mightily, the claw growing further in. He drove the head of his mace into the officer, shattering the claw and smashing her into the deck. He saw with some surprise that she had grabbed hold of the top of the mace with her free hand to lessen the impact. He was even more surprised when she ripped the flanged head clean off. That was a problem.

Just as she was about to throw the metal ball at him, she was tackled from the side by another bloody-clothed Marine. Cain was only confused for a moment before the offender threw out a flaming fist that sent Captain Theresa flying into the ruins of the ship's cabin. "Don't lose your head, Caicai!" Jordan shouted. "We're getting too fucking close to Cici and the others! Help me out here!"

Cain had a better idea. "Keep Captain Theresa off me, then get onto my shoulders! Vald!"

He reared up to his full height and lifted his hands above his head. With a mighty bellow, he brought his fists crashing into the deck, splintering it easily. He did it again and again, each time falling farther into the ship. He pounded his way through one level, his feet crashing into the floor below. With his torso half-in, half-out of the deck, he grabbed the edges of the hole he had made and strained. The Marine ship began shaking and creaking loudly as he strained to pull the ship apart. Large cracks spread through the deck, and sailors staggered about everywhere as they tried to find secure footing.

The enormous pirate roared in pain as something pierced his back. To his surprise, he was pulled from the fissure he had created and thrown into the air. As he turned around, he was not thrilled to see Captain Theresa rising up to meet him and the conspicuous lack of a changeling Marine in her wake. His aerial rotation meant her claws couldn't pierce his armor, but her knuckles were covered in thick keratin. He mistimed his preventive swipe, and her uppercut rang his helmet like a bell. He was surprised; his armor was made to withstand blows from men with his strength.

This didn't matter much when he found himself suddenly plummeting downwards. While his chestplate had prevented her kick from breaking anything, his reunion with the damaged ship wasn't pleasant. The piece of armor saved his life once again as he crashed into the splintered remnants of the mast. He knew he didn't have time to lay there stunned, knew he had to get moving, but his body wouldn't cooperate. One of the Marine sailors was trying to stick a rifle through his visor, but Cain's head jerks successfully dissuaded his attacker. The Marine responded by shooting in another junction in his armor. While his padding slowed the bullet considerably, the hot piece of metal still stung quite a bit.

Grunting with exertion, he pushed away, which turned out to be the correct decision. Captain Theresa fell right where he had been lying. He was surprised to see her landing cushioned by a livid Commander Wilco, his broom bending beneath her weight. She dismounted the tool and retracted most of her claws, leaving a single white arc protruding from her forearms. She lunged forward, but Cain was violently moved from her path. The man carrying him was over half his height, which Cain considered an impressive degree of shapeshifting on Jordan's part.

The two pairs stared at each other, their breath heavy from exertion. Cain eyed them warily, his hand on his bleeding side. Mere scratches wouldn't hinder him, no matter how deep they were. Jordan looked even worse, but her body was even tougher than his. He knew the sword sticking from her thigh wouldn't impede her. Unfortunately, while Commander Wilco was looking battered and bruised, Captain Theresa was relatively unharmed. She had an expression of mild annoyance on her face, as if a particularly stubborn stain refused to come out. Her subordinate was different. Cain could feel the murderous hatred rolling off the man.

"I will kill you," Commander Wilco seethed. "Nobody destroys my ship. Nobody! I'll kill you, you damned pirate!"

And that's when an explosion rocked the _Howling Knave_.


	24. Rampage

Were it not for her sharpened reflexes, Cassandra would have been thrown from the crow's nest. She still flipped over the edge, but managed to grab on and avoid being catapulted into the sea. She slammed facefirst into the side of the crow's nest, but the dazed feeling only lasted a second. She looked below to see the deck below her enveloped in roiling flames. That was fine with her; her skin had a marvelous resistance to igniting, and Damien had increased her tolerance to high temperatures. She had to make sure her crew was all right.

She landed upon the pitching deck with ease, eyes flying about as she tried to locate her crewmembers. "Lyn! Morgan! Alexander! Where are you?"

"Would you calm down, wom- Captain." A tendril of water curved from the hole where the main hatch had been. When the body of the elemental followed, Cassandra breathed a sigh of relief. Morgan was suspended with Alexander over his shoulder, while a disoriented Lyn hung upside down a few feet above his head. The prince tossed his crewmates over to Cassandra before violently dispersing his elemental, extinguishing most of the surrounding fires. "They're fine."

"Thank you, Morgan. You'd get a reward if you learned to mind your tongue."

His lips smiled disarmingly. His eyes were dark grey. "Fair enough, Captain."

"More importantly, what the hell happened?"

"I don't know. One moment I'm throwing back cannonballs and the next..."

"Boom!" Lyn shouted before bursting into a fit of giggles.

Cassandra was about to respond when the trapdoor to the stairwell exploded upwards in a column of flame. The very air felt heavier and thicker. The pirate captain's heart began racing as more adrenaline flooded through her body. This wasn't possible. There was only one thing she could think of to explain the tangible emotions in the air, and it was impossible. He couldn't be awake so soon. Having Damien up and about was the last thing she needed right now. She prayed she was wrong. She had to be wrong.

Never had she been so dismayed at being right. Damien emerged from the stairwell, moving surprisingly slowly. His bandages were falling from his body in burning strips, but what concerned Cassandra the most were his eyes. She couldn't even see his eyes through the bright flames pouring from beneath his eyelids. His head panned from side to side, his arms hanging limply at his side. While the only flames he emitted were from his eyes, the temperature around them was rising with every passing second.

"You all right there, mate?" Alexander asked soothingly. "Are you sure you should be up?"

The berserker turned to face him with agonizing slowness. Cassandra absolutely could not understand how the musician was calm. Lyn was shaking with fear, and the prince was as pale as the artist he clutched protectively with his good arm. Even Cassandra's body was aching to either fight or flee from the perceived threat. Alexander, on the other hand, was the very picture of serenity. Cassandra didn't know what kind of blind faith the alchemist had in his friend, but she definitely wished she possessed it.

Damien's head swiveled away until he was facing the Marine ship. A baleful grin grew along his face, and a thunderous rumbling grew in his throat. Cassandra barely kept track of him as he shot into the air at an incredible speed. An instant later, she and her crewmembers were blasted over backwards. She was able to regain her bearings almost immediately, which ultimately saved her life. She managed to snag a belaying pin with her rifle strap instead of flying overboard. She watched as Alexander crashed through the railing a few feet away and tumbled into the water. Now that was a huge problem.

She cursed darkly beneath her breath as she desperately tried to think of what to do. She really needed to have more crewmembers who could swim. Why did her crew have so many Devil Fruit users? She scrambled back onto the deck, gaze flying about as she searched for something to keep Alexander afloat. After making a mental note to purchase some life preservers, she grabbed part of the trapdoor Damien had blown off its hinges and heaved. The bit of wood hit the water with a large splash, but not close enough to Alexander to keep the musician afloat.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," she grumbled as she quickly thought of another way of saving him. Her eyes fell upon the rigging leading up to the yards, and inspiration struck. "Morgan, throw at me over there right now, don't you dare miss, and reel us back in when we're ready. Lyn, how are you feeling?"

"F-fine. I'm fine!"

Any other time, Cassandra would have done anything to comfort the visibly shaken woman. However, she needed Lyn right now, even if the first mate's body couldn't move. "Good. Can you guide me to Alexander using your spirit or whatever?"

Lyn gave a brilliant smile. "Of course I can!"

"Good. Let's go then." A snarl of vines coiled around her waist and launched her at the cordage. She whipped out her pistols and shot one of the rope ladders. She grabbed the dangling end and quickly shot every ratline, allowing the rope to follow her trajectory towards Alexander. She had to switch pistols in midair to continue, but she was able to bisect all of the ratlines and land near her nakama. Alexander had already submerged, and she knew she didn't have much time left. With a deep breath, she sunk beneath the surface and began to search for her crewmember.

Alexander was surprisingly difficult to find. Instead of overreacting like most Users did, he was drifting down with that same unpanicked tranquility he had shown towards Damien, which meant she could not simply look for bubbles caused by wild thrashing. When she finally did locate him, Cassandra realized another problem: they both sank at the same rate. However, Cassandra did have one advantage. She felt the slight tug on her hand as Lyn began to pull her downward. The pleased smile on Alexander's face as she approached almost made her want to leave him to his own devices. She immediately regretted her wish when his eyes closed and a thin stream of bubbles escaped from the corner of his mouth.

She wanted to scream at Lyn to pull her faster. After she began accelerating slightly, she remembered that the first mate could probably sense her urgency. Her outstretched hand closed the distance with painful slowness. Her body shook with relief when she finally snagged the nape of his jacket. She needed to get him breathing as soon as possible. The last thing she felt from Lyn was a slight pressure on her lips and a vivid flashback of the first time Lyn had rescued her. Granted, the first mate hadn't known Cassandra couldn't swim, but she had still ensured her captain's safety. When she got to the part when Lyn had shared her lungful of air, Cassandra knew why the first mate had imparted this memory upon her. Without hesitation, she pressed her mouth to his and gave him most of the air in her lungs. She hoped that was enough.

For operating singlehandedly, Morgan pulled them in remarkably quickly. As the two Devil Fruit users rose dripping from the water, Cassandra gasped madly for breath. It was utter madness that she had to be the one to rescue him, but her options had been severely limited at the time. As the prince hauled them onto the deck, she saw that he had also been busy extinguishing the fires Damien had inadvertently created. She lay back on the scorched deck, beckoning Morgan in closer. "Very well done. Is he breathing?"

"I got it!" Lyn exclaimed. She extracted herself from Morgan's grip and landed directly upon Alexander's stomach. "Hey, if it's okay with you, I'm gonna be doing nude portraits of everyone, okay?"

The pirate captain sighed exasperatedly. As dire as the situation was, she couldn't find any levity in Lyn's statement. "He really needs to breathe, Lyn."

"Hang on a moment," the former nun scolded. "Oh, you know what's a better idea? Just doing one group painting. That all right with you, Alex?"

Cassandra had to dodge the fountain of water that spewed from the musician's mouth. She rolled her eyes and smacked Lyn in the head, ignoring the first mate's victorious grin. "Seriously though, are you okay?"

Alexander nodded as he gave a hacking cough. Cassandra helped him sit up, wiping away some of the liquid seeping from his mouth. He gave a wry grin and jabbed his finger at his juvenile crewmate. "One day, I'll get you back for everything you've done to me. My name is Alexander."

"Yeah, we'll get into your deep psychological issues later," Lyn said dismissively. "You're alive!"

"I think that's apparent," he responded. "Are you all okay?"

"Morgan's actually pretty damn useful when he's not being a twat, and I'm immortal."

The prince merely adjusted his sling. "You're the best, Captain."

"Sarcasm's allowed, right?" Lyn asked.

"I am very sure sarcasm was not restricted."

"Let's face it, mate, you can be a bit of a twat." Alexander gave a few more bad coughs as Morgan helped him to his feet. "But we aren't all perfect. Thank you for saving me."

"Letting a crewmate drown unnecessarily is unprincely. But speaking of imperfection, how is..." The prince trailed off as he looked over at the Marine ship. "What on earth?"

Cassandra followed his line of sight and raised her eyebrows in shock. For a second, she caught sight of some large monster rampaging across the enemy ship. After a few good blinks, the apparition vanished, replaced by the hellish scene she had been expecting. Cain was busy trying to climb back aboard the burning ship while Commander Wilco fended him off. Cassandra didn't have a clue where or who Jordan was, but the tingle in her hand meant her Moon Sister was still alive.

It was Damien she was worried about. He was attacking Captain Theresa with a ferocity Cassandra had never seen before. He truly was violence incarnate. Even against Raven, whom he wanted dead more than anyone Cassandra knew, he hadn't put this much effort into annihilating his opponent. His flames seemed to operate outside of his control as they scorched everything around him, even covering his blind spots by liquefying any weapon that came close to him.

She had to admit that she was impressed with the Marine officer in the navigator's sights. Despite the berserker after her life, Theresa was doing an admirable job staying alive. He was breaking her claws right and left, but she kept growing more and hacking away at him. Cassandra wasn't sure which of his bleeding wounds were new and which were old, but the bright flames completely encompassing his body made it impossible to tell. All she knew is that he in serious danger of not seeing the end of the day.

That was unacceptable. He was her navigator. He would not be taken from her.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much she could do to help him. She decided to simply resume sniping any Marine she saw. She was running low on ammunition, but she made her remaining shots count. Each round penetrated at least two separate sailors, inflicting crippling or fatal wounds. She took shots with her pistols that weren't as showy, but found single targets all the same. It was times like these that she was made fully aware of how good she was at killing people. Her skills certainly had their uses.

Cain had abandoned trying to climb aboard the ship and resumed his earlier goal of pulling it apart. Commander Wilco was attempting to dissuade him, but was having trouble shaking a particularly troublesome Marine that seemed hellbent on ripping him apart. While Cassandra was grateful that her Moon Sister was helping so earnestly, she was also concerned for Jordan's survival. Cassandra was sure that Damien would be even more driven to beat the androgyne than before now that he was wearing a Marine uniform.

With a victorious roar, Cain succeeded in tearing the ship in two. Lyn gave a loud cheer, and Alexander whistled loudly. Morgan didn't make a sound, but he couldn't hide the proud smirk growing on his face. Cassandra wanted to celebrate, but she had no time. "Get out of there, Jay!"

The Marine doppelganger gave no indication that he had heard. He didn't let up his assault on Wilco, having apparently formed some sort of vendetta against the commander. He had grown into a figure of ridiculous proportions, incredibly slender body with gangly limbs, and sported a frightening smile that literally split his face in half. While Cassandra was glad he was enjoying terrorizing his opponents, she feared for his life. She intentionally clipped the bridge of his nose with her shot, but he completely ignored it as he bowled through one of the few remaining Marines.

"Cain, get Jordan away from him!" The armored pirate nodded and grabbed onto the edge of the sinking ship. With a mighty tug, he flew forward with his fist outstretched. He punched through what remained of the deck, knocking Jordan towards the mainland. He was forcibly pulled back as Commander Wilco's fingers found a hole his superior's claws had put into Cain's armor. Wilco hoisted himself onto the large weaponsmith and pulled a bottle clearly labeled 'BLEACH' from beneath his cloak. Cassandra tried to shoot the Marine captain off of her crewmember, but Cain chose that exact moment to rear up in an effort to shake Wilco off. This gave the Marine captain the opportunity to throw the container against Cain's visor.

Cain gave a bellow of pain as he wildly shook his head. Cassandra knew that she needed to act quickly to prevent her crewmember from losing his sight. "Morgan, get tons of water and some vinegar and make sure he doesn't go fucking blind! You have fifteen seconds to get as much as you can and get over there!"

She tried to reload her rifle, but was annoyed to find she had run out of ammunition. Slinging the weapon onto her back, she ran a mental inventory of her remaining weapons and bullets, almost all of which required her to be substantially closer to the wrecked ship than she currently was. She could use her pistols, but there wasn't a guaranteed hit and she didn't want to waste ammunition. All she could do was watch the fight helplessly.

As a mass of green vines shot by her, she was reminded that there was one way of easily getting to the enemy ship. She was able to grab on as Morgan's elemental catapulted over the surf, briefly considering the insanity of two Devil Fruit users flying unguided over open water. Still, she had to help any way she could, and she knew Alexander's fury towards the Marines made him more than prepared to defend Lyn and the _Howling Knave_. She was needed on the front lines.

While Morgan overshot his target, he was able to halt his aerial momentum by snagging the undamaged mizzenmast. Cassandra dismounted and crashed knife-first into one of the few surviving Marines. She was immediately on her feet, knife in one hand and pistol in the other. She was set upon by the remaining sailors on the rear half of the ship, but she was more than ready to deal with them. Bullets flew by her, but she paid them no heed. The shells that found their way into her flesh were quickly pushed out as her body healed itself. Rifles didn't concern her. It was the melee combatants she cared about. "Ferrum Bellonae!"

The Marines threw themselves at her, knowing it was her or them. She deflected the first sword thrust with her knife and shot twice with her pistol. One bullet tore through his head, but the other trigger pull only ended with an empty click. Without time to reload singlehandedly, she flipped the pistol around and brought it against the next sword, knocking it aside. Her hand flew out three times as her knife found the Marine's stomach, heart, and neck. The last thrust was too deep and her knife caught, but she used that to her advantage. Detecting an attacker behind her, she spun around, transferring her pistol from her left hand to her right, and cracked him across the jaw with her pistol butt. She yanked the knife out with her free hand and slashed the Marine's throat.

The spray of blood clouded her vision, but she didn't miss her next opponent. Her knee connected solidly his stomach, sending him staggering back a step. She seized the opportunity to stab her knife into his thigh and dragged it down his leg. He bent over to comfort his maimed appendage with a scream of pain that was silenced as the uppercut with her pistol crashed into his chin. She jumped clear over the Marine that lunged at her from her side, driving her knife into his ear as he passed. Instead of keeping her blade, she released it in favor of drawing a fully loaded pistol. The next pack of Marines to advance were riddled with bullets before they could reach her.

She held out her pistols, but saw that all of the Marines were dead or dying except for one. He was sitting against the wall, horrific burns covering most of his body. He opened his mouth to tell her something, but that just gave her an easier target. His uvula exploded, filling his mouth and throat with blood. Panting heavily, she realized that there were not too many bodies surrounding her. She had killed some of them, but most had been dealt with before she had arrived.

That just reminded her of her goal. She was not here to kill. She was here to save.

She took a running jump and soared over the gap between the two halves of the Marine ship, reloading her pistols in midair. She landed with a roll and just barely managed to avoid a blast of flame. Theresa completely ignored her, focusing entirely on the berserker attempting to rip her apart. Grave wounds covered her body, but she was still valiantly fighting on. She honestly thought she had a chance of defeating Damien. Cassandra thought that was adorable.

She trained her pistols upon the enemy captain, only to have her feet literally swept out from beneath her. She recovered quickly enough, getting back onto her feet in time to block the next swipe of the broom. Her bullets were deflected by Wilco's remarkably elastic weapon, one hitting her navigator and instantly melting against his skin. Cassandra conserved her ammunition and simply pushed away the broom, waiting for the precise moment to strike. The Marine commander pressed forward, the head of his broom constantly stabbing at her face. Cassandra winced as the handle hit her hands and the bristles scratched her forearms, but she knew she had the advantage. Commander Wilco was only a threat when paired with his superior officer. He was considerably less dangerous on his own.

"Ira Iunonia!"

"Spring Cleaning!"

Bullets and splinters flew through the air. Whatever bit of wood penetrated her skin was quickly ejected. Most of her shots missed, but a few found their mark. Wilco did his best to fight on despite his wounds, but his attacks grew ever so slightly slower with every passing second. Knowing she had her battle won, Cassandra constantly kept a mental map of the area, keeping track of both Marine officers and her navigator. She was in no mood to be torn up by Damien or Theresa's claws.

It was because of this that she was able to avoid Damien's more erratic attacks. Unfortunately, while she was able to use some of his blasts of flame to her advantage, they didn't always help her out. When forced to duck backwards to avoid a searing tendril of fire, Wilco took the opportunity to pin Damien in place for Theresa to stab him.

The navigator's roar of pain hurt Cassandra's ears, but she couldn't afford to comfort them. She picked up a discarded rifle and pulled the trigger as fast as the weapon would allow. Unprepared for the assault, several bullets hit Theresa in the gaps of her armor of claws, causing the Marine captain to give her own piercing cry. She retracted her claws from Damien and threw herself at Cassandra. The gunslinger tried to dodge, but Wilco gave Theresa a boost with his broom, accelerating the spiky woman. The two captains met with a brutal collision and sailed through the air. Cassandra didn't have time to extract the claws penetrating her body before she was driven into the street, cracking the pavement.

"You fucking pirate," Theresa growled, her face a hairsbreadth from Cassandra's. "What drives you to unjustly assault officers of the law?"

"I've seen what you Marines call 'justice,'" Cassandra snapped back. "An entire island razed to the ground for no reason."

"Don't mock me by comparing us to criminals like you. We do not attack without provocation. We do not butcher the innocent. We are what stands between the good civilians of the world and the horrendous acts you people commit."

"Your sanctimonious speech means nothing to me. I-"

A scream of anguish interrupted them, drawing their attention. Captain Theresa's face paled, then purpled with rage. Commander Wilco was on the ground, his hands grasping the cauterized stump where his left leg used to be. Unsurprisingly, Damien wasted no time continuing his brutal assault the Marine officer. He stabbed his flaming hands into the sailor's other leg and ripped it clean off. Wilco's screams only grew louder as Damien dug his claws into the Marine's chest and hoisted him up. They grew loudest of all when the navigator sank his teeth into Wilco's shoulder and bit clear through.

"Fucking monster!" Captain Theresa stabbed Cassandra in the head, causing the pirate captain to temporarily black out. When she regained consciousness, she saw that Damien and Theresa were fighting worse than before. The Marine had completely surrendered herself to the same blind rage that Damien thrived on, her claws growing back almost as quickly as he could shatter them. Damien was not at all thrilled about having his vicious dismemberment interrupted, his roars of boundless fury reverberating in the air. Blood flew through the air as they tried to rip each other apart.

Unfortunately for Theresa, Cassandra had a vested interest in keeping Damien alive. She climbed to feet, staggering heavily as her brain continued to heal itself. She concentrated on healing as quickly as she could, needing her full motor functions if she was going to contribute. She glanced around for a suitable weapon, not wanting to get anywhere near the two fighters unless there was no other choice. She was pleased to see Cain sitting on the docks with his helmet removed and Morgan using his elemental to rinse the bleach from the massive pirate's eyes. Cain's strength would be sorely needed soon.

She was reminded of her Moon Sister's presence when a mere child entered the fray by punching Theresa into the air. This proved to be an absolutely abysmal idea as Jordan suddenly replaced Theresa as the focus of Damien's attention. He was only as powerful as Damien had been before he had engaged the Marines. After a few moments, Cassandra was shocked to see that somewhere deep in Damien's mind, behind the blind rage and bloodlust, he knew who he was fighting and how to win. Jordan couldn't touch him. The berserker used only his gloved fist to keep hammer into the androgyne's wounds and made sure there was at least one layer of clothing between the two combatants. No matter how Jordan tried to touch his skin, he couldn't make contact. Damien even ripped a lamppost in two and used it to pin Jordan to the street. While he tried to free himself, the madman continued to pound away. Just as Jordan melted through the metal pole, Damien stabbed his thumbs into the assassin's eyes.

Satisfied that his opponent was removed from combat, Damien searched for more Marines to kill. While Theresa was nowhere to be found, Commander Wilco was still very much alive and very much in pain. He walked purposefully towards the Marine officer with a savage grin. Cassandra temporarily put him from her mind as she rushed to her Moon Sister's side. "Jay, it's me, Cassandra. Time to swap, quickly!"

"Only if you promise me… one thing."

"Yes, yes, whatever you want, now heal!"

The assassin gave a bloody grin. "Don't tell Raerae. I'm not in the mood for an 'I told you so.'"

Jordan fell limp, indicating that she had either accepted Cassandra's powers or died. She waited for the androgyne's wounds to start closing before turning her attention back to Damien. Wilco hadn't been able to hold on, which was probably for the best. Her navigator was voraciously eating part of the deceased Marine, which was enough to churn Cassandra's stomach. She never wanted reminding that her navigator was a cannibal. "Damien? He's dead now. They all are. You and me, we wiped them out. You can calm down now."

He slowly turned to face her, some internal organ dangling from his mouth. Flames still poured from beneath his eyelids as he stared at her. Cassandra forced herself to advance, fighting the completely rational side of her that wanted to be anywhere but there. There would be no shame in running. Even on the brink of death, Damien would probably be able to kill her. That being said, he was her crewmember and her nakama. She had a duty to keep him alive, and for that, she needed to convince him to stand down.

"We won, Damien. It's all right. You don't have to fight any more. We showed the Marines that we're better than they are. It's all over. Just calm down so we can get you patched up."

His lips drew back, and he gave a feral growl.

"Don't worry; you won't have to deal with Raven. She decided to leave the crew for a bit. You missed it while you were sleeping. We'll find a surgeon you can deal with, no problem. Please, just put the… liver down and let's go."

Cassandra hated how slowly he moved. Being mostly dead was no excuse for him not to go about with his usual purposeful swagger. It was somehow even more terrifying when he was slow. Still, the trick had always been to fake fearlessness. Cassandra wasn't sure if he was fooled or amused, but the results were more important than the reasons.

"Now-"

While false courage was important, being on guard was always safer. Cassandra had absolutely no idea what set him off, but the cause was irrelevant. Part of the brim of her cowboy hat was shredded as Damien launched himself at her. Without her reflexes, that would have been her head. Damien was attacking her with the same berserk fury he had used against the Marines. Cassandra was hard-pressed to keep up, her limbs strained past their limit as she tried to stay alive. While her body's stamina was boosted by her regeneration, she could not heal indefinitely. Her muscles tore and repaired themselves as she pushed herself to keep up with his relentless onslaught, but she knew it was only a matter of time before he overcame her.

That was unacceptable. She acknowledged that he was stronger than her, but she refused to believe that he would actually kill her. Not only would she survive to become Queen of the Pirates, but she was not going to be posthumously labeled a fool for keeping him on her crew. That would make her wrong.

While she could not block any of his fists or feet, her heightened reflexes enabled her to dodge most of his attacks. She could see every attack coming and expended just enough energy to avoid any incapacitating wounds. She had no clue how she was supposed to win this fight or get him to stop. She was so focused on staying alive that she couldn't launch a single attack. Her only hope was to outlast Damien and wait for his countless wounds to take their toll. It was a sad day when she had to depend on his inexhaustible stamina to deplete before hers.

One saving grace was that he still wore his armored glove. It meant she had five less claws to deal with, and bruises healed faster than cuts. It was also an indication that he hadn't completely forsaken his identity as Damien, top fighter and navigator of the Black Glove Pirates. Lamentably, reaching that pirate was the difficult part. Even at the best of times, he was utterly unreasonable. Cassandra swore that the gods were conspiring against her. Of all the times for Raven to leave...

She pushed such thoughts from her head. There was no time for excuses. She needed him back, and she needed him alive. While she kept herself from being ripped apart, Cassandra thought of every way to hurt the berserker. Even with the additional strength granted by her adrenaline overload, she couldn't stab deep enough to hurt him at all. She could try to target his wounds and make them deeper, but even a slight dodge on his part would negate her attack. At this range, pistols would work, though a shotgun or automatic rifle would have been preferable. Her last resort relied on her sniper rifle, which she knew from experience would be difficult to use against him from such close range.

"Soet!" Damien was sent flying from her, giving Cassandra a temporary breather. Cain knelt down beside her, his white and black gauntlets hovering unsurely around her. "Are you okay, Captain Libera?"

Cassandra knew she wasn't the one he should be worried about. "Get back!"

Damien tackled Cain around the middle and drove him into the pavement. Cain tried to fend him off, but the navigator was relentless. He deflected the swipes and hammered at the massive chestplate, cracks forming along its surface. Cain pushed himself up, but Damien's uppercut laid him flat again. Rearing up, the navigator unleashed a massive ball of fire that engulfed Cain's head. He only managed to exhale searing flames for a moment before a rush of water extinguished everything. When he turned his head, a large rock fist knocked him through a nearby building. Morgan strode up, hauling Cain into a sitting position with a single pull.

"Bad decisions have bad ramifications, Captain. Skala Bronyu!"

Most of Morgan's rock armor was disintegrated by Damien's punch. The prince absorbed part of the street to regenerate into a humanoid shape, but Damien lit into him with no intention of giving the elemental time to form. Morgan tried to eject himself from the back, but the navigator was more than prepared. He grabbed Morgan by the throat and slammed him into the ground. Cain grabbed his fist before it could pulverize Morgan's skull, but he only managed to slow Damien down. He couldn't stop Damien from dragging him forward and driving him into the street. With both former bandits pinned, the flames around his body roiled as they prepared to explode.

"**Voix Sonnerie!**" Even the fires emanating from his eyes were temporarily extinguished. He turned his glare to the portly musician shuffling down the gangplank from the _Knave_. "That's enough, mate!"

Pushing the two men in his grasp further into the ground, Damien fully turned to face Alexander and exhaled the largest blast of fire Cassandra had ever seen him send. She knew that Alexander couldn't muster enough energy to repeat his voice attack a second time. Cain was too dazed to move, and even if Morgan could move, he couldn't move fast enough. Cassandra couldn't even believe that Damien would try to incinerate his longtime friend, the one person she had always assumed would be safe from Damien's ire.

She screamed as the blast bore down upon Alexander, slowly assuming the shape of some keening beast. She was completely surprised when the animalistic flame was split in two by a long edge of light, coursing away to either side. When the fires finished flying over the docks, Cassandra's mouth fell open. Lyn was kneeling before Alexander with her head down and weapons on the ground. The crutches that Cain had fashioned for her lay in twisted orange shapes at her side, but what surprised Cassandra were the two swords resting against the dock boards. One was recognizable as Lyn's usual rapier, but Cassandra had never seen the shining sword in her other hand. She recognized the hilt as the fragment Lyn had carried around since Reichmann Island, but she didn't recognize the glittering blade.

Lyn stood up straight, which was especially impressive considering most of her left leg was in a thick cast. She brought her swords apart in a single strong movement, and Cassandra was confused to see that Lyn only had her rapier and the broken hilt in her hands. Her snow-white bangs framed the icy gaze she fixed upon the rampaging pirate. "You're breaking the rules, Damien. Stop this madness, or face the consequences."

Damien donned an irritated frown as he looked at the people surrounding him. With the Marine ship destroyed and its sailors dying or dead, the only opponents he perceived were his own crewmates. His flames flared brightly as he swayed on his feet. All of the injuries he had accumulated until now were obviously taking their toll. Between the wounds he had received from Jordan, Theresa, and the assorted Marines, he should have been dead ten times over. Only his stubborn refusal to lose kept him on his feet. His breath came from his mouth in heavy bursts of flame, and the pool of blood around his feet was growing wider by the second. Cassandra didn't even want to think about how hard it would be to defeat him with his current level of rage and without any of his current injuries.

As much as she hated to do it, she saw one optimal course of action. There was a chance that he would cooperate, but she was more concerned with what would happen if they all relaxed and he let loose. "Bring him down! Feuer fangen Angriff: Mark II!"

With a boneshaking roar, Damien launched himself at the two bandits. Morgan's rock armor would keep him alive while Cain's injuries weren't severe enough to hinder him. Cassandra wanted the full brunt of Damien's anger targeted at her, but she needed to coordinate the attack. Talking while trying to keep Damien from killing her was basically impossible. "Alexander, go to my quarters and get the black box with blue edges from beneath my bed! Lyn, go with him and help him! Cain, Morgan, don't die!"

Damien, of course, had other plans. He kicked away Cain's fist and threw himself headlong into Morgan's armor. When he penetrated the stone stomach, he twisted about and unleashed an omnidirectional burst of flames, exploding the elemental into countless pieces. Morgan was sent cartwheeling through the air, unable to prevent himself from being snatched by the leg and forcefully slammed into the street. Damien landed a searing punch to the prince's face, but his subsequent attack was interrupted by Cain's timely arrival.

"Asja!" His mace handle broke against Damien's ribs, but the navigator was sent rolling along the street nevertheless. The fiery discharge he used to propel himself to his feet cracked the pavement, and the following explosion he used to propel himself forward left a smoldering caldera in his wake. Cain met the navigator's charge with a straight punch, but his gauntlet only fractured against Damien's thick metal skull. Cain's heels dug deep furrows into the street as he brought his opponent to a halt. Damien responded by planting his own feet on the ground and heaving Cain into the air. The armored pirate tumbled once before falling back down. Instead of reuniting with the street, he met Damien's rising uppercut that sent a rush of flames coursing through the cracks in his armor.

"Ira Iunonia!" Damien was about to leap after the injured bodyguard when a round of bullets slammed into his body. Molten metal dripped from his skin as he focused on his new target. Cassandra didn't even have time to reload her pistols before Damien was in front of her once more. Her body screamed to go into total overdrive, but it was through sheer force of will that she kept it from going so far. She didn't know how long she would be able to remain in her enhanced state, as the amount of regeneration she had already done today was significant, and she needed to make those few seconds count.

She did need every advantage she could get, so she allowed enough excess adrenaline to course through her body to speed her limbs far beyond what she was used to. This was fortunate, for his flurry of attacks was even more dangerous than before. Every little contact was punctuated by a violent release of flames that sent ripples through her flesh. Even when he didn't manage to touch her, the blistering heat from his passing limbs was exceedingly painful. Although all of her senses were grossly enhanced, the dopamine in her body prevented the pain from overriding all of her actions and rendering her catatonic.

Damien gave a loud roar as he was hit by a deluge of water. He turned to see that Morgan had retreated and was showering the flaming navigator with a healthy distance between them. The prince looked severely worse for wear as he floated in the slender elemental, but he had never suffered indignities or injuries well. He was livid. He mustered as much strength as he could into pumping water at Damien, relying on the alchemist at the foot of his elemental to continually supply him with water. This torrent only proved to be a temporary relief before Damien returned his attention to his captain. Cassandra welcomed the water, if only because it cooled her off and rinsed the blood, sweat, and dirt from her skin. Running water didn't have any adverse affects on her, and the torrent was mostly dissipated by its intended target, leaving her with only a warm mist.

After a few more attacks, Damien abruptly decided that Morgan was worth attacking after all. Pushing Cassandra away, he weaved down the street, avoiding the gush of water Morgan threw at him. Alexander ceased his auxiliary water transmutations and moved in front of the prince. With a deep breath, he managed to get out one blast on his trumpet that stripped the fire from Damien's body. It wasn't enough, however, and Damien sent him flying with a brutal backhand. Knowing he was next, Morgan ascended as high as he could to elude the navigator's wrath, but Damien knew how to reach him. He landed inside the foot of the elemental, the intense heat exuded by his body vaporizing the water immediately. With a loud roar, he rocketed skywards, boiling away everything in his path. He grabbed Morgan in a sizzling bear hug and held on as they both crashed into the ground, leaving Morgan stunned.

Just as Morgan was about to be pulverized beneath a mighty stomp, a hail of bullets impacted Damien's flesh, causing him to howl in agony and fury. Ignoring the dazed elementalist, he charged right back to his captain, hellbent on obliterating her. Cassandra was just as set on walking away from this fight with all of her crewmembers alive and gave as good as she got. The brief respite Morgan and Alexander had given her was enough for her to reload all of her pistols, and she put them to good use. Ducking and dipping to avoid his flurry of attacks, she fired off round after round. Even if one out of ten bullets hit him, it was still another step closer to his defeat.

She was suddenly aware that she and Damien were fighting in the shade. Skipping backwards to give herself in the tiniest fraction of a break, she glanced skyward to see an entire building hurtling towards her. Without wasting any time, she calculated the trajectory it was taking and the route through it she had to take to minimize the damage she could take. Damien remained completely oblivious to the rapidly approaching structure, which meant she had to act while she was defending herself. She had only one shot, and messing up could have serious consequences.

"Fulmen Fulgorae!" She grabbed a handful of flaming dreadlocks and pulled herself past her adversary. Damien tried to grab her, but he lacked the flexibility to work himself into a favorable position and only managed to shred her boot as she passed. She put several bullets through the window she intended to travel through and quickly scanned the interior of the building. The furniture was in freefall, so she could only use the heavier objects to travel. She could only hope that there was a window on the far end, or she would have to find a way to slow down lest she crash into the wall.

As the windowframe passed her, glass shards digging shallow cuts into her skin, she literally sprang into action. She leapt from object to object, zigzagging through the falling structure. Even when the building hit the ground and slowed considerably, she continued her upward movement. To her relief, the far wall bore a window that had already shattered. She dodged the majority of the glass shards and catapulted herself through it. She landed on the ground with a tight roll, springing to her feet to assess the damage.

Damien wasn't immediately trying to free himself, but Cassandra didn't dare hope that he was out for the count. She ran towards Cain, regrettably putting her two fellow Devil Fruit users from her mind. Morgan and Alexander were injured, but Cassandra was reasonably sure they weren't dead and that was good enough for now. Cain was gasping for breath with his hands hanging limply at his sides, dust and mortar still falling from his fingers. He gave a weak salute as she approached, and she could swear he was grinning. "I knew you'd make it, Captain Libera."

Cassandra grinned as she released her adrenal overload for the moment. "Well done, you. Where's the box I told them to get?"

Cain pointed at the tiny chest by his feet, which she gratefully snatched up. She wrenched it open and grabbed its contents: a single sniper round containing a white-blue bullet. Making absolutely sure not to touch the tip, she loaded it into her rifle and hefted the weapon. The enormous pirate stared at the empty case, confusion evident in his deep voice. "What exactly is that?"

"Nevermeltice bullet with Grade C seastone tip. Cost Raven a sum of money I don't even want to think about. Only has one use, but no good saving it for later."

Right on cue, the building erupted into the air in several pieces. Damien came barrelling down the street at an insane speed, fire and bloody dust streaming from his body. His expression of unbridled rage chilled her to the bone, but she didn't have time to waste. It was now or never. If she missed, she was reasonably sure she would actually have to kill Damien or be killed herself.

As he approached, she inhaled and finally let her body go into complete overdrive. Her heart beat faster and faster as the very real threat to her life neared her. Time slowed to a crawl, and her senses changed. She could hear the air flowing from his scarred lungs and the beating of his unyielding heart. She could see every drop of blood on his skin, the recent wounds and past scars, every hair in his tight dreadlocks, every speck of grime that clung to his body. She could see the movement of his muscles, the flames generated on his flesh, the very activity of his cells.

She could see exactly what she needed to hit.

Cracks gradually spread through the already broken pavement as Damien pushed off.

She exhaled. She lifted her rifle, not bothering to look down the scope.

Flames swirled languidly around Damien's clawed fingers, leaving five long trails in their wake.

Cassandra pulled the trigger.

The firing pin struck the primer and the primer exploded. The gunpowder ignited, releasing hot gases that pushed the bullet from the barrel and jolted the rifle mightily. She watched the bullet spin as it traveled towards her target. She couldn't see Damien's eyes through the thick flames that obscured them, but she knew he could see the bullet and was already micrododging to minimize the damage. She had accounted for that.

She watched as the flames pouring from his torso tried to melt the bullet, only to be sucked in by the unchangeable cold of the nevermeltice. The bullet burrowed into his flesh right above his lowest rib, just as Damien had wanted. Just as Cassandra knew he would do.

The rib gave and the bullet vanished into his body, but it wasn't for a while that she heard the loud crack. All of the flames on his body were drawn to that wound like water circling a drain, trying to prevent the nevermeltice from freezing Damien's innards. As Damien's consciousness was largely dependent on his spirits keeping him awake, their departure visibly took its toll. She could finally see all of the blood covering his body and the countless horrific wounds he had sustained. Even the flames from his eyes were drawn to the bullet, leaving his half-lidded gaze clearly visible.

As he flew towards her, Cassandra lowered her rifle and moved her foot back. Time seemed to speed up as Damien drew closer and closer. With a final resumption of motion, she completed her sidestep and Damien crashed into the ground where she had been standing. He bounced twice, leaving deep impact marks each time, before sliding along the street to a stop. Cassandra drew another deep breath as exhaustion permeated her entire body. She felt as if she had just sprinted for a month straight, but it was worth it. Her crew was alive. "Minervae Manica Nigra."

Morgan hobbled up, balefully eyeing the downed pirate. "I'm impressed."

"Me impressing you is all well and good, but we need to get moving. Morgan, in the medical ward, there should be a note on the wall above the sink. If it isn't too damaged, fetch it for me."

"But Captain-"

"No buts." She wasn't in the mood for protests. "On it is the name and address of an underground surgeon who should empty our coffers and keep us alive. You all need to be patched up as soon as possible, and there's no lawful doctor who'll see to us criminals. Cain, I know you're in pain right now, but could you..."

She couldn't believe her eyes. Against all odds, Damien was shakily climbing to his feet. Every muscle in his body trembled with the strain of lifting him up, but he was somehow managing to do it. When he turned to face her, she saw that the all of the flames on his body were concentrated on the bullet hole in his side. His arms shakily drew back as he prepared to lunge, his face contorted in a vicious snarl. Before he could attack, his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed on the ground. Lyn stood behind him, the pommel of her broken hilt dripping blood from where it had come into contact with Damien's head.

Cassandra nodded her thanks to the white- and black-haired first mate. Lyn bowed her head back. "Heal him."

"Wait, what-"

The pirate captain silenced Morgan with a sharp glance. "No matter how hard he tried, he didn't kill any of us, so I will not kick him out. Make no mistake, he'll be punished, but that punishment won't be death. He is still a Black Glove Pirate, so he will be healed. I gave you an order, cook. Obey it. Cain, like it or not, can you carry him and Alexander to the doctor?"

As wounded as the massive man was, he did not give any protest or hesitation. "Of course, Captain Libera."

"Lyn, check the map of Brickwork, find out any refuges we could hide out in until we're recovered. I-"

She heard a slight clacking sound and would have ignored it if not for the strong smell of blood and brine coming from its source. She whirled around to see Captain Theresa on a nearby building, watching them intently and mumbling into a Den-Den Mushi. When she saw that she had been spotted, she quickly ducked out of sight, barely dodging the two bullets sent in her direction.

The pirate captain groaned as she holstered her pistols. "Well, fuck." After waiting for Theresa to retreat some distance away, she turned and leaned close to her first mate's ear. "Belay that. We just got our asses handed to us taking out a single Marine ship. There's no way we can handle what they'll throw at us next. I really, _really_ don't want to leave, but I don't think we have any other option. This way, they'll waste time scouring the island, which will give us plenty of time to escape."

Lyn dipped her head in agreement. "I trust you, Captain. I know whatever you think is best is the right thing to do."

Cassandra glanced at the unconscious navigator in Cain's arms. "That makes one of us."


	25. Dealing with Insanity

When Cassandra woke, she emerged from her room to find the atmosphere aboard her ship subdued. That was understandable; one of her pirates had just tried to kill the others. She would deal with him later, but she was more concerned with her conscious crewmembers. Despite it being the middle of the day, the main deck was devoid of life. The only pirate she could see was Cain, who was slumbering on the forecastle deck. His bandages were clearly visible beneath his usual brown vest and pants, but his thundery snores indicated that he was in relatively good health.

She couldn't smell anyone on the poop deck behind her, but she knew who was in the galley. Lyn glanced up when door opened, and her electric blue eyes filled with happiness. "Captain! You're okay!"

Cassandra couldn't help but smirk. "Weren't you the one who said I'm always okay so long as I'm alive and rested?" She was nevertheless swept up in a tight hug, spun around several times, and showered with kisses. Cassandra laughed as Lyn put her down, checking to make sure the artist wasn't overly injured. "And shouldn't you be taking it easy?"

Lyn glanced down at the cast encasing her leg. "Nah, don't worry about it. I've got better balance than you, remember?"

"You do not," Cassandra protested, snaking an arm beneath her first mate's armpits. She knew perfectly well that Lyn could manage on her own, but she still wanted to be supportive. "Anyway, how did everything go when I was out? Did the backstreet doctor help you out?"

"He did." She turned to face Morgan, who was sitting at the table, his face swathed in bandages. The holes left for his eyes and mouth revealed the puffy purple skin beneath, though his glare was still as sharp as ever.

"Now, now, Morgie," Lyn scolded. "Doc said you shouldn't speak until the swelling goes down a bit. I gave you the pen and paper for a reason."

The prince glowered at her for a moment before slowly reaching over for his writing utensils. While he wrote down his thoughts, Lyn filled her captain in on what had transpired during her recovery. "So after you gave Doc instructions on what to do, you conked out. Damien was the first because he was gonna die and his spirits were busy keeping his guts from freezing. How did you make that shot?"

"Damien's bones may be harder than most metals, but they aren't harder than seastone. Was his rib salvageable?"

"Yeah, got shoved into place and screwed together because metal won't heal. That was a kickass shot, by the way. You didn't even hit his liver. Anyway, once he got out the pieces of ice, Damien went from 'seriously about to die' to 'probably going to die' and it was only a loooooooong surgery until he was basically out of the woods."

Morgan held up his notepad. _Time that would have been better spent on the rest of us_.

Cassandra couldn't see the essay he had been writing previously because he had covered it up with his hand. Knowing she would get the chance to read it soon enough, she gestured for Lyn to continue. "Anyway, Alexander had lots of ribs broken, but his aren't metal, so Doc gave him some instructions and told him to take it easy until they healed. That means no music or yelling. Morgie's favorite color is purple, so he's not too upset that his face is purple now. He suffered what now?"

He glared at her as he raised the notepad again. _A facial fracture, a laryngeal fracture, a hip dislocation, several broken bones, and assorted cuts and bruises_.

"You have nice handwriting. He got a facial fracture, but not one that needed metal plates or anything. He's not supposed to blow his nose or hit his head and he should keep speaking to a minimum. His throat didn't need repairing, but he needs medication and a humid environment for that. The hip was reset and he needs anti-inflammatory medicine for that too. And of course, he needs to exercise his leg and hand to keep them from growing stiff. And solid food might be painful for a while."

The two women patiently waited for him to finish his furious writing. _I will not be spoonfed soup like some invalid. I will require assistance, but I will be able to prepare and consume our usual fare._

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Morgan, this is no time for your idiotic pride. There's no shame in having to be fed if that's what's required. Damien has been fed countless times when he can't move anything."

"Like now!" Lyn provided. "So yeah, you can help with cooking, as long as you don't do much moving, but I'll feed you, so don't worry!"

The prince stared at her. _That is acceptable._

"It doesn't matter what you deem to be acceptable. You'll accept the soup regardless of who's feeding you. Anyway, you appear to be well enough. How about Cain?"

Lyn heaved a loud sigh of exasperation. "Spirits of saints, he's almost as bad as Damien. Cut to ribbons, burns all over his torso, broken arm, his body's one big bruise, and he still insisted on carrying everyone back to the _Knave_ once Doc was finished with him. I told him a thousand times to take it easy, but he just didn't listen. Come inside Cain? _No way, I'm fine out here_. What if it rains or snows? _Nothing I haven't endured before, complete mountain badass that I am_. Grand Line isn't like your home. _Then I'm sure in for a treat_. He wouldn't budge an inch, no matter how much I tried!"

Cassandra couldn't stop laughing at Lyn's blustering imitation of Cain's deep voice. Even Morgan cracked a smile, though the following wince indicated that even such a small movement was painful for him. "Winter Isle bodyguards are built tough, seems like. Their princes are too, but you are out of your goddamn mind if you think I'm letting any solid food pass your lips anytime soon. Just focus on healing and hope that Damien isn't hogging all of the healing spirits Alexander summoned."

_Do you really believe Alexander's claim of this so-called healing field surrounding this ship?_

"Whether I believe it or not is irrelevant. Fact is that people do seem to recover more quickly when they're on board, and if Alexander thinks it's because of his spirits, I'm not one to argue. Besides, how do you think he causes those sound blasts or Damien summons fire and refuses to die no matter how many bullets I put in him?"

Morgan shook his head, indicating his lack of answers.

"Exactly. I don't care how they do what they do so long as they can do it. So, you all got patched up, we're down to about thirty thousand Beli, and we're out at sea once more. I'm absolutely starving. Did you get the chance to prepare breakfast?" The cook held up the notepad that he had been writing extensively in, but Cassandra waved it aside. "I know what you want to discuss, but it'll have to wait until I've eaten. After doing all of that healing, I need to replenish my energy."

"I remembered that!" Lyn exclaimed. "It's not really a breakfast meal, but I made a biiiiig pot of stew for you. It's been sitting on the stove, so it should still be warm." Morgan pointed emphatically at himself, eliciting an eye roll from Lyn. "Okay, you told me how to make the stew, but I was the one who actually made it. Besides, you had some already and you said I did 'a passable job.'"

Cassandra would have glared at the cook were it not for the grumble from her stomach that drowned out Cain's snores. Ignoring Lyn's amused giggle, she hastened over to the pot and grabbed a ladle. Part of her did appreciate the taste of the stew, but she was primarily concerned with bringing the contents of the entire pot into her stomach. She realized how ravenously hungry she was as she chewed and swallowed as fast as humanly possible.

"'_Isn't that unsanitary?_' First of all, I bet you she's going to finish all of it. Second, you do realize that she's the healthiest out of all of us, right? She just heals away any sickness or anything like that. She's awesome!"

"You've never gotten sick either," Cassandra reminded her between mouthfuls.

"There's a difference between 'haven't ever gotten sick' and 'can't ever get sick,' Captain. Jay's still sleeping, in case you're wondering."

"Oh right, he's here now. Well, Damien did gouge out his eyes. Regenerating something that complex isn't easy. That, and I know better than to lose my eyes. He should be fine in another few hours."

Lyn hobbled over and drew her captain into a deep hug. The ladle fell from Cassandra's fingers and rang the empty pot as she rested her hand on the affectionate pirate's head. She closed her eyes as she felt the familiar pressure at her temples that indicated Lyn wanted to share a memory. She was subjected to a brief series of disjointed flashbacks of Lyn pacing in Doc's office, personally overseeing each and every one of her nakama's operations, of Lyn's left hand resting on her sword hilts and her right fingers interlaced with Cassandra's, of Lyn alone in the crow's nest with the rest of the crew asleep, praying with all her might that everything would be all right.

Cassandra hated how easy it was to forget that Lyn's smile didn't always indicate that she was happy.

She twisted around in Lyn's embrace and returned it in kind. She pressed her lips to Lyn's cheek as they slowly rocked back and forth. As much as Lyn worked like an emotional healer, she could not heal herself as easily. She was a strong woman, one of the strongest Cassandra had ever met, but she hurt just like everybody else. "You did a great job," Cassandra whispered in her ear. "You were amazing. Nobody else could have done what you did. It may have been luck that I found you first, but I couldn't imagine anyone else as my first mate. I wouldn't want anyone else. You and I are here for each other, remember? I promise, I'll never ever leave you. You can always count on me."

Lyn's voice was almost inaudible. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

Cassandra pulled back to show Lyn her most arrogant smirk. "I never do."

The first mate's smile faltered at first, but swiftly grew as radiant as ever. "Then I'll hold you to it."

"Good. Now," she released her hold and turned to face Morgan. "I believe you had something you wanted to say to me, undoubtedly concerning our darling navigator. I want you to understand that ordinarily, I would tear that paper up. I'm growing very tired of people questioning my decision. It isn't your place to say anything about who gets to be on my crew. It isn't Cain's; it isn't Raven's. Lyn and Alexander, as first and second mates, have certain privileges that accompany those positions, but they also know when it is appropriate to question me.

"However, an event has recently transpired that does deserve close examination: Damien tried to kill all of us. Luckily, we managed to survive. Unluckily, I had really hoped to save that bullet. Part of what makes Damien so unreasonably hard to take down is that doing the same thing twice doesn't work against him. Now, no thanks to those confounded Marines, I have to figure out another failsafe. But the fact remains that he did try to kill us all, and it was by fortune and skill that all six of us left Brickwork intact." She paused as she looked over Morgan's injuries. "More or less."

Lyn pushed herself off of the counter she had been resting her head on. "Alexander and Cain are waking up. We should talk about this as a crew."

The pirate captain bowed her head in thanks. "Indeed we should. Morgan, we all know you're not crippled, but let's face the fact that it would be easier if you were helped outside."

He glared at her for a moment before nodding his consent. While Lyn quickly exited the galley with the aid of her new crutches, Cassandra lifted Morgan's chair and carried him outside. When she set him down, he pointedly looked anywhere else but her. The main hatch was open, with Cain carefully lifting Alexander's bed to the main deck.

With all of the pirates gathered, Cassandra cleared her throat to get their attention. "As you all know, Damien went out of control two days ago. This was different from anything he has done before. While he has no care for our wellbeing, he does hold himself back somewhat when he's around us. As Lyn has pointed out in the past, he knows how not to go beyond our capacity for injury. After all, Lyn and Alexander are not as resilient as me and Cain, yet he has sparred with all of us without causing any real injury. When he was angry with me before he figured out I had my Devil Fruit, he was nowhere near as rough with me as he is now.

"Still, there is a reason I prefer his fights to be away from the rest of you. He can lose sight of who he is fighting. Raven observed that his behavior is growing more erratic. This is true. When he fought Madaxe, he was able to shake off that rage and listen to me. Now, he turned on all of us. He is growing stronger by the day, and even Jordan, who is supposed to be here to aid in protecting us from him, wasn't able to do much. It was only because of Raven's parting gift, the crazy prepared woman that she is, that we were able to take him down this time. Next time will be more difficult.

"Morgan, I believe you had something to say." He gave her the paper covered in his writing. "_Damien is a monster who cannot be controlled. He is a threat to all of us and has no place on this crew. His indiscriminate slaughter will bring more harm than good, and his fighting prowess does not help the crew if he turns upon us. Raven was the only one who could stop him, and with her departure, we are much less safe. A man without regard for his crewmembers does not deserve to be a crewmember._

"_Raven has mentioned that Damien's strength and fighting skill have not actually benefitted the crew in any way. This begs the question of why he is still aboard this ship. I realize that some of us have unreciprocated emotional connections with him, but that does not justify his presence. That only blinds them from the fact that they live in proximity with an omnicidal maniac with no care for those he constantly abuses._

"_What is even more astounding is that there seems to be an unspoken acknowledgment that he does not belong. Although references to the entire crew include him, he is not part of the established hierarchy. He operates outside of the rules and laws established by you yourself and is not held responsible for his actions, which are usually handwaved aside as him just 'being who he is.' While efforts are made to include him, his aversion to our company is readily accepted without question._

"_I realize that some of my previous observations can also apply to Raven. The main difference between them is that Raven rigidly and unfailingly adheres to your orders and does her job without question. Damien was assigned the position of the navigator because in West Blue, the slight magnetism of his bones gave him an edge in that area, but that does not matter in the Grand Line. He is simply a helmsman with an admittedly keen sense of direction and who does not need to leave simply because the weather changes. It would be unquestionably easy to recruit another person with a similar skillset who does not need to be monitored at all times lest he turn on the crew._

"_I feel free to express my opinion because, as I have mentioned previously, Damien does not fall within standard crew parameters. You yourself said that my restrictions regarding compliance and complaints do not apply to him. Thus, I feel it is acceptable and necessary to address his presence on this crew. It is out of concern for my wellbeing and those of my crewmembers that I speak out now. There will come a time when he grows too powerful for any of us to stop, especially because of Raven's absence of indeterminate duration._"

Cassandra paused before she read his final sentence. Her eyes hardened as her gaze met Morgan's. She crumpled the paper in her fist and tossed it in his lap. "_Are you prepared to sacrifice us for him?_"

"That's absurd," Alexander said immediately. "Captain isn't sacrificing us by allowing him to stay."

_We live with a man who will turn upon us at any given moment, and not even teamwork can stop him. How is that not a sacrifice?_

"Look, I know his moods aren't exactly predictable, but it's not like he'll just decide to kill us all one day. In case you haven't noticed, even during his mood swings, he still holds back from causing us too much harm. This time, there was a pretty obvious trigger that set him off."

"We are pirates, Alexander," Cain reminded him. "Captain Libera is a wanted woman. We will undoubtedly come across Marines in the future, and suffering injuries such as the ones we have now will eventually take their toll."

The musician angrily turned to face him. "So now you're also going to drive Damien away?"

"He didn't say that," Cassandra said sternly. "I know Damien is your friend, but try to take things a little less personally."

"Damien is more than my friend," Alexander seethed. "We are closer than brothers. My blood runs in his veins. We have been together through everything. We learned how to communicate with spirits together. We played together, studied together, laughed together. We were planning on making our own crew. We-"

"Alexander." The musician ceased his tirade, his hand on his injured chest in an effort to keep it from heaving. He simply stared angrily at his captain. "Nobody is denying Damien is important to you. You two might share the closest bond out of any two of us, and that's saying a lot. But I'm asking you to look at this from our perspective as well. We don't share the same history with him that you do. We don't know the man who played with you and studied with you. All we know is exactly who he is now, and considering how open he is about himself, I think it's pretty safe to assume we know him."

_Precisely. It is time we were rid of him_.

"Now hold on a second," Alexander snapped. "I seem to recall a certain someone that tried to kill our captain in cold blood. Did we put him from the crew, regardless of how badly we wanted to at the time?"

Morgan matched Alexander's glare. _It would be foolish of you to ignore the penances I am paying for my actions, particularly since you aided our Captain in determining them. What has Damien had to endure?_

"Morgan is right," Cain said. "Damien has rarely, if ever, been punished for his actions."

"That's because he hasn't done anything that deserved punishment." Everyone stared incredulously at the musician. "He hasn't done anything to _us_ that deserved punishment."

The pirates paused as they thought about Alexander's words. "It is true that Damien has committed very serious, very despicable crimes basically everywhere we've stopped," Cassandra said slowly. "But you are also correct that he has never used excessive force on any of us."

"Besides Raven."

Cassandra nodded to Cain. "She doesn't count because he couldn't defeat her, even at his strongest. Even before our last scuffle with the Net, he didn't go overboard. He could have, but he didn't. The point is that two days ago, he did. He attacked all of us with intent to kill. If he hadn't already been on death's door when he turned on us, all of us would be dead, including him. If he hadn't been injured, there would be no Black Glove Pirates."

Everyone clearly grasped the gravity of that statement. Alexander's temper visibly cooled at the thought, and he slumped back on his bed. The only sounds were the pulsing surf and the scratching of Morgan's pen. As he was the only one who seemed ready to say something, they all waited for him to finish. _Now, I know you have your rule. Barring murder of a fellow crewmember, you will not force one of us to leave. However, this case does not fit. Attempted murder of the entire crew might be construed as wanting to be rid of us. Now, I believe killing him would be the safer idea. I realize that some of us will protest this decision, but the last thing we need is him coming after us if we do kick him out_.

"An eye for an eye." Cassandra glanced over at Lyn and realized that she had remained silent until now. "A tooth for a tooth. Do you know what that means?"

Morgan looked puzzled. _It means justice should be served, retaliation is what is right_.

"No. It means the person is punished to a degree similar to his crime. Damien hasn't killed any of us. We will not kill him."

Cassandra bowed her head. "Well said. She's right. I will not kill him. That was the deal. He kills one of us; I kill him. Well, Raven was going do it, but I'm sure I can handle it. As it is, he's scared us, he's hurt us, and he's beaten us into the ground."

"Scared us?" Alexander asked.

"You, my friend, are almost as insane as he is," Cassandra said. "Damien's bloodthirst would make even the strongest warriors take him seriously. When he came up, _I_ was afraid, and may I remind you that I grew up in an environment with people who could kill me without looking at me. So when I saw that you walked up to him like he was an unruly child, I knew that your head isn't screwed on right either."

Alexander leveled an even gaze. "Is there a point to all this?"

Morgan raised his hand to ensure he was the one who answered the question. _Through good times and bad, we are a pirate crew. To a pirate crew, their ship is their home. Home is a safe place where we can let our worries go. Constantly living in fear is not part of an ideal living environment._

"We know that Damien holds back, but we still have to pray we don't piss him off." Cassandra waved her hand. "That's not the point. He must be punished. However, there is a slight problem with punishing Damien. Namely, I don't have a clue how to do it. It's tricky, especially since Raven's gone."

_What is so difficult about it? He has physically injured us. Is it not tradition for him to be similarly punished?_

"See, that's the thing. Punishment is supposed to discourage the punishee from repeating their actions. Damien considers it a good day if he comes back with part of his body missing. Unlike you, he has nothing to take away. He has no possessions he would miss. Sure, he has certain likes, raw meat and alcohol that would kill the rest of us, but he doesn't care if he doesn't get them. I could give him orders, but he'd just ignore them."

Morgan sat bolt upright as inspiration struck him. He scribbled madly as a small grin spread across his bruised lips. _As I recall, there is one additional instance where you would remove someone from your crew. As we determined, if left unaddressed, his presence will get us killed. That is a life or death situation that would warrant Captain's Orders. Disobeying them would warrant his banishment_.

Cassandra saw this as a fair point. She used Captain's Orders on Morgan when he was merely holding up their departure. Granted, she hadn't been in the greatest of moods, but this was a far more deserving instance. Using them now would truly test whether Damien still wanted to be on her crew or not.

"No." Lyn stepped forward to attract Morgan's attention. "Captain isn't giving Orders to punish someone."

_Then what do you propose she do?_

"Lock him up."

"I had thought of that," Cassandra said, "but the problem is that imprisoning him has its own problems. Even barring the logistics of it, his main purpose aboard our crew is taking on opponents we couldn't otherwise, especially with Raven gone. Jordan can certainly help, but you saw how Damien destroyed him. As much as I hate to say it, Damien is my new trump card, and keeping him incarcerated deprives me of that."

"Not to mention that he'll probably try to kill you when you let him out," Cain said.

"I'm actually not worried about that. Don't ask why. Nor am I concerned with how we're going to do it. My point is we'll only get to keep him locked up until we need him. We're in the Grand Line; that wouldn't be longer than a week, even excluding the time he needs to recover enough to be put in irons. Do I just lock him up after that? Does he just become a beast I release when I need something obliterated?"

_You mean he isn't already?_

"Damien is a human being," Alexander insisted. "He's mentally unwell, I'll give you that, but he's still human and has the same rights as we do."

_I have seen him squeeze a girl's arm until her bones turned to powder simply to attract the attention of some strong opponents. No human does that._

"He's a bastard, all right," Cassandra said, having long grown used to the atrocities her friends were capable of committing. "But he's our bastard, and I grow tired of repeating the circumstances required for me to kick him out. Imprisonment will do until I figure out some better way of doing it. Cain, how do you feel about remodeling the _Knave_ out here at sea?"

"I can do anything you wish, Captain Libera."

"Good. You're going to make room in the rear cargo bay since I won't stick him in medical bay. His restraints have some specifics you'll need to work in. How're your fingers?"

He opened his vest and gingerly withdrew a few tools. While he was nowhere near as fast as he usually was, he was still able to fashion an ornate dagger from a splinter he peeled from the damaged foremast. "I can make anything you want, Captain Libera."

Cassandra shook her head as she accepted the weapon. "Lyn's right. You really don't accept downtime, do you. Still, that just goes to show why you were assigned as the prince's bodyguard. After all, you always need to be prepared for an attack, even if you just survived one, am I right?"

The gigantic pirate rubbed the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly. "It's just my job, ma'am."

"And you don't know how thankful I am that you kick ass at what you do. Lyn, Morgan, get on whatever meal is coming up. Get Jordan to help you. Don't let him give you any shit; remind him that he's completely failing at holding up his part of the deal. Alexander, rest up. I'm going to need your alchemy and input. Cain, please lower Alexander back into the medical bay."

As the pirates went to their respective locations, Cassandra stared off over the ocean. There were some clouds in the distance she didn't like the look of, but she knew better than to trust her eyes when it came to weather in the Grand Line. The skies could change in an instant, regardless of how it looked at any given time.

"You have more orders for me, Captain Libera."

"Very astute, my friend." She slowly rotated the wooden dagger in her fingers. "You and I have a task ahead of us."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Damien's eyes slowly opened. The slow blinks indicated his gradual rise from consciousness. His pupils dilated as they tried to pierce the darkness. He tried to look around, but realized he could barely move. He tried to struggle, but he couldn't move more than a fraction of an inch against his restraints. He tried to roar, but the mask covering the lower half of his face prevented him from opening his mouth. He closed his eyes as he prepared to summon the flames that would surely free him of his restraints.

None came.

A bright light flared off to his side, causing him to squeeze his eyes shut. When they opened again, he saw Jordan leaning against a stack of crates, a lit cigarette in her mouth. A prominent click marked the closing of a lighter. The androgyne stared at him, smoke obscuring her face.

"You're awake."

His head snapped forwards, the chains binding him rattling violently. Cassandra sat on a chair a few feet away, one leg crossed over the other. She fixed him with an even stare as he strained towards her. A muted growl grew in his throat, but she ignored it. She patiently waited for his night vision to return. She did not need any light to see him clearly, but she wanted him to be able to see her, to some extent.

"You've been a naughty boy, Damien. You and I have a lot to talk about. Jay's only here because she's still pretty pissed at you. I don't know if you remember that Raven left our crew?" He only glared at her, his chest expanding and contracting as he slowly breathed. "No? Well, that's fine. I don't expect you to. See, our dearest doctor took a leave of absence. She won't be back for quite some time. Jay, here, graciously volunteered to take her place, so to speak. She was supposed to guard me from you."

Cassandra leaned in. "You beat her into the ground and proceeded to pulverize the rest of us."

Damien glanced at the androgyne, not even batting an eye as she blew a cloud of smoke in his direction.

"Now, as you can expect, that's not really allowed. Thus, you have been restrained. I do know how you don't kneel, but here you are. Your hands are trapped on the ground too, unless I release you. Collar and muzzle were necessary too. I'm sure you've tried to melt the entire ensemble by now, but that's not gonna happen. Nevermeltice keeps that away. I was going to bandage the restraints, but your skin is so hard to tear that I don't think I have to worry.

"I'm going to release some of these so you can stand. I'm afraid you won't be able to move from that spot, but it'll keep the nerve and blood vessel damage down. You are still my top fighter, and I do want to keep you in good condition, after all."

She advanced and crouched before the kneeling pirate. Even in the darkness, she could see the anger in his eyes. That was to be expected; she would be astonished if there weren't. She was, however, surprised at how little anger there was. As she undid the chain holding his head down, he reared back and rotated his head around to loosen it up. When she unlocked the restraint pinning his hand to the floor, he immediately drew back the freed appendage, only to be halted by the chain connecting it to the ground.

"By all means, you can try to break them," Cassandra said conversationally as she released his other hand. "These have been extensively tested by both Jay and Cain. You haven't been in these for too long, but they'll hold for a while. We'll be performing routine maintenance to ensure you don't go escape and go gallivanting about without my permission."

After undoing the latches keeping his legs pinned, he clambered to his feet and stood at his full height. He stared down at his captain, his glare still hot with fury. She reached around his head and loosened the straps keeping the mask on his face. She let it fall to his chest as he worked his freed jaw.

"I'm sure you're thirsty. Drink." He guzzled the water in the bowl she pushed before him with her foot. Cassandra returned to her chair and crossed her arms. "You won't get food for a while, six days to be precise. I know you need food to recover, but that will have to wait. It's part of your punishment. I will need to feed you eventually because I will need you in fighting shape, but until then you aren't allowed food or movement. Your batshit insane training regimen will have to be put on hold too. You'll survive, won't you?"

She didn't really expect a response. She wasn't disappointed.

"You flipped out and nearly exterminated my crew, our crew. That has consequences. As I've discussed extensively with the others, you're a real pain in the ass to punish. For now, you're confined to this room. You can stand up when I say you can, but otherwise you don't budge at all. It was hard to construct this and move it in here, but I think we pulled it off. Simple mechanisms for everything, and it would be a lot easier if you didn't try to escape. It would just be less work for the rest of us.

"Would you like to know what you've missed since you've been out? Not much, really. Only saw one ship, and it turned tail when the lookout got a good look at our colors. Don't know if it was because we're pirates or because we're the Black Glove Pirates, but whatever. You missed a big storm, real nasty one. Could definitely have used you at the helm. You would have loved it. Waves the size of mountains, sea black as ink, thunder and lightning crashing down around us. Morgan's happy that he doesn't have to cook as much now that you're in here. He's still pissed that you busted him up so bad. But Jay's not bitter at all, are you, Jay?"

"Of course not," the assassin grated out. "We fought, I lost."

"See? No bad blood between you two. Alexander and Lyn are fine, relatively speaking. You busted Alexander's ribs and scared Lyn to death. Cain's up and about like he's never been hurt in his life. And of course, I'm right as rain, aside from having had to shoot to kill my own nakama. That part I'm not so pleased about. You're recovering quickly, same as always. This imprisonment is probably for the best. You'd have had to be restrained anyway if you wanted the flesh around your rib to set correctly. Last thing I need is you popping that loose.

"You know the funny thing? You're actually the worst off when it comes to whole rib recovery process. See, with us human beings with normal bones, we just let the rib heal itself over time. But you have metal bones, and those aren't alive. You're going to have to wait until Alexander masters reverse transmutation before that heals up properly. Until then, the pieces are just screwed together like a piece of machinery."

"Marines…"

Cassandra was unsurprised at the first word to come out of his mouth. "They aren't anywhere near us, Damien. They're probably scouring every inch of Brickwork as we speak. That doesn't matter to us, though. We're only a day or two out from the next island. Do you know the problem with that? Of course you don't. You haven't been able to do your fucking job. You know what a navigator does? He doesn't just sail the ship. That's what a helmsman is. Any dipshit who isn't deaf, blind, and weak can steer a ship. A navigator is supposed to keep track of the Log Pose, react to hazards, and making sure the journey goes smoothly.

"I will admit you are very good at your job. Storms come up, whirlpools, cyclones, windless days, it doesn't matter. You always move us forward. Unfortunately, you always spend the better part of our trips in the medical bay. You don't have time to do your goddamn job, even more so this trip. You will not breathe fresh air for I don't know how long. It'll definitely be at least a week after we hit land again. Do you know what season the next island is? Do you know what it is primarily known for? Do you even know its fucking name?

"Of course not. Raven does all the research. Raven does half of your job for you on top of everything else she does. While you were getting wasted and beating the snot out of Jay, Raven got the information you should know: Juhla, the spring island of festivities. Do you know how nice it would be to finally relax and have a good time? No, you're always enjoying yourself, fighting or drinking or whatever. But what about the rest of us? Lyn can't dance, Alexander can't play, and Morgan can't move. We can't be festive on this island of festivities, and it's all your fucking fault."

She took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself. "Damien, know that I have previously and still do consider my nakama. Considering you're pretty fucked up, that says more about my mental health than anything. You've done much more to impede the crew than help it. Even the two instances in which you've saved my friends wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been crucial in initiating those situations. You're a brute of a man who yearns for nothing but fighting strong people. You hate a certain organization beyond the bounds of reason. Whatever happened on that island, I'm sorry for it. From what Alexander tells us, you used to be a rational, trustworthy human being. I could certainly use that man with your body.

"Alas, if wishes were horses. You have the potential to be useful to me, Damien, but you can't continue to rampage around. You need to control yourself better. You call us all sorts of derogatory names, intimidate us, and physically assault us on occasion. At first, I simply accepted those as quirks you couldn't help. I have a friend who's very similar, and I learned to accept her for who she is. However, you need to rein it in. I'm not saying abstain from swearing or insulting us, though cutting down on the slurs would certainly be appreciated. I'm not saying you can't wander off for days at a time. I'm not saying you can't provoke people into fighting you. I'm just asking you to think of us as well. I know you can."

Jordan gave a snort of derision. "I'm serious," Cassandra said. "I've seen instances where you genuinely think of us as people. We always love it when you enjoy yourself with the rest of us. It feels amazing when the entire crew can join together and celebrate. You even call me Captain on a regular basis. That's far more than I would have expected of you."

"Yeah, except for the fact that even when 'Captain' doesn't have 'shitty' attached to it, it still sounds like he's calling you 'fuckwit.'"

"True, but it's still better than what he calls the others. And let's not forget the black glove that you wear. Even when you're hot enough to melt bullets, that gauntlet remains untouched. Somewhere deep down, so far down we'd need canaries and spelunking equipment to find it, you consider yourself one of us. It's just a matter of bringing that aspect of you closer to the surface.

"I could give you Captain's Orders to stop being a bastard, but Lyn has rather forcefully recommended that I not. Instead, you and I will have a deal. You'll be locked up until we face someone worth fighting. You know I know who you consider worthy. If you manage not to lose control again, I'll think about not imprisoning you again." He strained against his chains at the thought. "Remember that you will inevitably need medical attention after you fight. It wouldn't be hard to get you back in here. You're on thin ice, Damien, and you're too hot and too heavy to stay there. Prove to us that you can be more than our avatar of destruction. We want you back. Don't disappoint us."

She gestured at Jordan, who gave a toothy grin and grabbed a handful of chains. She yanked hard, pulling Damien's hands back down to the floor. The navigator gave surprisingly little resistance, returning to the position he had been in when he had woken. Jordan appeared slightly unnerved by his compliant behavior, but Cassandra wasn't fooled. Damien accepted his fate for now, but it was mostly because he hadn't sufficiently recovered from his injuries. As he returned to his usual strength, the level Cassandra wanted him at when she would unleash him, he would grow more and more recalcitrant.

When the two Moon Sisters were finished reattaching all of his restraints, Jordan left the room. Cassandra lingered for a moment in the doorway, staring at the bound pirate. "That bowl of water by your head will be slowly refilled over time. Try not to knock it aside, as nobody will be returning for a while. We'll give you time to think things over. A day alone for every one of us who your lack of restraint would have gotten killed."


	26. Slowly Recovering

"Man, are we ever going to get there?" Lyn whined. "Are you sure you don't see anything?"

"With the gods as my witnesses, I will throw you overboard if you don't stop asking."

Lyn bounced cheerfully over to Cassandra and hugged her tightly. "You wouldn't do that to me!"

"You're right, I wouldn't," the pirate captain conceded. "Cain has a much better throwing arm."

"Captain!" Lyn shouted as she wrestled Cassandra to the floor. Cassandra didn't put up much of a fight, not wanting to hurt Lyn's leg at all. The sound of a door banging open and a familiar indignant sputter interrupted their mock struggle. Alexander was shielding his eyes from Jordan, who had just emerged from the women's quarters wearing nothing but a towel around her waist. Her bare breasts shook as she vigorously brushed her teeth. Although her gaze was focused on the horizon, it was evident she was enjoying torturing the prudish alchemist.

"Jay…" Cassandra said warningly.

"Wha'?" Jordan donned her most innocent expression. "Weather's nice, for once. Nothing feels as good as the sun on your skin when it's been hailing for two days straight."

Cassandra only fixed her with a stern stare.

"Well, why can she tease him but not me?"

"She's a Black Glove Pirate, and you're just some dickish guest. Put some clothes on."

"You're no fun." She ran her hand down her body, adopting a male form. "Happy?"

The captain only shook her head. "You're an ass."

After adjusting the towel to accommodate his flattened hips, the androgyne hopped down to the main deck and stole Alexander's book to get his attention. "Know what your deal is? You need to get laid. Next island, island of parties, there's no way you can't find some drunk chick to loosen you up. I'll even help you find one."

Alexander snatched his book back. "Must you always be so crass? Is sex all that runs through your head?"

"You mean it isn't all that's in yours? Don't tell me you're a virgin. You're not, are you?"

"Would you stop sexually harassing my crew?" Cassandra said. "It was annoying the first few times, and now it's repetitive to boot."

"It's not harassment if they enjoyed it, right Lynlyn?"

"Jordan, I mean it. I know you're on vacation, but that doesn't mean you can act like a complete bellend to everyone. You may be my Sister, but you're still just a visitor. Play nice or I'll tell Raven of how your first rematch went."

The assassin pouted. "When are you going to let that go? I fucked up once, so sue me. I did you a favor: Raerae's definitely coming back to you now. I know you wanted her to stay, so really, you should be thanking me."

"Don't pretend like you did this for us," Alexander said. "You did that because Raven would have returned to her family permanently and you couldn't let that happen. Calling you two-faced would be an insult, wouldn't it? You have ninety-eight more than that."

If the musician's contempt bothered Jordan at all, he didn't show it. "And only nine hundred more when I become head! Isn't life grand?"

"Jordan Lovat, stop acting so irresponsibly," Cassandra commanded. "You are heir to one of the most powerful assassin families in the world, so act like it. You weren't like this at all when I last saw you. What happened to appearances change, people don't?"

"I didn't change. I learned. See, I've come to realize that we assassins aren't destined for long lives. Plus, our jobs aren't exactly celebrated or glamorous, so there's not much fun to be had there. What's wrong with living while we can?"

"You and I are going to outlive Shi's children, but you don't see her propositioning everyone she sees."

"Shishi doesn't count, and you know it. Her parents have been trying to get her to have children since her first period. Sex is her duty, not something to do for fun. For the rest of us, it's a good way to let loose, enjoy life!"

"Enjoy life without causing me or my crew any problems; we have enough to deal with on our own without you adding to them. I heartily encourage you to live it up on Juhla, if only because you'll hopefully be harassing someone else."

"What? Aren't you concerned about what I might get up to?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes at the androgyne's toothy grin. "I may try to avoid collateral damage, but I'm nowhere near enough of a saint to care what happens to other people."

"Don't say that, Captain!" Lyn chimed in. "You decided to go against the rich men, remember?"

"Things are different now. Without Raven, I'm operating blind. I don't know what's going on in Juhla. It's known for festivals, but how do I know it isn't run by mercenaries or some criminal syndicate?"

"Says the woman with 50 million on her head."

The pirate captain glared at Alexander. "I'm being serious. We're in the Grand Line. Life is dangerous here. What if there are Marines stationed there? We can't survive another encounter with them, not with all of you in your current conditions. Same goes for any pirates or bounty hunter who might want my head. With Raven gone, I don't have all the information I need to act accordingly or the resources I want to deal with any situation that might arise. Yes, I realize how heavily I was depending on her, but that's part of being a crewmember."

"So let us alleviate some of that burden." Alexander straightened in his chair. "You're right in that our reactive potential is diminished with Raven absent and Damien incarcerated. That simply means we have to be cautious. After all, do we not have a bodyguard who was entrusted with the life of a prince? Only the best soldier can reach that position."

Cain rubbed the back of his neck. "I wouldn't necessarily say that."

"And as amusing as I find her paradoxical background, Lyn knows more about the streets than most of us. She might not find out everything like Raven can, but if there's a criminal organization, I'd be more than willing to wager my life that she could find out about it without drawing negative attention to herself. Isn't that right?"

"You bet!" the first mate exclaimed cheerily. "Grand Line's not Alamentia, but people are people!"

"And you can't underestimate your own value, Captain. You're smarter than all of us combined, and who else could say they went toe-to-toe with Hothead at his worst and came out without a scratch? And no excuses about teamwork or nevermeltice bullets or anything else. You're a better gunslinger than you are a close combat fighter, so that makes it even more impressive that you were able to survive."

Cassandra couldn't keep the grin from her face as she shook her head. "Alexander... you are really something. And you're right, of course. If that's Juhla I see over there, and I suspect that it is, I'll take the opportunity to lay down some modified rules for this island." She patiently waited for everyone to run to the bow of the ship and confirm that the island was in sight. After the excitement had subsided and Morgan emerged from the galley to see what the hubbub was about, she continued. "While it would make me feel a lot better if you went around in groups of two or more, I won't insist upon it. After all, what we like to do for fun varies significantly, even when it comes to parties.

"Furthermore, if you wish to spend the night somewhere, that's your choice and you know how to conduct yourselves. However, I will say that if you did not spend the night aboard this ship, I expect to hear from you by the following evening. I don't care if you found the most handsome man in the Grand Line who wants to show you his castle on the other side of the island. Check in with me in person, not via Den-Den Mushi or by a messanger. If you don't, I will assume you've been kidnapped and the rest of us will find you. I'd rather be embarrassed for crashing some event than lose one of you. Also, if you want time to go to that castle, tell me how long you'll be away. If you're late, same rule applies. I don't care if you have a broken leg or can toss buildings around. This is the Grand Line, and it is dangerous.

"Aside from that, our usual rules apply. I'd appreciate minimal property damage or injuries to bystanders, but I'm not sweating it if such things happen. Any questions?"

She was surprised when Alexander raised his hand. "When will Damien be released?"

"He is forbidden visitors for another four days, but you meant after that. Well, his punishment didn't have a time limit, but even if I do immediately release him, he won't be very mobile. Almost a full week without food, light, or movement will take time to recover from, even for him. I'll evaluate his condition after his mandatory six days are up. If he doesn't maul me, I'll think about being lenient."

"Not that he deserves leniency," Morgan spat.

"Losing control of one's temper is better than selling out your nakama," Alexander shot back. "You're healing fine."

Jordan snorted. "Yeah, you got over that not speaking thing pretty fast. Though I have to say, Momo, it was a lot easier when you had to write things down."

"Jay, I have something to say to you too. As you've made it abundantly clear, you're not a Black Glove Pirate. None of what I just said applies to you. Do whatever you want, but know that if I think it's time to leave and I can't contact you for whatever reason, it's up to you to find a Log Pose or a ship to follow us. I won't intentionally leave you behind, but I'm not waiting for you either. I'm not trying to be mean, my dear little Sister, but I don't like it when people outside my crew cause trouble for people inside it."

"Okay, okay. Sheesh." Jordan waved her hands through the air in defeat. "I'll leave your precious crewlings alone."

"Jayjay, that's not what she meant," Lyn protested. "She wants you here, but she just wants you to be less of a... what did you say earlier?"

Cassandra gave a small grin. "Oh, I called him many things. Feel free to pick any of them as your example."

"Yeah, so anyway, who wouldn't want their best friends and their sisters to get along? We know you're only here for a short while, but so were Cain and Raven, and they were tons of fun!"

Jordan erupted into laughter, and Cassandra could completely understand why. "While I wouldn't go that far, I admit that Raven's first days aboard the _Knave_ were certainly interesting. You have to understand that she was an enigma to us assassins. After all, her family is very isolationist. Even now, I don't think anything she does could be considered fun. Conversing with her is weirdly amusing, but I wouldn't say it was fun."

"Well, Captain, let's say you met somebody, and I'm just making this person up, who insisted that the most fun he ever had was banging at metal all day in a baking hot room?"

Cain's attempt to look innocent caused the entire crew to laugh. "He sounds like an exemplary man," Cassandra praised. "But I see your point. Our definitions of 'fun' differ. Cain likes to smith while you like to socialize. I don't know if Raven would call anything fun, but she has a similar work ethic to our dear bodyguard, despite her lack of emotions. When she returns, be sure to ask her about fun. Until then, we have to be concerned with ourselves. Regrettably, some of us have physical limitations to account for. Has our substitute physician been clear on what you can and cannot do?"

"Yeah, yeah," Lyn said dismissively. "We've had our lectures."

"They were not lectures," Alexander protested. "You were only there for a few minutes, fidgeting the entire time like a child! You don't even have any serious injuries to tend to!"

"That's not my fault. I was out for the count before the Marines came! It's not easy hopping everywhere, you know!"

Jordan stopped idly changing the color of her fingers when they all looked at her. "Oh gods below, do you people ever let anything go? I'm very very sorry for breaking Lynlyn's leg, for kicking Alal-"

"Alexander."

"-overboard, for trapping Raerae with your crew, for shoving Grade A seastone into Momo's mouth, and for getting beat by Didi twice. Look at it this way: I haven't done anything to Caicai. In fact, I did a lot of saving against the Marines, didn't I?"

"And he returned the favor by trying to get you, a Devil Fruit User, away from Damien while you were on a ship while you were dressed as a Marine. He could have drowned you. And after that rundown, is it really too much to ask for you to tone down your behavior? Only one person has gotten away with anything close to what you've done to my crew, and he's paying the price. Now that I think about it, what has your punishment been?"

"Well, Damien did beat him up twice," Lyn said. "And Raven's probably not gonna be too happy, so there's that. But c'mon guys, this is supposed to be our vacation time! We should stop being so negative on each other! Jayjay, can you pleeeease just listen to what Captain's saying? I want us all to have fun!"

"Only if it's you-"

"_Jordan_."

"All right, all right, Cici. All you had to do was ask nicely."

Cassandra refused to give Jordan the pleasure of seeing her frustration. She also knew that having Cain smack the assassin off the ship would mean he would also have to fish Jordan out, and Cassandra didn't want seawater aggravating his wounds. "There's also the slight problem that we're running low on funds. Does anyone have any ideas on how we're going to get even basic supplies?"

"I can use transmutation."

The pirate captain frowned. "I thought you refused to turn things into gold."

"For reasons that still baffle me."

Alexander completely ignored Morgan's comment. "Glass is also very valuable, as making realistically detailed glass works of art takes tremendous skill or a shortcut. Lyn, would you mind contributing some painti- what are you doing?"

The artist didn't stop pressing a drawing against various parts of her body. "I'm gonna get a new tattoo."

Alexander's mouth hung open as he visibly failed to process her words. "And you decided that now would be the best time to figure out what you wanted to get?"

"Well, sure! Why wouldn't it be?"

Cassandra stepped in to save the flabbergasted musician. "I think what he's trying to say we're in the middle of brainstorming how to escape our current financial crisis, and it would be helpful if everyone could help out."

Lyn put her finger on her lips as she thought. "Pickpocketing!"

"If you're so strapped for cash, why don't you just pawn some of Niney's shinies?" Jordan asked.

Morgan's face flushed with anger, his lips pressed in a thin line. Cassandra narrowed her eyes at the assassin. "Just because I confiscated his valuables doesn't mean I suddenly become their owner. They are still his possessions. He just can't have them for a while."

"Nonetheless, she is right." Morgan's voice was tight. "If I may review the accessories you have taken, I will select a few to barter off on the condition that you, Captain, are the person responsible for meeting the minimum value I expect from them. Unlike the previous times I have sold my jewelry, this will contribute to the communal coffers and alleviate some of our financial burden."

It was Cassandra's turn to be surprised. "You're willing to put the haggling in my hands?"

"More to the point," Alexander interjected, "you're willing to part with your jewelry?"

"Ornaments are created to be seen and shown off. They do me no good locked away in a box. It would be foolish to simply withhold them when we are running low on funds. Our current bank of thirty thousand Beli may seem like a lot, but our supplies are low and repairs must be made to the _Howling Knave_. Much of the cargo bay was emptied to contain that man, so our stores are sparser than usual. Pickpocketing and works of glass, while certainly useful, cannot compare to precious metals and stones."

He gave a small smile. "And it is a well known fact that princes get what they want. While you may not be a proper princess, your stubbornness is undeniable, Captain."

"That trait isn't exclusive to royalty," Alexander said idly. "After all, merchants don't become wealthy by being weak-willed."

"That's true. Still, your contributions are greatly appreciated, Morgan. Is there any other reason you're being so generous?"

The prince locked eyes with her, his gaze as sharp as ever. "Of course there is. It only makes sense to enhance my currently living situation to the best of my ability, knowing that as we continue down the Grand Line, possibilities for enormous financial gain will arise. The odds that we'll remain impoverished for our entire voyage are quite low. What I sacrifice now pales in comparison to what I will receive later."

That was the reason Cassandra was looking for. It was a refreshing change from his attempts to conceal his ulterior motives. After all, the entire crew knew how covetous and deceitful Morgan was. Pretending otherwise at this point was pointless. Indeed, none of her nakama looked surprised. Alexander was hiding a smile, while Cain's face was completely impassive. Lyn was still figuring out her next tattoo. "See, we're a very accepting crew. We don't care if you're conniving and greedy, so long as you don't hide it from us. We have several mass murderers in our number; avarice and self-interest aren't that bad. How much would you be willing to part with?"

"I can think of several bracelets, rings, earrings, and a necklace that I don't particularly treasure. I value them at a minimum of fifteen million."

That figure raised Alexander's eyebrows, but the alchemist remained silent. Cassandra trusted that he wouldn't feel outdone by Morgan's contributions; he would have to sell thousands of glass bouquets to match that figure. She watched him closely in case she was wrong. "I'll bring back twenty."

Morgan smirked. "I wouldn't expect any less."

"And as for you, my diligent friend, what will you be doing?"

"I think Morgan can cover my portion of the money," Cain said. "I want to go over the _Howling Knave_. We were in such a rush to leave Brickwork that I didn't really have time to do anything but make sure we wouldn't sink. If we could find an empty stretch of beach so I can construct a stand and conduct a thorough investigation, that would be extremely helpful."

"Done," Cassandra said instantly. "You're already at the helm; just direct us to where you think would be a good place. As Lyn has pointed out, it's not my place to tell you to take a break if you don't need one. If you've overworked yourself, I will insist you relax, but otherwise, you do what you want. Oh, though I will need you to help Morgan with the groceries. Do that before you get to work repairing. Take as much cash as you need. Got it, you two?"

"Of course, Captain Libera," boomed the enormous man as he bowed his head.

Morgan nodded in satisfaction. "Agreed. I will prepare a full spread."

Cassandra clapped her hands together. "Okay, everyone. This may be the island of festivities, but this afternoon needs to be spent working and dinner's at home. I promise, just hold out for a few hours, then you have my permission to go nuts. Everyone know what they have to do?" Her crew gave various noises and statements of confirmation. "Good. We have to be a little busy before we have fun, but it'll all be worth it."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Bits of paper hit the ground as Theresa shredded the profile of her new superior in frustration. She retracted her claws before she accidentally broke something else. She no longer had her dutiful Commander Wilco to clean up. She eyed the recruit who obediently ran inside with a dustpan and brush to sweep up the scraps of paper. She had insisted that nobody use brooms; she couldn't bear the sight of the cleaning utensils. She scratched at the bandages wrapped around her torso. The bullet wounds and gashes were healing well. Her defensive claws had blocked most of the damage, but she had managed to escape the fate that had befallen the rest of her crew.

Her baleful gaze fell upon the bounty pinned to the wall of her medical room. _Cassandra Libera 'The Insidious Amaranth.'_ The pirate captain was definitely a threat; she was head of a dangerous crew. The man in armor was tough as brass, and the one who favored disguises was even stronger. Damien was the worst of all, unrestrained and psychotic. He was the very example of a criminal that needed to be locked up and executed, the kind of man the Marines were tasked to keep from the citizens. The man was clearly insane, a threat to everyone alive. She couldn't possibly understand how Libera kept him on his crew.

The bloody cap hanging next to the bounty poster reminded her how suddenly and brutally her crew had been massacred. They had simply gone to Quion for a routine patrol. There were always a few pirates hanging about the port, but Theresa had had her rank for a reason. If pirates didn't flee immediately, she dealt with them accordingly. It wasn't the first time the pirates had attacked first, but it was the first time that they had so badly overwhelmed her.

As it was, she had been temporarily removed from active duty. If not for her reputation for crushing pirate crews, she knew she would suffer much more than a single demotion. It also probably helped that she had seized a few Devil Fruits, one of which she had consumed. The Marines were loath to let Users sit by the wayside. She was currently assigned to serve beneath a captain until her superiors trusted her with a crew again.

She looked up as the door slammed open, and a short woman strode inside. The Marine carelessly shrugged off her cloak and threw it on a hook. Her tank top revealed the tattoos and scars covering her olive skin. She roughly pulled up a chair and sat down, crossing her boots on the foot of Theresa's bed. Such an unconcerned attitude could only come from a superior officer. Theresa saluted and waited until she was acknowledged to drop her arm.

"Commander Theresa," the woman said, opening the folder she had in her hands. "Tsume Tsume Fruit, the Claw Woman. You've been very busy. Got your first crew two years ago, reasonably good sailor survivability considering the types you've been going against. Hundreds of pirates captured or executed. You seem to favor the first part of Paradise. Is it because you're going after the small fish?"

"No, ma'am. My crew was never ready to handle the second half."

"Two years and you can't move on? Did you staff a bunch of babies?"

Theresa bristled. "No, ma'am. I was assigned as a feeder crew. Marines are assigned to my crew to get experience."

The officer flipped through the papers. "Oh, that's right. It says here you passed up on a promotion four months ago."

"I had just been assigned a new batch of Marines. I felt that I had a duty to follow through with their training. Simply because I apprehended 'Upheaval' Taliesin does not mean I could abandon them."

"Got it. And your subordinate, the former Commander Wilco, he was with you for almost twenty months. He passed up several promotions."

"Wilco and I made a great team."

"Ah, yes. The Black Glove Pirates. Bunch of troublemakers, they are."

"Troublemakers?" Theresa realized she had just stabbed several claws through her bed and slowly retracted them. "They massacred my entire crew. Wilco was _eaten_. The Snakeskin Pirates were troublemakers. The Black Glove Pirates are monsters."

The officer leaned in. "When you come with me, you will see true monsters. These pirates, they're nothing compared to what some of the bastards at the end of Paradise are like, and those can't hold a candle to the fuckers in the New World. Still, I can understand what you mean. Let's go over them, just to update their known roster. The Insidious Amaranth is still the leader?"

If this woman said Theresa was going with her, this must be the woman she had been assigned to follow, Captain Christie Mings. Her new superior's profile was quite odd, to say the least. Theresa wasn't sure what to make of it. Nevertheless, she focused on the situation at hand. "Correct. There's Damien, the man who killed most of them. There was a large man in white armor and a man who favors disguising himself."

The captain ran her finger down the page. "Was there a man who manipulated elements as well?"

"There were two of them. One used elements as armor and the other seemed to transform materials into other things."

She waved her hand through the air. "The man who used elements as armor is Prince Morgan Zematsal, which makes the man in armor Cain Alcides. We have no record of this disguising man. I'll tell the bookworms to dig deeper on that. There should be a woman who uses a rapier, black hair, Lyn Mojigata?"

"She's still there," Theresa said.

"Good. There are unsubstantiated rumors of a woman in black. Did you see her?"

"Woman in black?" The Marine commander racked her memory. "I don't think so."

"Yeah, we're iffy on that part. As for this man who can transform elements, the alchemist, he ate the Kae Kae Fruit. Can you tell me any more about him?"

"Uh, he wore glasses, a suit, kinda short, stocky, doesn't seem trained for physical combat. He didn't put up much of a fight when the pirates attacked the fire one."

"Wait, they had to fight Damien? Why?"

"I don't know. The man is clearly insane. He turned on his crew and nearly killed them all. They're half-dead; they can't have gone far. They're still somewhere on Brickwork. We just need to find them."

"_We_ are not doing anything. If they're still on Brickwork, they'll be found. They might not be monsters, but pirates can't be allowed to sail freely. However, we can't go after these Black Glove Pirates. We have bigger fish to fry. Mako's acting up, and Madaxe isn't doing his duties. He's still milling around West Blue. Panther was supposed to help us deal with Madaxe, but he turned up in the New World a week ago without any explanation."

"You're just going to leave them?" Theresa asked incredulously. "They're still on Brickwork! All we need to do is hop on your ship and go back!"

"We can't do that, Commander."

"Well, why the hell not?"

Captain Mings merely laughed. "We're Marines, soldiers on the ocean. We go where those upstairs want us to go. I'm not disobeying for some petty revenge. The Black Glove Pirates will get what's coming to them. All criminals will pay, sooner or later. You and I are going to focus on the pirates we hired. As distasteful as I find the Warlords, they do definitely have their uses. Don't worry; we're only going after Mako. Leave Madaxe and Panther to someone else."

"Why Break? What has she done now?"

"She attacked an equality celebration in Sabaody. She made some excuse of slaves or pirates or something, some bullshit like that. Ideally, we'd get another fishman to talk to her, but the high-ups want me to do it."

"Why you?"

The captain only grinned. "You ask a lot of questions, Theresa. Where we're going, it's smarter to spend less time wondering the reasons why and focus on adapting to the situation. Don't worry; I wouldn't have requested your transfer to my crew if I thought you couldn't handle it. Of course, when you're feeling up for it, I'm gonna do a personal review of your physical skills. You and I may have shared the same rank before your demotion, but captains from opposite sides of Paradise are a little different in terms of power."

Theresa looked over her new superior officer. The captain's muscles were well-defined, but she carried no weapons by her side. That combined with the handful of thin scars that cut through her tattoos indicated she was a close combat fighter. The captain caught her looking and flexed her fingers. "Size me up all you want, but you won't know what you're up against until you get out of that bed. Trust me; you'll see the difference."

"Whatever you say, Captain."

"Please, you don't have to be so formal." Her grin showed far too many teeth. "Call me Mings, or Christie, if you want. I have a feeling you and I are going to get along well, Theresa."


	27. Time to Unwind

Lyn groaned and pulled the covers over her aching head. She didn't want to move. She didn't even understand why her head hurt so much. She had been so careful about how much she had drunk. Well, she was pretty sure she had been careful. Kinda sure. She tried to remember, but even thinking hurt. She would never ever drink again. Ever.

She gave another moan and curled away as someone sat on her bed. "Go 'way..."

"Now now, darling, you can't sleep forever."

"Gruuuugh..." Lyn squirmed as the covers were slowly peeled from her head. "No..."

"Come now, at least have something to drink."

"Fuuuuuuck noooooooo..." she groaned. "Whyyyyy..."

The laugh was gentle enough not to worsen the pain in her head. "Don't worry. I wouldn't give more alcohol to someone who's hungover. It's just tea."

Lyn frowned at this. "Tea?" She leveled a keen glare at the man sitting beside her. "Who drinks tea this early?"

"It's almost ten, my dear. It's hardly early at all."

"I'm not drinking tea, Julian," she snapped.

He gave a small smile. "I also have home roasted coffee and fat-free milk."

"Blech and blugh."

"Then all I can offer you is water. Would that suffice?"

"I guess tea..." As he got up, she saw that he was only wearing pajama bottoms. "Wait, when did you wake up?"

He shrugged carelessly. "A few minutes ago. Do you want to go get something to eat?" He laughed again as she curled back up in her blankets. "I will take that as a 'no.' I'll get on making brunch, then. I'm not much of a cook, though."

Lyn must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew was Julian sitting beside her once more with a tray of food. The rumble of her stomach told her she needed to eat, but she still glared at the platter. She gingerly picked up a fork and began prodding the food. "What's the matter?"

She lifted one of the red pieces. "What are these?"

"Fried tomatoes. I'm sorry, do you not like them?"

"You eat one."

Julian looked slightly wounded, but did as he was instructed. Lyn watched carefully, but he didn't seem to have any reaction. Still eyeing him, she put one of the pieces into her mouth. "This is pretty good!"

"What did you think was wrong with it?"

"Oh, it's nothing about you!" she assured him. "One time someone gave me some super duper hot pepper. I nearly died!"

A relieved smile spread across his face. "I'm glad you survived. Is everything else okay?"

"No mushrooms." She pushed the offending fungi onto his plate. "What kind of tea is it?"

"A black tea mix, decaffeinated on account of our lingering intoxication. Can you sit up?" She grimaced and retreated back into her covers. "My dear, you must eat something. What would your captain say?"

The first mate sighed in exasperation. "But she's no fun..."

"Lyn."

"Boring..."

"_Lyn_."

"Oh, all right. You're so pushy."

Julian only chuckled. "Here, let me help you."

"I got it, I got it." Even with the cast on her leg, she sit up on her own. "Dear spirits, if I had thought you were so protective, I'da gone with Isabel instead."

His smile showed he wasn't sure whether she was kidding or not. "Surely, she's not your type, right?"

"She got totally hammered off of one shot. Such a lightweight. She was nice, though. Kick-ass squid tattoo." She frowned as she realized something. "Wait a sec, I basically drank you under the table. How on earth are you just fine?"

"Firstly, I didn't drink that much. Secondly, I've never gotten a hangover in my life. It's an extremely beneficial trait to have when you live in Juhla so-" He cut himself off as a piece of sausage hit him in the face. "Did you just-"

Lyn launched a chunk of tomato at him with her fork. "Lucky." Tomato. "Idiot." Egg. "Loser."

He leaned slightly to the side and managed to catch the next sausage in his mouth. "You know, I made this so you would eat it, not give it back to me twice as fast."

"Well, who makes breakfast for someone they didn't even sleep with?"

"We did technically sleep together."

The bacon she launched at him fell short. "I swear, you're almost as bad as Jay with technicalities like that. You know what I mean."

He just shrugged. "We agreed that we'd try if your leg didn't pain you too much, but that wasn't the case. I wasn't going to force you, and cuddling isn't so bad."

"Not bad at all!" She leaned around him and poked at his back. "What are those?"

"Fireworks accident," he said instantly. "I was helping out my friend with a stage production, and some moron set them off incorrectly. It's not that bad, is it?"

"Makes you more interesting." She winced as her head twinged and gratefully accepted Julian's offer to pour her more tea.

"What about you? How did you break your leg?"

Lyn sipped at her tea as she thought about how to respond. The circumstances around her broken leg weren't easy to summarize. She considered inventing some tale, but Julian hadn't done anything to deserve lies. Quite the opposite, in fact. "Long story. One of my friends was trying to use me to blackmail my captain."

He gave her that unsure look again. "You must be joking."

She shook her head, which turned out to be a bad idea. She took a deep breath as she squeezed her eyes shut and leaned against the headboard. "Nope, nope." She waited until her headache lessened before continuing. "Really happened."

"And you consider this person your friend?"

"Mmhmm. She was in a pretty bad spot, between a rock and a stone. She wasn't gonna kill me."

"How do you know that?"

"Captain wouldn't like that." Captain hadn't been thrilled with a broken leg either, but she had been very clear about what happened to any person who killed a Black Glove Pirate. Jay may have been desperate, but she wasn't stupid enough to risk angering Captain like that. "Anyway, Captain shot her in the head, so that's that. Bones heal, so it's no big deal."

Julian kept looking confused. "You forgave her so easily?"

"Of course I did. What did you think I'd do, hold a grudge?" Lyn forgot that shaking her head would hurt it and had to spend a moment recovering. "Ow... no, grudges are bad. They're so tiring. You can't focus on the good. I'm not gonna be mad at her for being who she is. That'd be like being mad at Morgan for being a brat or Damien for throwing a tantrum."

"It sounds like your crew has some real characters on it."

"It does! My crew is the best!"

"I do have to ask, don't you think you shouldn't forgive them just like that? Aren't you concerned that they're taking advantage of you?"

"Nope! Why would they do that?"

Lyn frowned as Julian's expression turned more serious than she had ever seen him. "I'm just saying that being too trusting can get you hurt."

"Nah, that's boring."

Julian reached out and stopped her hand before she could lift her fork to her mouth. "I'm not kidding. This is a dangerous place, and pirates always have ulterior motives."

"You know, I keep hearing that the Grand Line is dangerous, but I haven't really seen anything worse than the weather." Except when the Marines showed up and made Damien angry. "It's really fun!"

"See, it's that attitude that worries me. You're going to get hurt if-"

"I've been hurt."

He shook his head in frustration. "Broken bones aren't what I meant."

"They aren't what I meant either." She looked him right in the eye so he knew she was serious. "But that's what my nakama are for. We fight a lot, but we have each other's backs."

"And how do you know that? Did they tell you that?"

"Yup." She smiled as she glanced at the broken sword hanging on her crutches. "They did. That hurt too, learning that."

"How do you know you can trust them?"

"Silly Julian. They're my nakama!"

Now he looked really frustrated. "That's what I'm trying to say! How do you know they aren't just interested in you for your body?"

"Aww, are you saying I'm cute?"

"I'm being serious, Lyn." He definitely looked it. "Pirates aren't known for their trustworthiness."

"Then you've known the wrong pirates! The Black Glove Pirates are..." she couldn't tell that particular lie with a straight face, "basically trustworthy."

"Exactly."

"No, it's not what you think."

"How can it not be what I think?"

Now that was going to be tricky to explain. "We have a couple oddballs, but Captain keeps them in line. I know they're good people!"

"How do you know that?"

"I just do."

"That's not an answer."

"I just do." And she did. Yes, Damien's tantrums could be bad, and Morgan's ambitious might lead him down the wrong path, but she knew that deep down, they were decent human beings. It just took a little digging. Maybe a lot.

"How can you know?"

"I know they're good people, just like I know you are!"

He leaned in closer. "And how do you know I am?"

"I just do." Lyn didn't know how much clearer she could be. "That's why I'm here with you, and not with Jarred or Isabel."

He stared at her for a long moment, before nodding and leaning back. "Well, I'm thankful that you think of me that way. I wouldn't want anything to happen to a woman like you."

"I wouldn't want anything to happen to me neither! You wouldn't be very happy if it did."

"What do you mean?"

"Well..." How could she put this without scaring him off... "Captain wouldn't be very happy, and you don't want to make her unhappy. Oh, speaking of which, I need to meet up with her this afternoon."

"Wait, why?"

"It's the rules. Normally, we get more leeway, but we're down a crewmember, so we have to check in with her every day."

His look of concern returned. "That sounds slightly unhealthy."

"No, it's not unhealthy at all! She's just really worried that something will happen to us. She's a little paranoid." Lyn paused to think about it. "A lot paranoid."

"That seems more controlling than paranoid."

"Well, it's not like she's wrong. We've all had people come after us for being pirates. We are criminals, you know."

"How could you possibly be a criminal?"

"Silly Julian, not all pirates are bad! Pirates just want to do whatever they want, and some pirates want to do good things or see interesting places or meet awesome people, but they can't without breaking some rules! That and Captain's gonna be Queen of the Pirates and I'm her first mate. She's not a bad person. She's not."

"Who are you trying to convince, me or yourself?"

"You. I've been with her the longest. I know what she's like. She's not like that. I know she's sneaky and things almost always go her way, but she only manipulates her enemies. I'm her nakama. She wouldn't do that to me."

Julian still looked unconvinced. "Well, if you say so."

They finished their meal in silence. Lyn was slightly upset that he doubted Captain like that, but she could understand. Captain wasn't the woman most people expected she was. That was part of why Lyn found her so interesting. As she handed him back the plate, she grinned widely. "Well, I wanna take a shower before I head back, but I think I might need some help."

He gave a small smile. "It would be my pleasure."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Morgan tumbled into the street with a disgraceful shout. Pain reverberated through his body, but it merely stemmed from his previous wounds voicing their desire to heal undisturbed. He resisted the urge to pound his fist in the street, wrap the pavement around his hand, and destroy the restaurant completely. He refused to lower himself to the same standard of behavior as his psychotic crewmember. He winced as his cane collided with the numerous bruises on his back. This he did drive into the street in anger as he tried to push himself up. The pavement cracked, but his cane didn't. Cain's work was, as always, functionally sound.

"I was going to leave anyway! I've never had such awful food in my life!" he yelled. "I wouldn't feed that to a starving dog!"

"Ah, piss off, ya prick," came the reply. "A hungry mutt like you shouldn't be so picky!"

The raucous laughter fairly boiled the blood in his veins. The stone street began twisting around his arm as he drew upon his Devil Fruit. To further aggravate him, someone was attempting to help him to his feet. He vigorously jerked his arm away with a shout, "Unhand me at once! I will not be harassed by rubes like-"

"Now, now, Morgan. It's unbecoming of a prince to behave so basely."

Morgan's head spun around fast enough to pull a neck muscle. "Alexander," he said flatly. "Why am I not surprised to see you?"

"Obviously, Captain sent me along to make sure you didn't do anything brash."

"That woman did _what?_ I am not some invalid in need of assistance, nor am I some child who requires a babysitter! I will also not go back on my oath to not conspire against her or her crew!"

"Our crew," Alexander corrected gently.

The prince teeth gnashed furiously. "You are a means to an end, Alexander, nothing more."

"Chef Zematsal, you wound me." Alexander gave an irritatingly disarming smile. "The Black Glove Pirates value togetherness, cohesion. I have considered you nothing but my closest companion since you showed interest in joining our ranks."

"If you have nothing better to do than invent falsehoods, then perhaps your energy would be better directed elsewhere." As Morgan clambered to his feet, he saw the flowers gathered carefully in a basket. "I suggest improving your hawking skills, as you barely seem to have earned more than the cost of acquiring your raw materials. Although it is a pitiful venture, it would be a more productive use of your time."

"On the contrary, what could be more enjoyable than seeing the pleasure your work gives to others?"

Morgan scoffed at the notion. "You did not plant those seeds or care for the flower. You merely purchased them and used a little transmutation. I would hardly consider that honest work."

"Is Lyn any less an artist because she does not press her own paper and make her own paint? Are you any less a cook because you did not raise the chickens and catch the fish?"

"Lyn and I have spent years at our craft. You merely took a bite of bitter fruit."

"You of all people would know that the limit of one's Devil Fruit is not immediately obvious or its benefits immediately accessible."

"I require complete control of the elements. My armor must become indistinguishable from my own body."

"And I change the very essence of a physical object. Surely, we can agree that both of our Devil Fruits require a degree of finesse that can only be appreciated by ourselves."

Morgan definitely acknowledged the fact that Alexander's creativity seemed limitless when it came to using his Fruit, especially when considering the alchemist's aversion to taking lives. He had also seen Alexander practicing for hours on his transmutations. He knew he had been led down a path where further argument would result in further concessions on his part and wanted to turn the conversation back against Alexander. "It still seems pointless to put so much effort into creating something of so little value."

Alexander spun a flower in his fingers, slowly turning it to glass. "Two of these could feed a family for a week."

"A family dying of starvation, maybe."

That drew an unexpected rise from the short musician. "Starvation is no laughing matter, Morgan. It is one of the most drawn-out ways of dying."

"I will certainly not disagree with you on that point. A hungry populace is the sign of a poor leader."

"A good leader cares for his people as well whether others consider him a poor leader."

"And what would you know of good leaders?" Morgan snapped.

The musician shrugged. "If you're talking about kings and emperors, I don't know any. But I've known pirate captains with crews numbering from five people to five thousand and more."

"Pirate captains do not suffer the burdens real leaders do."

Morgan was surprised when Alexander burst out into laughter. "Is that so? Care to explain why not?"

"All they have to be concerned with is keeping their own heads and where they will plunder next."

Alexander's laughter was beginning to grate on Morgan's nerves. "Is that really what you think? Pirates aren't responsible for anything? The most dangerous region on this planet, the New World, how easy do you think it is to maintain order there? Do you think the Emperors do nothing but swim in pools of gold?"

"They care not for those they rule. They only control lands to increase their power, wealth, and reputation."

"Some do, yes." Morgan was surprised at his admission. "The one who disappeared, 'God Wanted' Anne, that's all she wanted to do. But there are others who are much more benevolent. The Governor and Cowboy are both supposed to be the kinder fraction of the Gokyou."

"Who are the Governor and Cowboy?"

"Two of the remaining four. I don't know much about the ones besides Anne, and they only told us about her because she's important in the Third King's story."

Now Morgan was confused. "They? Us?"

"Damien and I grew up on stories of famous pirates told by whichever crew happened to stop by. Sure, Summer Isle was the main hub of piracy in our region of West Blue, but our island was where pirates could retire, have families, and relax. Unfortunately, it wasn't sanctioned by the World Government like Summer Isle. We had no Shichibukai backing us up, only the protection of whoever was visiting at the time. When we were at our weakest, the Marines struck." The crunch of glass was muffled by Alexander's fist. Wincing slightly, the musician shouldered his bag of flowers and began picking shards of glass from his palm.

Morgan watched him tend to his injured hand. "It makes sense, now. I was wondering why a level-headed, reasonable man such as yourself could harbor such anger and hatred for the Marines."

"I know perfectly well that not all Marines are the same, but when I see that blue gull..."

Morgan understood. "My people are bandits who have grown in strength and power into entities recognized by the World Government. Unfortunately, with such power comes strife different from before. We gained access to spies that act as intermediaries between rulers and assassins. Attacks, sieges, and infiltrations from other bandit tribes-turned-regions were and continue to be part of our culture. But assassins make a mockery of our heritage. Hiring outsiders is not the way of Winter Isle bandits."

It was Alexander's turn to look puzzled. "So why did you follow Captain?"

"How could I have known she was an assassin?" Morgan snapped. "Cain mentioned nothing of the sort! That being said, when I learned that she was excommunicated, my intrigue overrode my fury. An assassin who integrated herself into society, albeit illegally? How could such a thing be done? And not only does she eschew keeping a low profile, she frequently and openly declares her intent to become Pirate Queen. I have met few people as high-reaching, arrogant, and confident as her."

"Careful there, Morgan," Alexander said with a smile. "It almost sounds like you're complimenting her."

"I have never denied those qualities in her. I simply disagree with many of her choices and question her effectiveness as a leader."

"Now, how much more productive would it be to say that to her face instead of trying to have her killed? Captain may disagree with you, but she'll never punish you for having a different opinion."

Morgan curled his lip. "And what would you know of differing opinions?"

"Who hasn't argued with Captain before?" The alchemist grinned nostalgically. "Even Raven doesn't always see eye-to-eye with her. Captain may be a genius who knows far, far more than she should, but she is definitely not always right. As her nakama, it's our duty to voice any disagreements we may have. We frequently don't know everything she knows, but that doesn't mean we're wrong."

"Well, what stops you from evening the argument? If she knows more than you, why does she not share this information?"

"What good does it do me to know every illegal activity in Juhla? If you want to know more, all you need to do is ask her. You've seen how she tells us about any dangers we might face. We all know she knows more than she's telling us, but we trust that she's telling us what we need to know. If you aren't sure, just ask. I know it may seem odd to be so familiar with your superior officer, but you don't have a problem with me, do you?"

"A second mate? That could hardly be considered a rank deserving of respect on a crew of seven."

"Oh, believe me, I'm with you there. I never asked for that, and our crew is barely big enough to warrant a first mate, much less a second mate. Still, I do have a responsibility to help out wherever and whenever I can, especially when Lyn is otherwise occupied. Why do you think I'm here?"

"You said Captain sent you."

Alexander gave a small grin. "A little white lie. I haven't seen Captain since lunch. I wasn't actively looking for you, just wandering around where I thought you'd be. Cleanacre Village has the best restaurants in Valeglen, does it not? Oh, I'm sorry. You wouldn't feed a dog that food."

The prince couldn't help but smirk. "I may have slightly exaggerated, but I will honestly say that I would never serve food of such poor quality."

"See, that's what I like about you," Alexander said emphatically. "Captain may have been Pride on Reichmann Island, but you could certainly give her a run for her money. You are indifferent to us at best and antagonistic at worst, but you would not dare give anything but your maximum effort."

"Of course. To do otherwise would be unprincely." He paused as Alexander spoke the last word at the same time he did. "Are you mocking me?"

"Anything but," Alexander assured him. "I think it's great. Motivation to do well is always commendable, regardless of the source. All of us want to support you as best we can, because we all want our nakama to be as great as they can be. If you ask me to transmute you any gold, I'll start with your head, and may I remind you that I'm still working on reverse transmutation."

Having been about to make that exact request, Morgan only smiled. "You've made your stance quite clear, but negotiations are not made without persistence. Are you sure you don't need medical attention? Your palm is still bleeding."

"I've had worse." Alexander showed him the jagged scar on his left palm. "Both hands are like this. It was a fight before you joined. Five of us fought, but I was the only one who didn't win. Even though I know I can't even begin to compare to the rest of you, it still doesn't feel good. After all, I can't expect to be support forever."

"You managed to subdue me in single combat a week ago. If you are bad, what does that make me?"

"That doesn't count. You weren't giving it your all because you were trying not to kill me."

"And the same could be said for you. We're talking now, so evidently we both succeeded. Still, I see your point. Even Lyn in her current state could trounce you, and may I remind you that she has a broken leg. You need to improve."

"Wait a second, you just mentioned how I beat you!"

"A stroke of luck."

Morgan staggered as Alexander kicked his cane away. The prince managed to put all of his weight on his good leg before he fell and glared at Alexander. The alchemist had his hand on the ground in a very familiar pose. "I may not have the power, but you of all people should know that I can surprise anyone."

He waited for Alexander to retrieve his cane before ill-temperedly snatching it back. "You and I are allies, Alexander. We will fight together until we part ways, and even then, I think us facing each other would be an unlikely occurrence."

"That's on you, Morgan. I won't ever turn on my allies."

The elementalist smirked. "Alliances can change, and loyalty can be bought. However, I will not compromise on my goal. I will go with whoever I believe can make me the best leader I can be. You have my word on that."

Morgan couldn't for the life of him figure out why Alexander was laughing so hard.


	28. Risky Gambles

Cassandra dropped from the wooden beam and wiped sweat from her brow. Her workout wasn't particularly intense, but the sun had been beating down on her the entire time. She guzzled a bottle of water as she stared at the man toiling beside her. Cain had constructed an enormous stand and, with the entire crew watching, had lifted the entire _Howling Knave_ out of the water. It was always incredible to see Cain exercise his monstrous strength. The bodyguard was as modest as ever, reminding them all that Morgan had used his stone elemental to help guide the ship onto the stand.

He now towered over his captain, fishing out a burned piece of wood with a knife. The white mountain tattooed on his back gleamed in the sunlight. True to his word, aside from having assisted Morgan two nights before with groceries, he had been patiently going over the _Knave_ for repairs. Cassandra wasn't surprised he had already picked up the most basic shipwright skills. While he was far from a professional, the _Howling Knave_ did look better than it had in months.

He looked down at her when he noticed her stare. "All finished, Captain Libera?"

"For now. Why, want to go a round? You and I haven't sparred in a while."

Cain chuckled as he shook his head. "It is quite enjoyable to fight a regular-sized person without restraint, but I think I'll pass."

"Whatever you say, my friend. What are you working on?"

He lowered his hand, and Cassandra obligingly stepped on. He lifted her to his shoulder so she could get a better view. "When Damien let loose, he broke a lot of the medical ward. It's going to take a while to get it back to Raven's standard. Most of the piping is intact, which is great because I know next to nothing about plumbing, but the cabinets need to be replaced."

Cassandra peered around. She had already seen the damage, but picturing the task Cain had before him was daunting. "Most of his fire went through the hatch you installed, thankfully. Of course, even half dead he managed to ruin everything Raven did. Thank Mors I took that index to my room. The numbers don't correspond to anything now, but chemical names and all that are preserved."

Cain nodded. "I will take your word for it."

She swatted his ear. "Just get everything shipshape, meathead. Anything less than perfection and I'm kicking you off my crew."

His booming laugh filled the air. "I won't disappoint, Captain Libera."

When his laughter subsided, she wrapped her arms around his head. "In all seriousness, I do want you to know how much I appreciate everything you do. Now before you say it's your duty, it's nothing, I just want you to know that I'm really glad you decided to join my crew. I know you only joined because Morgan did, but I'm sure you were involved in helping him make that decision. Thank you very much."

Cain rubbed the back of his neck, nearly dislodging her from his shoulder. "I'm glad to be of service, Captain Libera."

"You always are. Plus, you're right. Sparring with you is tons of fun. You may not be a giant, but you're certainly larger than most people."

"That's undeniably true. I-"

"Oi, Captain!" Alexander called from aboard the ship. "This goddamn bird won't leave me be!"

That was one of the more peculiar complaints she had ever heard. "So shoo it away or something. Why are you yelling at me?"

"It has a message on its leg, so I think it's for one of us, but I have no idea for whom or why."

Cain put his hand by his shoulder, allowing her to step on so he could toss her onto the ship. Cassandra raised an eyebrow at the crow perched on the back of Alexander's chair, staring the musician right in the eyes. No matter how much he moved, the crow never stopped staring at him. Its head snapped around as she approached, and it let out a loud caw. Cassandra vaguely recognized the type of crow, but was more curious about what it was doing here.

"I'm Cassandra Libera, captain of the Black Glove Pirates. Is that for me?"

The bird dipped its beak and fluttered over to land on her outstretched arm. It extended its leg, allowing her to remove the small piece of paper. It cawed right in her ear, causing her to move her head away, then flew up to land on the rigging and peer down at her. Shaking her head at its absurd behavior, she unrolled the paper and read its contents.

_1. 7 - 1 = 6. 6 - 7 = 5. 5 - 5 + 7 = 6, 6 + 1 = 7? 6._

It took her a moment to decode the message, and she burst out laughing when she did. Alexander came over to see why she was so amused. When she showed him the piece of paper, his brow crinkled in confusion. "I don't understand. It's just a bunch of arithmetic, and some of it isn't even right."

"I think you can figure it out. In the meantime..." She drew one of her knives and cut part of the paper off. After asking Alexander to transmute a small quantity of ink, she used the tip of her knife to scrawl a single word - _Sorry_ - and gestured for the crow to return. She tied it to its leg and lifted her arm so it could take off, but it merely looked at her expectantly. "Get going already. I don't have anything for you. Ask for a reward when you get back."

The crow continued to watch her for a moment before spreading its wings and flying away. Alexander glanced up from the paper as it departed. "Were you really talking with that bird?"

"Why shouldn't I? It understood me just fine."

"Whatever you say. I still don't really understand this. Am I correct in assuming it's a letter of some kind?"

"In a sense. I'm going to wash off. If you haven't figured it out by then, I'll give you another hint."

The cold shower was one of the most refreshing she had ever taken. The frigid water contrasted nicely with the midday heat. Even for a Spring Island, Juhla was very warm. Fortunately for Cassandra, the temperature was perfect for exercising. Her body didn't tire regardless of how long she moved, so she was able to enjoy herself immensely. She would have liked to spar a little, but her crewmembers were either absent or occupied. She wasn't terribly worried about training her fighting skills, as she had engaged in true mortal combat not a week before, but she always wanted to be in top form.

After she dried herself off and pulled on some clothes, she emerged to find Alexander waiting outside her quarters. "I think I have it," he said without preamble. "It took me a while, but I'm pretty sure I'm right. This is a letter to you from one of your Moon Sisters, isn't it?"

"Very good, Alexander," she praised. "How'd you figure it out?"

He gave his explanation as they ventured to the galley. "Well, first I wondered why you were so calm when you were talking to the crow. You didn't seem at all surprised, which made me think you were familiar with it. We don't have a Den-Den Mushi because you're always worried that we'll be tracked or someone will eavesdrop, both silly concerns-"

"They are not," she protested.

Alexander only smiled. "They are, and you know it. We're following a specific path of the Grand Line, so it's pretty easy to figure out where we are. And even though we're privy to some really confidential information, what with you and various Moon Sisters hanging around and all, there are easy ways to prevent Den-Den Mushi from being wiretapped.

"Still, that got me to why the sender didn't use the regular illegal post service. This person really didn't want this letter to be intercepted or any evidence that it was sent. Combine familiarity with total need for secrecy and that leads me to your assassin background."

"Fair enough. I'm making a smoothie. Want one?"

"As long as it isn't apple."

She lobbed one of her favorite fruits over her shoulder, hitting him square in the forehead. "My hand slipped. Okay, how did you go from assassin background to Moon Sister? How did you know it wasn't my own family?"

She easily avoided the retaliatory throw, stabbing the apple as it missed the back of her head. "Educated guess. Your family banished you, so they probably wouldn't send you anything."

"You forget how much my dear sister loves me."

"That's right; I keep forgetting you have a real sister."

Cassandra grinned nostalgically before returning to the task at hand. "Did you actually figure out what it says?"

He waited until she was done crushing the ice cubes to continue. "I think so. To the oldest Moon Sister. Seven Sisters minus the oldest is six. Six minus the youngest is five. Five minus the fifth oldest plus the youngest is six. Will the oldest return to make seven? From the second youngest."

"Top marks, Alexander, well done! I should give you some more codes to crack."

He gave a brief chuckle. "What, training me to be an amateur cryptographer?"

"If it interests you. That's from Yin, for the record. Her codes have always used numbers."

"Do each of you have your own codes?"

"No, not all of us use codes. We mostly communicated by Den-Den Mushi."

Alexander gaped in mock shock. "You used Den-Den Mushi? You're the most unreasonably suspicious person I've ever met!"

"Trust me, where I'm from, that's the only way to stay alive. Just because I'm no longer a Negras doesn't mean people aren't trying to kill me. I may regenerate from nearly any wound, but I'm not immortal." Alexander's face grew solemn, and Cassandra had a pretty good idea why. "Look, he still has two days left. I'm not budging from that."

"I've been doing some reading," he said in a low voice. "It isn't healthy for him to go for so long without food. The starving body consumes stored fat, which Damien doesn't have, if you haven't noticed. And have you heard of refeeding syndrome?"

"I have. I know how long it takes until the symptoms appear. But Damien isn't most men. He might be the toughest person I know. He's had swords and lances stabbed straight through him that he completely ignored. I don't think I have to be worried quite yet."

"This isn't the same!" Alexander insisted. "This isn't a battle he can win! He's human, just like the rest of us! If he doesn't eat soon, it'll take him weeks, months to recover! That's far beyond the scope of his punishment."

"What would you have me do, Alexander? Renege on my word? I won't do that."

"I'm not saying that you have to release him early. All I'm asking is that you give him some form of sustenance. Oatmeal, gruel, even sugar water. Anything to keep him somewhat alive. You wouldn't give anyone else such a harsh punishment."

"Nobody else would come out of such a punishment like Damien will. What happened to unwavering faith in your nakama?"

Alexander's frustration was evident. "Starvation is not an enemy anyone has ever conquered. Even Damien can't win this fight. Please, anything at all. He already hasn't budged an inch in days. That's enough of a physical burden, don't you think?"

"When I said faith in your nakama, I wasn't just talking about Damien. I've made my decision, and I'm standing by it."

"Don't tell me this is about stubborn pride, Captain," he said.

Her temper was rising as well. "Surely you can't have forgotten that I acknowledge when I've made a bad decision. Don't push me on this, Alexander. Damien nearly killed us all, and he needs to get through his thick skull that that's not okay."

"He can't help it," Alexander snapped. "Did you begrudge Raven for knocking you out, knowing that more harm may come to Lyn?"

"That was completely different from what Damien did. She did that because she thought that was the optimal solution."

"You're just saying that because Lyn only broke her leg, _only_. What would you have done of Jordan had gone further?"

"I have enough on my plate already. I don't have time to deal with hypotheticals."

"Do you? What did Damien do, break some bones, burn us a little, a few cuts and bruises?" He pounded his chest emphatically. "I'm already healed. Cain took as much damage from that Marine as he did from Damien. You're fine, and he didn't even touch Lyn. Morgan? He's already walking about and talking. His most incapacitating injury is from you, when you shot off his finger. Jordan did more lasting harm than Damien did, but you let her get off scot-free!"

"Jordan isn't a Black Glove Pirate."

"Of course she isn't! She's the precious baby Sister who you've been coddling, and you can't deny that, Cassandra. She tortured Morgan far more than Damien did, burned through a good chunk of our money, and generally been a nuisance, but you've done nothing to her. Black Glove Pirates have their punishments, but an equal offense given by an outsider should be ten times worse."

Cassandra slammed her fist onto the counter. "I'm not responsible for Jordan's behavior. I'm responsible for my crewmembers' and nothing else."

"I can't believe that's the best excuse you can offer. Don't even pretend like you would have treated Jordan the same if she hadn't been your Moon Sister. You would have thrashed her yourself."

"I shot her in the head."

"And she walked that off inside five minutes." He took a shuddering breath in an attempt to calm himself. "I'm not saying I want Jordan to be punished further. I'm just saying that Damien's punishment is completely excessive and unjust. I only bring it up now because I've learned what could be in store for him. Six days without food or movement followed by potentially months of recovery is entirely too much. Damien's body may be extraordinary, but it is still human."

Cassandra stared at the short musician. On one hand, she was gambling with Damien's health and depending on his absurd constitution to keep any adverse effects from occurring. On the other, he was right about most of his points. Damien was tough, but he also consumed more food than most men of his size. Additionally, it would probably be good to give her unrestrained Moon Sister some rules, crewmember or not. She gently slid a smoothie in front of Alexander and walked out from behind the counter. She paused at the door and half-turned towards him. "Six days. He has two more left to serve. After that, his penance is complete."

"Thank you, Captain." She exited the galley without acknowledging his gratitude. She instantly heard Lyn's voice along with well as another person's that she didn't recognize. She looked overboard to see a man staring up at the pirate ship with his arm around the first mate. The pair were engaged in conversation with Cain, who had stopped evaluating the ship to chat with them. He glanced up to see her leaning on the railing and immediately stood up. He offered her his hand, allowing her to jump down to his level.

"Is everything all right?" he whispered. "I heard arguing."

"It's all taken care of," she assured him before hopping to the ground. "Good to see you back. Who might this be?"

"This is Arvo!" Lyn introduced cheerily. "He didn't believe me when I told him I was a pirate, so I brought him here!"

Cassandra accepted the plump man's handshake while she appraised him. His thick mane of hair and scruffy beard dominated his face. He had showered and his clothes were clean, but the odor of cannabis was still evident. Her gaze moved to Lyn for a moment, but swiftly returned to the newcomer. "I'm Captain Cassandra Libera. Thank you for taking care of my first mate."

"Oh believe me, the pleasure was all mine," he grinned. "I'll be honest, I didn't expect her to be telling the truth. I mean, come on. Lyn, a pirate?"

"I can't imagine her Jolly Roger was hidden," Cassandra said dryly. "Still, you remembered to check in, and I appreciate that. Seeing as how you smell of disinfectant and ink, I assume you either fell in a paint shop before getting rushed to a hospital or you got another tattoo."

"Yeah!" Lyn clung to Arvo for stability as she carefully peeled the dressing away from her right ankle. An imitation of her prayer beads wrapped three times around her ankle, but what interested Cassandra were the characters inscribed on each bead. She couldn't quite recall where she had seen such characters before, but she had a vague feeling she knew what they were.

"Uh, Lyn, what's that on the beads?"

"Oh! It says _Jubilation Unity Harmony Love Acceptance_. Juhla!"

Cassandra studied the beads. "And in what language does it say that?"

"The ancient language, of course!"

"I see. Do you know the ancient language?"

Lyn faltered slightly. "Well, no, but-"

"So how do you know it says that?"

"Because those characters have been Juhla's motto since this land was named," Arvo informed her. "It has always been this way."

That didn't make much sense to Cassandra. She highly doubted the ancient language had words that began with sounds that corresponded so perfectly with the island's name. Nevertheless, she let the issue drop. There were a paltry few readers of the ancient language alive, so it didn't matter what the characters' true meanings were. All that mattered was was what Juhla's inhabitants thought the characters meant. "I see. Isn't that desecration of sacred symbols or something?"

Lyn's cheerful laughter filled the air. "Silly Captain, those are all virtues! I pray for those things every night! Why would the spirits be mad?"

"I don't know how your religion works. Still, if you're happy with it, I won't say anything more. What're your plans now?"

"Gambling!" Lyn announced. "I saw a casino in town, and since you only managed to sell some of Morgan's shinies, I figured we could try to get lucky!"

The pirate captain was more than willing to see how much she could swindle. "Good thinking. We can't go shopping, as we still don't have a lot of money. And while you can reuse the same dress from Brickwork, I lost mine when a certain somebody ripped it up."

Cain sputtered as he tried to explain himself. "I... they... you were dying! What was I supposed to do?"

"She's just kidding, silly Cain!" Lyn giggled. "I wanna change clothes and wash. Up!" The large pirate easily picked her up and hopped high enough to deposit her on the deck. She grabbed onto the rigging as she waved down at them. "Bye Arvie! It was fun!"

"Indeed it was!" he called back. As she disappeared into the women's quarters, he chuckled and turned back towards the city.

Cassandra cleared her throat to get his attention before he could take two steps. "This casino. Tell me about it."

Rather than being offended by her brusqueness, Arvo only chuckled again. "Lyn did say you like to get right to the point."

"Is that so. What else did she tell you?"

"That you'd have hunted me down if anything had happened to her. Don't worry; she's completely fine." He paused as he stared up at the _Knave_. "She's as fine as she was when I met her."

"Good. The casino."

Arvo shrugged. "What is there to say? It's a casino. You go there, you gamble, you win or you lose. There are all sorts of things around it - restaurants, clothing stores, jewelry stores, spas - and of course, there's always a party down the street."

"And who owns it?"

"I don't know, some guy. I don't go there myself, so I don't know much about it. I only showed Lyn about it because she was curious. Piece of advice: if you're gonna try to cheat, don't bother. Trust me, you won't be having fun when they bust you."

Cassandra had no intentions of being caught. "Thanks for the tip. Farewell, and I'd really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone we were here. We're not hiding, but undue attention isn't welcome."

He drew his fingers across his lips as he sauntered off. Cassandra watched him for a moment before turning back to Cain. The massive man was crouched so she wouldn't have to strain her neck. "I delayed them because I heard you and Alexander shouting. Are you sure everything is all right?"

"We had a little disagreement over Damien's punishment. He's being released in two days instead of indefinitely. It's not much, but it should be enough to prevent any adverse effects of temporary starvation." The very thought of Alexander's argument caused her fist to tighten. "Last time was an offer; this is a command. Choose your weapon. Prove to me you could protect your prince from the ex-heiress to the most powerful assassin organization in the world."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

"The Mint State Casino?" Morgan's voice was laden with skepticism. "Really, Captain? This is the surefire moneymaking venture you mentioned? Are you completely unfamiliar with how establishments such as these make money?"

"One of my Sister's cousins owns one. We spent quite some time learning about how they operate."

"Morgan, I like your nails!" Lyn exclaimed. "You stopped doing them for a while, but now they're back!"

The prince checked his violet fingernails. "It is apparently part of my physical therapy to practice fine motor skills to ensure my fingers do not grow weak."

"That's right," Alexander confirmed. "And Captain, what didn't you do before you became a pirate?"

"I myself didn't do much," she said airily as she stared at the enormous building. "But the aggregate knowledge of my Sisters is quite amazing."

"You didn't do much?" Cassandra rolled her eyes as everyone jumped jumped at the sudden intrusion. She had had a feeling that Jordan was tailing them incognito for his own amusement, but hadn't felt the need to mention it. He had his arms around a redheaded man and woman who bore a striking resemblance to one another, all three of them visibly tipsy. "You were the goddamn living archive of who knew what and who would be most useful when."

"Why should I deliberate over a problem when I know someone who could solve it ten times faster than I could?" Cassandra asked. "It's not my fault that the discord and hatred is sown so deep that our families don't cooperate more."

"Ah, that'll never happen," Jordan stated. "We only get together when we're taking on another family. Us Moon Sisters are a once-in-an-era fluke."

"You say that like we've always gotten along." Cassandra trailed off, still focused on the massive building before her. "Another time. Why are you here?"

"Believe it or not, I've got a present for Four-Eyes." He let the woman go, causing her to stagger forward. Alexander was instantly before her, making sure she didn't fall. "There ya go. She's got a thing for musicians, though I fucking swear everyone on this island does."

"Silentium Larundae." Jordan only had a split-second to look puzzled before Cassandra's fierce jab caught him in the solar plexus and sent him skidding down the street. The pirate captain easily caught the red-headed man Jordan had been carrying, not bothering to look at him. "I did warn you, Jay. What Alexander does in his spare time is his business. If he wants to find someone, he'll do it himself."

Her lecture ground to a halt as the man she was supporting clumsily pawed at her chest. Her body went into overdrive, and she bodily heaved him into the air. Even through her anger, she could appreciate her accuracy. He crashed directly into Jordan, knocking them both to the ground. She was sorely tempted to do more damage, but Alexander's hand on her shoulder reminded her of where she was. "If you touch me again, whatever you're touching me with gets lopped off. Same goes for you, Jay, until you apologize and remember your goddamn manners."

The man's brows drew together as he tried to focus his eyes upon her. "Come on, darling, I was just having a bit of fun."

"Fun, fun, fun, everyone throws that word around." Cassandra clenched her teeth. "I can imagine a few things that sound fun right about now."

"And if only you had someone with you who enjoyed those things as much as you currently do."

Cassandra whirled to glare at the musician, but couldn't keep the small grin from cutting across her face. "You two may seem as different as night and day, but I swear on my life, I can't tell who's more stubborn."

"We all have something we refuse to yield on," Alexander said gently. "Still, a compromise was reached, and-"

"Hold on a moment," Morgan interrupted. "Compromise? What compromise? How is that hellion's punishment in any way allowed to be lightened?"

The pirate captain wasn't even going to try. "Alexander, you convinced me; convince him. Anyway, is it too much to ask for me to walk the twenty feet from here to inside the casino without me or one of my nakama being harassed?"

"Well, that's your fault for being so awesome, Captain!" Lyn gushed as she glomped onto Cassandra. "You're like the most badass woman on the Line! You know anyone who messes with you isn't gonna be happy about it! The problem is everyone's scared of you, and these people don't like to be scared, so they fight! You fight, they fight, you fight, they fight, it'll never end! I know you want a break, but the places we go won't give you one. That's why we have time when you're just Queen!"

Cassandra gaped at the woman draped across her shoulders like Lyn had grown an extra head. "Who are you and what the hell have you done with my first mate?"

Lyn giggled as she kissed her captain's cheek. "Sometimes when you focus on the details, you forget there's a painting! No, wait. If you only look at the grass, you won't see the zoo. No..."

"Forest, trees," Alexander provided before seamlessly resuming his argument with Morgan.

"Yeah! You'll miss the trees if you only stop and look at the forest!"

Cassandra laughed as she rested her hand on top of Lyn's head. "You're my Lyn, all right."

"And you're my Captain!" exclaimed the first mate. "The bestest best captain in all the seas, no matter what anyone says!"

"Aren't I just." She absentmindedly thumbed one of her pistols as she looked at the passersby. If there was one noteworthy aspect about the inhabitants of the Grand Line, it was how accustomed they were to spontaneous bouts of chaos. Unless there was a huge fight or significant property damage, they had better things to do than to stop and stare every time a punch was thrown. "So, shall we? Alexander, what are you doing?"

The musician looked confused that she was even asking. "What do you expect me to do, leave her with Jordan? I wouldn't inflict him upon her."

"You're pretty short," the redhead burbled, "and squishy."

Alexander gave a sheepish smile. "And I couldn't in good conscience leave her alone in this state."

"Whatever. Are you coming with us or not?"

"I am. Are you ready, Breda?"

"You're like a big living teddy bear."

He glanced at his drunken companion. "I think that's a yes."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "If you get thrown out, we three don't know you."

"Good to know you have my back, Captain."

Although the pirate captain was wary of giving her crew too much leeway, she decided to split half a million Beli between the four pirates. She still had about five million Beli worth of jewelry to sell, but they still had a fair amount of money left over. She had spent a large portion fully sating Cain's hunger, restocking the ship, and giving Morgan a small reward for letting go of his jewelry without prompting. Cain always looked slightly ashamed whenever he brought back the massive amount of food required to refill him after his usual fast at sea, but Cassandra would have none of it. Of all of their expenses, keeping Cain fed was the one she minded the least, no matter how costly it was.

Still, buying enough food for him took a toll. A four-way split of half a million Beli was still a decent sum for a night of gambling. Cassandra and Morgan strode right inside the casino while Alexander dissuaded Breda from swimming in the fountain. Morgan's gaze was naturally drawn to the enormous gold-plated coin in the center of the lobby, but the pirate captain was more interested in locating the security cameras. She could see two Den-Den Mushi tucked in the corners of the ceiling, and she hadn't even entered the casino itself yet.

Morgan easily matched her leisurely pace. "The high limit room needs a million just to be admitted entry, Captain."

"Well, if you miraculously get that much, feel free to go there." She was more focused on being as discreet as possible while analyzing the area. While there was only one more Den-Den Mushi in the hallway leading to the game floor, the restaurants were staffed with burly security guards. "Have you picked a game yet? I'd stay away from poker if I were you. You still haven't finished those chore slips."

The prince shook his head. "You forget that many of those chore slips overlap with my punishment."

"Oh, I haven't forgotten. Those won't expire until they don't overlap anymore." She flashed him a cheerful smile. "Though you can always try to barter them off."

"I've learned my lesson, thank you very much." His dark blue eyes roved slowly about as the pair entered the main casino area. "Perhaps I will try my luck with their cuisine first."

"Morgan, I swear, if you start another fight over their food being unfit for a prince, I'll have Damien sear your taste buds off. Not even kidding."

"I fear the quality of food aboard the _Howling Knave_ would take a significant drop in quality."

She lightly flicked his head. "Just keep your temper cool, smartass." She braced herself just as Lyn threw herself onto her captain. "How're Alexander and Breda?"

"We both know you know exactly how they're doing, silly Captain!"

"It's loud in here," she responded with a grin, "people are smoking, and I don't have eyes on the back of my head."

Lyn's giggles were infections. "And you can still hear Cain banging away at the ship and probably even Raven doing whatever it is she's doing. Nothing can hide from you!"

"If you say so. Could you please stop ditching your crutches to jump on me? I'm worried you're gonna bust your leg again."

"Nah, I'll be fine. And before you say anything, mother, yes, I'll tell you if I fall down and get a boo-boo."

Were it not for the first mate's injury, Cassandra would have shoved her forward. "It'll cost sixty million Beli to get back on the _Knave_. Think you can manage that?"

"That might be a bit hard. Can I have Alexander's portion?

Cassandra knew the musician had opted to escort the drunken Breda to her house, but she didn't know if he was going to stay with her instead of returning to the casino. "If you run out, check back with me. And I don't mean blow it all at once."

Lyn planted a kiss upon her captain's cheek before retrieving her crutches and hobbling onto the casino floor. Cassandra played the part of the indecisive player, idly running a coin through her fingers as she ambled about the floor. It took her a while to figure out where every single security camera was and, much to her annoyance, the coverage was complete. There were no blind spots she could use to her advantage. She lingered about the blackjack tables, but she didn't want to try her luck against the hawk-eyed dealers.

To keep any suspicion off of her, she made some low bets at a few games as she got a better layout of the room. She managed to draw out her losses, but she learned everything she needed to about the security. She couldn't escape the watchful eyes of the Den-Den Mushi, so that narrowed her options. There were only a few guards scattered at the edge of the game floor, concentrated around the bars and restaurants. While she was very certain that she could escape without any collateral damage if she needed to, she knew that her crew could not do the same. Fortunately, Lyn, Alexander, and Morgan didn't cheat. She needed to be concerned with herself.

The game that drew her attention the most was roulette. It was located in a relatively easy spot to escape from, and she was beginning to listen to the spinning of the wheel and rolling of the ball. Furthermore, it would be nearly impossible to catch her cheating. The croupier rolled the ball with practiced fluidity, which would help her determine approximately where the ball would land. As she threw away some more coins at the slot machines, she kept an eye on the roulette machine and listened as carefully as she could.

She glanced up as a cocktail waitress set a drink down beside her. "I didn't order anything."

The waitress only smiled. "It's from the cute blond with the cane."

Cassandra barely succeeded in keeping a straight face as she caught sight of the cook approaching her. "I see. I'll thank him myself." She tipped the waitress, who instantly left to deliver drinks to other patrons. Cassandra was watching her to evaluate her possible physical prowess when Morgan limped up. "Have you seen the cute blond with the cane who sent this to me?"

Morgan smirked proudly. "Injuries do not necessarily detract from physical appearance."

"Yeah, I've always found Damien to be the handsomest of all of you." The prince's expression immediately soured. "I'm joking. It's a shame you decided to bribe me instead of spending your last bit of cash to try to earn it back."

He stared at her, evidently thinking hard. "You know that I know that your ring is outside your glove, so strong alcohol would be much less effective than a drink you enjoy, hence the cider." He gave a slight frown. "So I was obviously trying to curry favor, though I was depending on you appreciating the gesture. The reason you also figured out I wasn't simply trying to earn some privileges back was because you knew I had been swept up by the possibility of making money."

"Here's Alexander's portion." She made no effort to conceal her amusement at how taken aback Morgan was. "Oh, don't give me that look. It wasn't much, considering you were mostly describing your own thought process and any moron can read their own mind, but that was still a neat little bit of deduction. I keep forgetting how you're not stupid, just an idiot."

"Always a pleasure, Captain."

He reached for the bills she offered him and froze as she grabbed his hand and pulled him close. "So dust off that big brain of yours and don't bleed out so quickly this time, or I'll be recouping that loss from your hide. If Alexander comes, you owe him this amount. If you can't pay up..."

Tight-lipped, he bowed his head and left. Cassandra stared after him, shaking her head in wonder. Having a cocky young prince on her crew was certainly a treat. She didn't know how successful she'd be about helping him grow into the ruler he wanted to be, but she would give it her best. He was her crewmember, after all. It was her duty to help him, regardless of how he behaved.

Her money was beginning to dwindle, which meant it was time to make her move. She sidled up to the roulette table, still listening to the ball rolling around the wheel. As she exchanged the rest of her money for chips, she relished the challenge before her. Calculating where the ball would land while keeping her bets as inconspicuous as possible and preparing to bolt if the situation worsened would be a true test of her skills. She grinned widely.

She started out slowly, winning and losing equally. Most of her losses were intentional, but the few real ones only served to give her a better understanding of the ball and wheel. She made both inside and outside bets, but the outside bets were more to give the illusion of caution than to actually make money. She absolutely did not want to be caught, but she couldn't deny that she was beginning to enjoy seeing how far she could push herself. Her bets grew more extravagant as she made more money. She began winning and losing large sums of money, and she was drawing a small audience.

It was only when the security guards began to move that she snapped out of her trance. She may have relished the thrill of cheating the casino, but she had a lifetime of escaping perilous situations that no amount of excitement could override. She tensed in preparation to grab her chips and flee, but stopped as she noticed something peculiar. Unless they were trying and failing to sneak up on her, they weren't converging on her. She relaxed, knowing that she would only appear to be slightly disturbed by the mobilization of authority figures. As a wanted pirate, such a reaction was completely natural.

She smiled as she listened to the burly guards ask the offender to come with them. Her smile vanished instantly as she recognized the offender's voice. She whirled around in disbelief to confirm what she had heard. Glad that the table had just finished a round, she grabbed all of her winnings and ran over to the gathering of guards, hoping she would be able to figure out what on earth they wanted with Lyn.


	29. Money Problems

"Hey, watch it!" Lyn exclaimed as the people around her were roughly shoved away. "What did they do?"

She glanced around as big guys in suits surrounded her. "Miss, I'm going to have to ask you to come with us."

"Wait what?" Lyn frowned as she tried to focus on the one who had spoken. "Who are you?"

"And more importantly, what do you want with her?"

"Captain!" Lyn ignored the pain in her leg as she propelled herself at the blue-haired woman. "How did you do?"

"Ma'am, our business is with this young lady here. If you'll kindly return to your-"

"I'll do no such thing," Captain said firmly. "As you just heard, I am her captain and as such, I demand to know why my crewmember is being detained."

The large man stared down at her for a moment. "We should discuss this in a more private location."

Lyn nodded at the idea, but Captain shook her head. "We're not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell is going on."

"I'm afraid I must insist."

"You are not in a position to insist anything." Lyn disagreed, thinking that the guard was probably right. However, Captain had that look in her eyes she got when she fully expected things to go her way. "I will not stand by while you and your cronies harass us. I have crewmembers scattered throughout the casino floor, and by the gods will we raise hell if you try and take us by force."

"We onl- mmph!" Lyn only got part of her objection out before she found her nearly-empty drink at her lips. Not minding the interruption, she sucked at the edge of the glass to try to finish off the final drops.

The guard finished looking about and focused on the pirates before him. "Your crewmember is suspected of cheating."

"What?" Lyn exclaimed. "I never- mmmmph!"

This time, Captain used her hand to silence her first mate. "I find that extremely hard to believe, but is this an establishment that can levy accusations without proof?"

"Of course, we only wish to detain her until we can review the footage to confirm whether or not she cheated."

"And who conducts these reviews? How do I know you aren't going to delay until you pretend like you've found evidence of cheating and you keep her?"

The nearby gamblers shouted their agreement, and the guard had to fight to make his voice heard. "Ma'am, the Mint State Casino treats cases like these fairly and justly. Should your crewmember be found not guilty, she will of course be released and her rightful winnings given to her. If not, there are consequences. As you're aware, we serve people of all trades. We cannot be lenient with our punishments."

"Nor would I ask you to," Captain assured him, "but what does this detainment involve?"

"She will not be mistreated, if that's what you're wondering. She will not be allowed to leave-"

"Hey, that's not fair!" a gambler cried.

"Yeah, she didn't do nothin'!" shouted another.

Lyn knew the yelling would only get louder if nobody did anything. "Okay! It's fine, it's fine! These guys are just doing their job! Just let us through and Captain, let's go somewhere quieter. Please?"

Captain scowled at the gathering mob. "We are not leaving sight of this floor. I will not have us whisked away and locked up. And you there, make a record of exactly how much Lyn won. I don't want her shortchanged when she's released."

The guard looked at the leader, who nodded as he began to escort the two women to the edge of the casino floor. When they reached the far wall and the crowd had receded, Captain resumed her protests. "I don't trust you to treat her well. As you can see, she is injured and has had quite a lot to drink. There's no way you will grant her the resources she needs to be comfortable."

"Indeed not, ma'am. Our job ise-"

"And that's exactly why you're not getting her. I volunteer to take her place."

"With all due respect, ma'am-"

Captain stepped forward, and the guard was forced to stand his ground or retreat. Lyn was surprised he managed to do the former. "No good has ever come out of a sentence beginning with that. You have your rules; I get that. However, this is not a usual case. She won about fifty million Beli, correct?"

The man who had recorded Lyn's winnings checked his notepad. "Actually, as she managed to win the hand she had when we arrived, she's up to just under eighty million."

Lyn could understand why they thought she was cheating. It wasn't easy to make that much from an eighth of a million. "Okay, that much," Captain said. "Now, I'm willing to take her place." She had her glove over Lyn's mouth before the first mate could make a sound. "I think you'll find that my legally-obtained winnings combined with the bounty on my head approximate that number. Surely that's enough for me to switch with her, yes?"

The head guard scrutinized her. "And who might you be?"

"I am Captain Cassandra Libera, the Insidious Amaranth, and my head is worth fifty million. Have one of your goons look me up if you don't believe me."

He continued to stare at her, then turned aside and nodded at one of the other guards. The second man inclined his head and ducked away to speak rapidly into a Baby Den-Den Mushi. Lyn let her eyes rove over the floor, wishing she could go back and play some more. She had met such interesting people, and gambling was so much fun! The drinks were good, the atmosphere was fantastic, and she was having the time of her life. She wasn't worried about being found innocent; she hadn't cheated at all. She could handle being in a room for a while, especially since she could just leave her body and explore. But she knew Captain was against that idea, and she really didn't think she'd be able to change Captain's mind on this one.

She looked up expectantly when the man returned and whispered something into the head guard's ear. She didn't miss Captain's eyes widening, but the man raised his hand before Lyn could ask what was wrong. "We will take you up on your offer, Captain Libera. As you are entrusting yourself to us, I will permit your crewmate to take your winnings on the condition that all of your crewmembers leave at once. You two, escort Ms. Lyn off the premises. Your captain should be released within two days if you are found innocent, and you may not return to the Mint State Casino until that time. Captain Libera, if you'll come with me."

"Lyn, you are not to come and try to rescue me under any circumstances, do you hear me?" Captain said quickly as she was led away. "I'm serious. Not even if two days pass. Don't do it. Don't even think about it."

Lyn pouted, as she had been planning to do exactly that. She didn't want to leave Captain alone. Nevertheless, she smiled and waved cheerily at the retreating group "Bye bye! See you soon, Captain!"

As she and the two guards made their way out of the casino, she beckoned at Morgan, who was arguing heatedly with one of the waiters in a restaurant. The prince angrily threw down his napkin and he hurriedly limped to catch up to them. "What is the meaning of this?"

"I got called a cheater, Captain took my place because her bounty almost covered my winnings. Look, I got what she won! We get to change these out!"

Morgan's eyes lit up at the prospect of getting so much money, but that look faded slightly as he counted the stacks of chips. That made Lyn extremely worried. There was nothing in the world Morgan loved more than money, even if it wasn't strictly speaking his money. When she asked about it, he only stared off into space, deep in thought. He didn't say anything even when they exchanged the chips for real money. As they left the casino, Morgan turned around to look at the massive golden coin once more.

"Really, Morgie, what is the matter?"

"That doesn't make sense," he muttered.

Now Lyn knew something was wrong. While the prince wasn't as easy to annoy as Alexander was when she shortened his name, he still usually made some sort of fuss about it. "What doesn't?"

"Why do we have her winnings? That doesn't make any sense."

"Well, even though she probably che... was herself, she wasn't accused, so there's no reason we shouldn't get hers, right? Oh, where's yours, by the way?"

He ignored the last part. "No, but you won a substantial amount more than her bounty covered."

"I don't think the exact amount counts that much, really. They just wanted some sort of reason that I wouldn't just skip town. Besides, I still don't have what I won, so we didn't really make money anyway."

"That's beside the point." He looked about for a moment before hobbling over to a street corner. He shoved a few coins in the newspaper dispenser and took a moment to single-handedly wrest one out. Lyn was even more confused when he tossed it aside, only to see that he was holding a familiar stack of papers in his good hand. He discarded a few of them rapidly, and his eyes darkened slightly when he stopped. "Yes, that's the reason."

Lyn stalked up to peer over his shoulder. Her jaw dropped when she saw what he had been looking for. She was looking at Captain's bounty poster, but this one was different. Her cowboy hat was on her back, and blood was splattered across her amber skin. Her mouth was set in a grim line, and she was glaring at something to the left of the camera. She looked a lot angrier and more resolute in this picture than in her previous one. However, it was the number that interested Lyn the most.

_Wanted_

_Dead or Alive_

_Cassandra Libera "The Insidious Amaranth"_

_120,000,000 Beli_

"Well, that's good for her!" Lyn exclaimed.

"Not in this case," Morgan muttered. "They have someone far more valuable than your winnings. They might decide to keep her and make a profit, even if you weren't cheating."

"I wasn't."

"I know. What did she say about rescuing her?"

"If she wasn't out after two days, come and get her." Lyn already had several good excuses ready. "And you're in charge of thinking up the plan."

This caught him completely off guard. "Wait, me? Why me? Surely, she can't have forgotten that I am still serving my punishment for attempting to have her assassinated."

Lyn stiffened slightly at the thought, but she didn't think Morgan noticed. "You're one of the smartest of us left, so you should be able to think of a good plan. You already know what'll happen if you fail, so what's the problem?"

She cocked her head to the side as she caught sight of something. She grabbed at the papers in his hand, but he jerked away in surprise, sending them scattering across the pavement. Although she was the more injured pirate, she was first on the ground, scrabbling to confirm what she had seen. She shouted victoriously as she found it.

Morgan's eyes were dark, dark grey. "Well, this makes things more complicated. We can't show this to the others."

_Wanted_

_Dead or Alive_

_Damien "The Untamed Infernal"_

_77,000,000 Beli_

"Of course we have to! I might have to change the picture though. It looks terrible."

"Well, what do you expect? Any sane cameraman would be as far from that devil as possible. A picture that is slightly out of focus isn't unusual for more violent criminals."

Lyn tilted her head from side to side as she looked at the picture. It did have a certain artistic quality, and she could still make out his deadly teeth and the dreadlocks trailing behind him. While many of his more prominent scars could be made out, the blur made it difficult to see the sheer number of markings that covered his skin. The flames emitted by his eyes looked brighter than usual. It wasn't terrible, Lyn supposed. While it wouldn't be easy to identify him from his picture if he was calm, it was a totally different matter when he was mad. "I guess Damien does move really quickly when he's really angry. Man, I don't know how they're gonna get Raven's picture."

"I don't think many people know she exists. Even if they are prepared to look out for her, identifying her will be nearly impossible without them eavesdropping on us."

"True." Lyn gathered her crutches, and they began walking back to their ship. "Still, Alexander'll be thrilled that Damien has a bounty, Damien too. They love being real pirates!"

Morgan continued to glare at the two posters. "Are you sure it would be wise to tell them?"

"There is no way I'm hiding it from them. I mean, Damien won't know until two days from now because we still can't see him and even though I'm acting-captain-"

"Wait a minute, I thought Captain placed me in charge."

Lyn giggled. "No, silly! You're in charge of thinking of a plan to get Captain out. When Captain can't be captain, I'm acting-captain! Duh!"

"Are you sure you need to declare yourself leader when Captain will only be gone for a few days?"

"Don't even try, Morgan. We're a crew, and leaderless crews don't work well. Anyway, I can't undo anything she's done, and she can't undo anything I've done. That was the rule. She said he isn't getting out for two days, and we can't see him until then. You're gonna have to coordinate with Alexander about food. He's been looking up all sorts of things. And you have to feed Damien."

"Of course I will," Morgan snapped. "I will not shirk my duties, regardless of how little I like the task. You and Alexander need to stop questioning me."

She poked him in the side with her crutch, causing him to stumble. "You and Damien both did bad things. You're both being punished. After your punishments are done, we'll have forgiven, but not forgotten. You are my nakama, Morgan, but that doesn't mean I don't know what you can do."

Morgan stared at her for a long time. "Then I will have to prove myself."

"Don't prove to us that you can be a good person. Prove it to yourself. C'mon, we gotta go tell the others."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Cassandra drummed her fingers on the arms of her chair as she looked around the office belonging to Carlo Mint, if the nameplate on the desk were any indication. It really was a nice office, which surprised her to some extent. She would have imagined the office of a casino owner to be extraordinarily lavish. It had all the usual furniture of an important office - a large desk with a comfortable chair behind it, several bookshelves containing books with uncracked spines, a thick carpet - but the combined value of the room couldn't have cost more than a few months' salary. She had imagined the room would look more like Morgan had furnished it: overwhelming gaudiness and decadence. The room did have a very calming feel to it, which was probably better than intimidation through obvious wealth when dealing with people.

She didn't have to wait long before the door opened behind her and two men entered. As they walked behind the desk and into her field of view, Cassandra raised her eyebrows in surprise. The taller of the pair was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. His skin, darker than Alexander's, nicely complemented his intense eyes. His shoulder-length hair belied the professionalism of his tailored suit and the sword sheath at his side. She was marginally surprised when he pulled back the chair for the shorter man to sit in, then stepped back with his hands clasped before him. She was even more surprised when the presumed owner chattered something she couldn't understand.

"Mr. Mint would like to thank you for your patience and apologizes for the wait." The tall man's accent only added to his deep voice. "He was intrigued by your decision to take Ms. Lyn's place while her case is reviewed."

"As your subordinate may have mentioned, Lyn is currently recovering from an injury. I would rather endure the temporary discomfort while you make sure she's innocent than deprive her of any medical assistance and comfort she might need."

She waited for the translation to go back and forth. She couldn't quite tell what language it was. It sounded vaguely familiar to her, perhaps something she had heard on a mission or another dialect of one she was acquainted with but couldn't speak. "Mr. Mint commends you for your care for the well-being of your crewmembers, but he has a question about the irregularity of your bargain. You offered your winnings as additional compensation to approximate your bounty with Ms. Lyn's winnings."

"Why would I do otherwise? Being as close as possible would make the trade seem more fair, would it not?"

"Mr. Mint assumes this means you did not know of your bounty increase."

Cassandra was very good at feigning surprise. "What, my bounty went up? To what?" The translator placed her new bounty poster on the desk before her. She took a moment to confirm her updated bounty and changed picture before leaning back and smiling. "Well, isn't that a fortuitous turn of events. It seems the Marines weren't very happy with what I did on Brickwork. Should I be worried about the review being falsified so you might turn me in for a profit?"

The lack of reaction from the casino owner confirmed Cassandra's belief that the translator wasn't conveying her words verbatim. "Mr. Mint appreciates your humor, but he also takes offense to your insinuation that this is an unjust establishment. The Mint State Casino is open to peoples of all backgrounds and has a reputation to uphold. All people are treated fairly and equally."

"So why did you accept my request to switch with Lyn?"

"Taking into account Ms. Lyn's injury and your not insubstantial bounty, Mr. Mint believes that the small amount you won acts as a reminder of a much larger payoff should Ms. Lyn be found innocent. You are a much larger flight risk than Ms. Lyn is, as you won a lot of money from a small amount and could easily multiply your earnings and leave if Ms. Lyn was attempting to cheat his casino."

"But what if Lyn really was innocent and goes to some other place to make money?"

"Mr. Mint's concern only extends to the possible con at his casino. What Ms. Lyn chooses to do outside of his casino is not his business." Mint chattered a bit more before Cassandra could speak again. "Mr. Mint understands that given your choice to replace Ms. Lyn, you are convinced of her innocence. However, Mr. Mint would also like to know if you would be willing to divulge any method Ms. Lyn could possibly have used to cheat. He assures you that whether or not you aid us in this investigation will not affect your treatment while under his care. It would simply serve to expedite the process and shorten your detainment."

"I thank you for your generosity, but I have nothing to contribute. Lyn has always had luck on her side, and she is very personable. I'm fairly sure those are the only two factors that led to her winnings. I don't know how she could have cheated."

Mint analyzed her carefully for a long while before responding. "Mr. Mint thanks you for your input and informs you that although the investigation will be complete and thorough, it should not take longer than two days. If Ms. Lyn is innocent, you will be released and her winnings will be given to you. If she is not, you will be fined. If you cannot pay the fine, we will turn you in to the authorities."

"Those are very reasonable terms. I am glad for the way the Mint State Casino operates."

"Mr. Mint has another matter that requires his attention. You will now be escorted to the detainment center in which you will stay until the investigation is complete. If you have any further questions, address them to the man stationed outside. At his discretion, he will relay the questions to myself or Mr. Mint. You will not be restrained, but Mr. Mint would like to stress that if at any point you attempt to escape, you will suffer the same penalties as if Ms. Lyn were guilty and the investigation will be cancelled."

Now Cassandra was slightly concerned. If she was not going to be restrained, that meant they had a lot of confidence in their ability to stop her or anyone who attempted to rescue her. She had a feeling Lyn would try to orchestrate a jailbreak, which would most likely fail without Damien and Raven as main fighters. "What if my crew was foolish enough to attempt a rescue, but I do not personally participate or leave the detainment center?"

Mint puzzled over this scenario. "Mr. Mint believes that that would be an admission on Ms. Lyn's part that she is guilty of cheating. If Ms. Lyn participates in the rescue, she will be detained and you will be released. If you resist or attempt to free Ms. Lyn, you will be arrested as well."

Cassandra really wish she could remove her spirit to tell Lyn not to try to free her under any circumstances. "I see. Would it be possible to send an envoy to my ship and tell her of these consequences?"

This prompted some back-and-forth between Mint and the translator. "Because you told Ms. Lyn not to rescue you, Mr. Mint politely declines."

_Damn. Lyn, please please listen to me, just this once._ "I see. Well, in that case, I don't want to take up any more of your time. May I ask for the head of security or whoever is in charge of that sort of thing if I have any other questions so I won't unduly bother you?"

The translator relayed the question to Mint, who simply nodded. "I am Officer Meili. If you have questions about your situation, you may relay them through the detention center guard to me. If you have questions or requests concerning your quality of life, ask for Constance." The casino owner jabbered something else when Meili was done. "Mr. Mint thanks you for your patience and understanding and hopes the investigation will be as quick as possible without sacrificing thoroughness." He walked out from behind the desk and over to the door. "Gentlemen, if you would escort Captain Libera to the detainment center."

After they unlocked the restraints of her chair, Cassandra bowed deeply to the casino owner. "Thank you for your generosity and kindness, Mr. Mint. I would shake your hand, but I would not want to be a security risk. Out of curiosity, where are my weapons?"

Meili translated Cassandra's question for his employer, but he answered himself. "Your weapons will be returned to you upon your departure. Good day, Captain Libera."

Mint's eyes never left her as she was led from the room. As soon as she was out of sight, she gnashed her teeth together. She knew that Lyn would attempt to free her, even if she had explicitly told the first mate not to try. Cassandra really wanted to remain on good terms with the casino people. They seemed honest enough for people that served pirates and policemen alike, and that was a rare sight to behold. The Black Glove Pirates were stuck on the island for eight days, and she didn't want to spend the better part of a week hiding until they were able to leave. She wanted, just once, to have her crew enjoy themselves undisturbed. The Net and Raven's family had tainted life on the first two islands, and she didn't think the islands further down the Line would be as festive or carefree as Juhla.

As the elevator descended, she began to feel a lot more cheerful about the situation. Sure, she was temporarily incarcerated, but that was no reason for her crew to panic. They all knew she could handle such a trivial imprisonment without worry. She was confident Alexander would be able to talk some sense into Lyn and prevent the first mate from attempting some harebrained rescue mission. Lyn wouldn't attempt something on her own, especially with her broken leg. She wasn't even worried about Damien; she should be released around the same time he was and would be able to deal with him, even if he was able to move after being locked in place without food. In the end, it would all turn out all right, and they would be substantially richer.

She exited the elevator and found herself in front of a simple set of double doors. After the snail sitting on the ceiling peered down at them, the doors began to creak inwards. As her escorts marched her inside, she caught a glimpse of the chains that controlled the thick doors. Even Damien would have trouble breaking through that with brute force. She smiled at the guard who unlocked her handcuffs and held out his arm for her to enter the detainment center.

For being a place designed to hold suspects and potential criminals, it was a very welcoming place. The carpet, while worn and faded, was still better than the bare floor she had been expecting. A wide column dominated the center of the room, and the guards didn't move when she rapped her knuckles against it to confirm that it was solid metal. There were a few bookshelves that Cassandra instantly gravitated towards and couches for her to lounge upon. The faint sound of music could be heard coming from above.

Much to her amusement, she was not alone. A stumpy man and a stick-thin woman were playing pocket billiards in one corner, while a heavily-muscled woman did squats near a sparse collection of exercise equipment. The female pool player was the only one who paid Cassandra any heed, and even then she quickly returned to her game as her partner sunk two balls at once. They all seemed content to pass the time while their cases were being reviewed. Cassandra had no problem with that.

"Excuse me, sir?" she asked the man by the doors. "May I have your name?"

"Why do you need my name?" he shot back.

"If I'm to be here for a day or two, what harm is there in getting to know the people who work here?" she said with a smile. "I'm Cassandra. Who are you?"

"Wills," he said at last.

She bowed to him, as she didn't think extending a hand to a security guard was a smart idea. "Please to meet you, Wills. I was just wondering what the schedule for this place is."

"Meals at 07:30, 12:30, and 18:30. Lights out at 23:00 and lights on at 07:00. Requests can be made from 08:00 to 22:00."

"What kinds of requests?"

"Food. Drinks. Bathroom. Men. Women. Games. Those are requests. Meals, books, beds, billiards, gym gear are provided for. Requests go on your tab. In the end, added if you're guilty and subtracted if you're innocent. There's a spending and request limit."

"I like this place more and more with every passing moment. How much would a bottle of good cider be?"

"Thousand."

Cassandra shrugged. She had seen more outrageously priced drinks. "May I please have one?"

The guard relayed the request to the Baby Den-Den Mushi attached to his wrist. "Is there anything else, Captain Libera?"

"No, that'll be all. Thank you." She walked back to her couch and threw herself down, a satisfied smile on her face. It was truly a good situation, all things considered. She was cut off from her crew, armed with nothing but her body and her intellect, and totally at the mercy of the casino. Despite all that, she felt completely at ease.

She looked up from her book when someone moved in front of her light. The muscular woman towered over the couch, a towel draped over her shoulders and reeking of sweat. "You. You're a captain?"

"That's right. Can I help you?"

"Captain of what?"

This wasn't a situation where Cassandra had to lie. "The Black Glove Pirates."

"I hate pirates." Curiously, the statement carried none of its usual animosity. Cassandra could sense no hostility from the other woman. She may as well have been remarking on the weather. "They're the scum of the seas."

"Now, I think that's an overgeneralization. Have you met many pirates? Did they kill your family?"

"If they had, you wouldn't be here." Again, that same lack of hostility. She wasn't even emotionless like Raven. She seemed interested in talking to Cassandra. Her tone just didn't match her words. "Why do I need a reason to despise criminals?"

"You are entitled to your own opinion. I admit that I've been a so-called criminal all my life, so I may be a bit biased. Not all criminals are bad. My first mate is the kindest woman you'll ever meet."

"Does she kill people quickly instead of torturing them?"

Cassandra only grinned more widely. "I really don't appreciate your comments and would prefer it if you would leave me alone from now on. I don't want to cause anyone any trouble, especially not in front of these fine gentlemen."

The large woman glanced at the guards watching them attentively. "You're just lucky we're in here where they care about vermin like you. You wait until we're outside, and I'll deal with you properly."

As Cassandra cheerfully waved the woman away, she reflected upon the oddity of their exchange. She couldn't speak for the other woman, but she knew she should have reacted differently. She had laid people flat out for less than that. When a buxom woman set down her bottle of cider beside her, she slowly rotated it to check for evidence of tampering. Unfortunately, she knew her Devil Fruit was unhindered, so any drug that affected her would affect any normal person much more strongly. The two pool players had never ceased their game, only sending fleeting looks in Cassandra's direction. Perhaps it was a drug that affected Devil Fruit Users more strongly or perhaps their physiologies were just different. It was truly a mystery.

Cassandra put it from her mind. She had more interesting things to think about, like the history book in her hands. She would worry about everything else when she was done.


	30. Being Released

Jordan woke up without any idea of where she was. A quick check to either side of her revealed a man slumbering fitfully. She didn't quite remember whose abilities she had, but her lightly throbbing head indicated it was someone who suffered from only minor hangovers. When she removed the covers, she saw she had adopted a female body, which was peculiar because she was pretty certain she had started the night as a man. Three sets of men's clothing were scattered about the room, which lent further credence to her belief. Maybe she had changed her appearance and not her clothes, and the men had assumed she was a tomboy. That seemed like a reasonable explanation.

Regardless, she did have to leave. Unlike some people, she didn't feel the need to stay with her one-night stands once it was over. She had intended to depart after they were done fucking, but she had probably passed out. She threw off one of the men's arms and got up to collect her clothes. A muted groan came from behind her, indicating that one of them was waking up. She gave a wide grin as she thought of a way to mess with his head. It wouldn't do to leave without a parting gift.

Her features morphed from feminine to undeniably masculine, and she took her time dressing. When he heard the man choke, he paused as he was stuffing his leg inside his pants and glanced backwards. The man's eyes were as wide as could be as they slowly panned down from Jordan's face to his chest to his exposed cock. Jordan slowly resumed dressing, his grin widening even further. "You were _really_ drunk last night," he said casually, "but it seemed like you really liked it."

When the man collapsed backwards onto his bed, Jordan roared with laughter. What was the point of being a Lovat if not to mess with people's heads? He returned to a female form just in time for the first man's companion to groggily peek at her to see what the laughter was about. She flipped her hair over her shoulder as she left, still laughing about the conversation the two men would have when they sobered up enough to talk.

Her amusement died out as she emerged into the sunlight with no clue about what she was going to do next. A trip to a coffee house sorted out her breakfast problem, and the hookah lounge nearby provided her with a temporary relief for her nicotine craving. As she wandered the city in search of other activities with which to distract herself with, she reflected that she hadn't seen any of Cici's crewlings in a day or two. While she hadn't actually been searching for them, they weren't exactly easy to miss. She knew that Cici was mad at her, and she hated the fact that the eldest Moon Sister was one of the very few people who could make her feel guilty. Even her parents couldn't make that claim. That accursed guilt had festered over the past couple of days to the point where Jordan could deny it no longer. She would have to see the pirate captain, if only to confront her about it.

With this in mind, she abandoned the parade she had gotten sucked into and set off towards the _Howling Knave_. She didn't know exactly where it was, but it wasn't hard to follow the coastline until she found it. Sure enough, the ship was exactly where she had left it, propped up on massive stilts to let Caicai repair it more easily. She cracked a grin when she saw that the enormous pirate was right where she had left him too, still hammering away at the side of the ship.

As he picked a cannon off the sand as if it weighed no more than a feather and gently inserted it into the ship, she raised his pant leg and poked him in the ankle. "Some bodyguard you are, letting a stranger sneak up on you like this."

"Hello Jordan," he greeted civilly. "I'm surprised to see you back here."

"What can I say? I got homesick."

Her simpering look didn't faze him at all. "I didn't know you considered the _Knave_ your home."

"It's my home away from home while I'm with Cici. You seen her around, by any chance?"

"She isn't here right now."

Jordan grimaced. She was in no mood to scour the city looking for her Sister. "Well, do you know where she is?"

"She's unavailable for the moment." Jordan looked up to see Momo glaring down at her from the main deck. "If you wish to see her, you may return tomorrow."

"Why the hell do I have to wait until tomorrow?" she snapped as she leapt onto the ship. "I want to see her now."

"Be that as it may, she isn't here."

"I know that, dickhead. Caicai just told me that. My question is, where did she go? I don't think she takes a shit without letting one of you know."

"She told me and I quote, 'If Jordan takes a break from his debaucheries, tell him I'll deal with him tomorrow.' Now if you'll excuse me, I have more unpleasant business to attend to."

"Wait, why the fuck can't you just tell me where she is?"

"Because whenever you meddle with our affairs, it takes more effort than if you had simply stayed away."

The only reason she didn't punch him in the face was because she didn't know how much she had to hold back. "What are you talking about? I do not meddle with your affairs!"

"Apart from that infernal man, you have caused us more trouble than any-"

"Morgan, that's enough." Jordan was gobsmacked to see Lynlyn emerge from the medical bay. "Jayjay-"

"What are you doing here?" the assassin asked incredulously. "Shouldn't you be... anywhere else?"

"I have to be here. It's almost noon."

"What the fuck happens at noon, and why can't this prick give me a straight answer about where Cici is?"

"What did she say about manners?"

Jordan gritted her teeth. If these weren't Cici's precious nakama, she would be beating the answers out of them by now. "Please, dearest Lynlyn, where can I find my beloved Sister so that I might discuss something with her?"

"See, was that so hard?" The artist flashed her brightest smile. "You still can't see her though. She's in jail."

The assassin's quick retort died in her mouth as she actually processed Lynlyn's words. "What do you mean, she's in jail?"

"We went to a casino and I made a lot of money and they think I cheated and she took my place. If she's not released today, we're gonna bust her out."

"You are going to bust Cici out of jail, and you didn't think it was important to tell me in the first place?"

"Why would we?" Momo said snootily. "You're not one of us, and, as I mentioned previously, you tend to do more harm than good."

Lynlyn shushed him. "You didn't come back, and how are we supposed to find you? Yell your name as we wander through Valeglen? Still, you're back now, and that makes life a little easier."

Now Jordan was just confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Damien is being released at noon," Momo grated out. Jordan was taken aback when his demeanor abruptly lightened. "Oh, you can actually aid us in preserving his restraints if he tries to escape halfway through."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking," Lynlyn said. "Alexander wants to melt the entire thing, but it would be more useful if we kept it. Damien's our nakama, but it's safer if we keep it around for next time."

"I still think you should just let me kill him." Momo's look of amusement could not be more different from Lynlyn's look of horror. "I'm only kidding, relax. Why do you need me? Momo's strong enough, even with only one hand. But hey, one hand's all you need, right?"

They both stared at her for a moment. "Anyway, it's time. If you're not going to help, go wait in the galley or something," Lyn ordered. "Morgan, let's go."

"I never said I wasn't helping," Jordan grumbled, following them below. If she was going to get back into Cici's good graces, cooperating with her underlings would be a good place to start. Besides, how hard was it to bring a half-dead navigator to a bed when she had Caicai's strength? Furthermore, if she helped bust Cici out, then she would hopefully get to listen to less of Raerae's bitching when the youngest Moon Sister returned. She was undoubtedly going to get an earful for fucking up against Didi, but nobody had died, so there wasn't a problem.

She was slightly amused to see that Alal was kneeling before the door to the cargo hold. His hands were clasped tightly, and his lips twitched as he prayed. He didn't react to their presence until Lynlyn spoke. "It's time."

The musician finished his prayer and rose to his feet. The four of them entered the darkened room and were nearly overwhelmed by the stench. Lynlyn covered her nose with her hand and Momo with a handkerchief, but Alal was remarkably unfazed. When she recovered, the first mate hung up the lantern to better illuminate the trapped man and his fittings. Jordan wasn't surprised to see the stretch marks and cracks in the restraints, but the contraption had held. Caicai really knew his stuff.

"Careful now," Alal whispered. "He's probably delirious."

"_Careful_," mocked the prince, "as if we can afford to let our guards down around him at any point."

Lynlyn ignored them both, drawing the key from her pocket and getting to work. Didi didn't so much as budge as she released him. She moved the dreadlocks away from his face to reveal his closed eyes. She jerked back as a burst of water struck the navigator and half-turned to Momo. "A little warning would've been nice."

"Permission to give him a bath, Captain?" he snapped.

Jordan frowned and leaned forward. "Captain? What do you mean, Captain?"

"When Captain's not here or she's not in charge, I'm Captain and she's Queen," Lyn explained. "She's gonna be Queen of the Pirates. We're just getting a head start calling her that."

"Whatever." Jordan didn't care about what silly little rules the pirates had. "When are we going for Cici?"

"Tonight. Be patient." Lynlyn undid the final restraint and stepped back to let Momo dump more water on the prone navigator. The instant water touched his skin again, Didi opened his eyes and launched himself forward. Everyone moved at once, but surprisingly, Lynlyn was the one to get to him first. She grabbed his hands and brought him to a halt. She slowly closed her fingers through his and held his dark glower. The berserker did nothing but breathe heavily for a long while before blinking several times and frowning. "Where's-"

"Queen's in jail. You need food and proper rest."

"Fuck rest," he growled. "I been restin' fer fuckin' days."

"How are you even standing right now?" Jordan asked. "You should be on the ground begging Momo for food."

Alexander nodded. "The best thing for you is a proper bed and some soup."

"Soup?" Didi was incredulous. "Fuckin' soup? How about a fuckin' 'erd o' cows?"

"No, you need to be fed properly. You can resume your usual absurd diet of blue steak and pure ethanol in the future."

Didi turned to glare at the prince. "I'm fuckin' starvin'. Y' ain' givin' me fuckin' soup."

"Damien, come outside and lie down in the medical bay." Alal was looking serious now.

"Wha' part-"

Alal snapped his fingers, and the navigator slumped forward. Lynlyn staggered beneath his weight, but managed to keep them both from falling, which was especially impressive considering she was supporting both of them on just one leg. The musician crossed his arms. "I knew it. Mate, you're out of your goddamn mind if you think you don't need time to recover. Only the spirits are keeping you on your feet, and you know that you can't keep that up. They aren't that nice, especially not yours. Let me help you to the medbay."

"Ain' no fuckin'-" He fell silent as he registered the blade at his throat. Jordan was in shock. She would never have expected the docile, cheerful Lynlyn to threaten the ferocious navigator. What confused Jordan even more was the fact that the first mate was using the broken blade she always carried instead of her rapier. After adjusting slightly to keep the weight off her broken leg, she pressed her forehead against the navigator's. Didi clenched his eyes shut for a moment before giving a faint imitation of his wild laugh. "Yahar, wench. I ain' you. You were th' actin'-cap'n 'oo wasn' doin' 'er fuckin' job. 'S not th' same."

"I never said it was. When you're better, none of us are gonna stop you from go off and do whatever it is you do. We wouldn't think of doing that. You are our nakama, and we want you to do what you like to do. But right now, you need to stop being so stubborn, get a good rest on a real bed, and get some food in you. Raven's gone, but Alexander and Morgan are going to take care of you. They will be doing everything in their power to get you back to your best."

Momo pressed his lips tightly together. Jordan chuckled, but stopped when Alal shot her an admonishing look. These people just took everything way too seriously. "I know you know this is the right thing to do," Lynlyn continued. "Tell you what, when you're feeling a bit better, you can fully express how angry you feel in any way you see fit. That'll probably be a fight, and that's fine. Every Black Glove Pirate knows you need to let loose, just like we know that Raven would kill us all if Queen told her to or that Alexander will correct us every single time we accidentally say his name wrong."

"Wait, hang on, those are completely different-"

The musician was silenced when Lynlyn knocked her cast against his shin. "We all have our quirks, but we will never stop taking care of each other. We all care about you, some of us more than others. We would come to you if we needed your help. Right now, you need our help. You won't ever admit it, and you won't ever ask for it, but you shouldn't turn it down when we give it to you."

Didi stared at her for so long that Jordan thought he had fallen asleep. They all jumped when he gave a round of weak laughter. "Yahahar. You and 'er are the bloody same. Don' back down, Sunshine. Imma kick yer ass back t' Wes' Blue."

"Love you too." She kissed his cheek before taking a step back. "Morgan, Alexander, work your magic. I'll be back in a bit to make sure you're not poisoning him or something. Damien, play nice, okay? Your punishment is done. We've moved past that. When you go off next time, that's a different story."

"Next time, yer all fuckin' dead! Yahahar!"

"You can try!" Lynlyn said with all her usual cheer.

As the three men left, Jordan threw an arm over the acting captain's shoulders. "Not bad, Lynlyn. You're a real box of surprises, you are." Jordan barely caught her before she hit the ground. "Whoa now. Don't tell me you're getting cold feet. Or is it the smell?"

Lynlyn shook her head as held onto Jordan for support. "Spirits of saints, I have no idea how she does it."

It took a moment for Jordan to figure out what she was talking about. "I dunno. I've never seen Cici convince Didi do to anything. Then again, he's usually able to kick your ass without trying, so there's always that going for you right now."

"You know he'd give it his all if he wanted to, even if it cost him his life." She rested her head on Jordan's shoulder. "It's so scary. I feel like I just actually fought with him. This is the first time I've actually gone against him. How does Captain do it?"

"How do you know she doesn't feel like you do?" Jordan asked as she led the first mate out of the room. Momo really needed to clean it out.

"Captain's amazing. She deals with him just fine. I'm just the one she found first."

Jordan shifted uncomfortably. She was no good at this touchy-feely crap. She was the one who pulled pranks and partied until she passed out. Being comforting was Shishi's primary area of expertise, but it wasn't easy trying to imagine what the gentle Moon Sister would do. Compliments, being nice, and hugging, maybe? Jordan had no aversion to physical contact, damn it, why was it so hard? She settled on awkwardly patting the first mate on the back. "I'm sure you're... good at what you do. Cici doesn't trust people easily, especially not when she was booted out. So, I guess you're special?"

Lynlyn giggled, which Jordan considered a good sign. "You should stick to flirting, Jayjay."

"Shut up." The acting-captain looked better, and that was what mattered to Jordan. If Lynlyn wanted further emotional support, she had crewmates and a captain to talk to. Jordan was just a temporary tagalong. "Let's go grab a drink, on me."

"What do you mean, on you? What money do you have?"

The androgyne swiftly assumed the feminine form she frequently used to score free drinks. "All we need to do is find a bar filled with boys with all their brains in their cocks."

"Thanks, but I'll pass. I should probably be sober for tonight."

"Oh right, you're busting Cici out. Why didn't you ask me for help? I'm the best impersonator in the world, after all."

"This is a matter for Black Glove Pirates." Morgan shouldered his way past them with a bucket and a mop. "You are free to continue your wantonness to your heart's content. I was put in charge of making the plan, and we have already finished with the preparations. It would be far too complicated to change the plan to include you."

"Don't act like such a dumbass. I'm nothing but an asset. Anyone would be thrilled to have me as part of their jailbreak."

"Then by all means, feel free to find some other incarcerated soul in need of rescue. I'm sure there are pimps in the local jail who would be willing to reward you handsomely."

"Oh, but wouldn't you want to join me, Momo? I'm sure it's been ages since you got your dick wet."

Lynlyn accepted her crutches from Morgan and tucked them in her armpits. "That's enough, guys. Morgan, if Jay wants to help, there's no reason we should turn her away. She's pretty good at being people, and we need all the help we can get. Jayjay, you have to play nice. Morgan did put a lot of work into the plan, and I think it's a pretty good one. That means focus on freeing Queen. You can do whatever you want afterwards. Deal?"

"Deal," Jordan said. Momo grudgingly nodded his head as well.

"Good. Now, Morgan, explain the plan to Jay. When you're done, she can give you feedback and tell you what she can do to help. She has done things like this before. Jay, _play nice_."

"All right, all right," the androgyne sighed. "So what's the plan?"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

"I don't like you."

Cassandra sighed. "Yes, you've made that abundantly clear since we met."

"I actually might hate you now."

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

"You're a fucking cheater."

"It takes one to know one."

A few minutes later, the man opposite her slammed his fist down on the table, scattering the Go stones everywhere. "Every goddamn time!" he shouted. "How do you do that? Are you reading my mind? Can you see the future? Should I get the guards to slap some seastone on you to stop your all-seeing Devil Fruit?"

Cassandra laughed as she reclined on the couch. Jadou was skilled at Go, but even more skilled at sleight-of-hand. She had a hard time beating him in an honest game, but she would probably have lost if he had succeeded in even one of his tricks. While he was evidently frustrated, he was clearly having just as much fun as she was. When she had seen what his game was, she had tried her own methods of cheating, all of which were just as futile as his had been. As he sorted the stones, he chuckled along with her. "C'mon, you've got to tell me who taught you."

"I told you, I'm not from here. You wouldn't know them."

"You kidding me? A woman as good as you must have trained under one of the best."

"I don't know who you're talking about. I don't know any of the best, as you say. One of my main commodities is information. You'd be surprised what you can pick up when people are trying to gain something as precious as that."

"No shit? I should get into that. Silver and gold may be worth a soul, but knowing what's what can only take you up."

"Who said that?"

"You wouldn't know him. You're not from here."

She kicked the table, disrupting the careful piles of stones he had been making. "Real funny. I'm in the mood for something different this time. I'm thinking caviar."

Jadou adopted a wounded expression. "Oh come now, Cassandra. I'll walk out of here with nothing to show for my wrongful imprisonment but a few coins for my family of five if you keep bleeding me out at this rate."

"Five? Did your wife give birth to twins just now?"

"Forgot about my two stepsons, bless their hearts. You wouldn't deprive the little ones of their daily bread, now would you?"

"A deal's a deal. Loser pays for two."

The swindler eyed the stack of plates and empty bottles beside them. "And you put it away like no girl I ever seen."

"I'm a pirate. Putting it away is what I'm supposed to do. Wills, your most expensive caviar on Mr. Bovic, if you please?"

"Right away, Captain Libera." The guard didn't turn away fast enough to hide his smile.

Jadou practically sprinted to intercept the order. "Wills, old buddy, old pal, you wouldn't be able to give a regular a discount, just for old time's sake? Come on, we're mates, chums, friends! What do you say to shaving off just a little, just a measly bit?"

"Your frequent visits to this facility imply I should be charging you more, Mr. Bovic."

"Hey, you and I both know I haven't been convicted a single time! I should be receiving some sort of compensation for all these times you've harassed me."

"Be that as it may, Mr. Bovic, Captain Libera has placed her order. Additionally, we both know even our most expensive caviar won't make a dent in the massive amount of money you've acquired through questionably legal means."

"Questionably legal?" He spluttered at this before shaking his finger at the guard. "Make sure you bring those bone or mother of pearl spoons, none of that stainless crap. You wouldn't slight us like that, would you Wills?"

"Of course not, Mr. Bovic. Will you be needing anything else?"

"Yeah," Cassandra interjected, "I know I keep telling you this, but ask Meili what the hell is taking so long. I should be out by now. I really needed to be out by now." She just knew Alexander would release Damien as soon as possible and wanted to be the one to take the brunt of the navigator's possible fury instead of Lyn. Even without food or movement for almost a week, she knew dealing with Damien was not going to be easy. Unless his head was separated from his body, she wouldn't trust him not to go on another rampage. Furthermore, she really didn't need a rash rescue attempt screwing everything up.

"I'm sorry, Captain Libera. Ms. Lyn's investigation is still ongoing."

"I agreed to this because I was told it should take two days. I realize that this wasn't a guarantee that I would be out by then, but I had assumed that rough deadline would be met. I know you can't specifically talk about details of the investigation with me, but I want at least some acknowledgement that work is being done. And don't tell me you're tied up with this lout. I can review his footage, if you want. Massive tell on this one."

"Hey!" Jadou protested. "I'm right here, you know!"

"Oh, you're still here? Didn't you have a family of eight to get to?"

"Now you're just being funny." He cast his eyes about the room, presumably searching for something to do that he could challenge her at to take revenge. They had already returned the dominoes and the backgammon set, which had cost the pirate captain a bottle of fine wine and a lobster dinner. He had initially tried to get a strip show, but Cassandra had flatly refused to order one regardless of who won. He had really pressed the issue, but she would have none of it. "Ah, how about weights? Bet I can lift more than you can."

"Don't ruin this now. That doesn't require much luck or skill. I know perfectly well how much I can lift."

"Excuse me, but who was it that brought up darts and pool?"

"You did. Both times."

He stared in the air as he tried to remember. "You sure? If you say so. What do you want to do then?"

"Captain Libera." The pirate frowned as she walked over to Wills. "Mr. Mint would like to see you know."

"About damn time," she groused. She gave Jadou a parting tip of the hat. "Enjoy the caviar. You can save some for your nine children."

The swindler waved back. "I'll give them your regards!"

She followed the security guards into the elevator, trying to control her agitation. She wanted to leave as soon as possible. She just wanted this farce to be over with so she could get back to her crewmembers. She had spent so long with them that she had almost forgotten what it was like without them. She did miss them, even after a mere two days. What she wasn't looking forward to was dealing with her unruly Moon Sister. She was pretty sure she could get Jordan to see sense, but there was no telling how the androgyne would react. He was thankfully less violent than Damien, but he loved using the fact that he wasn't one of her pirates as a defense from criticism.

She was unsurprised to enter the office and see the handsome Officer Meili standing behind his boss. Unlike her previous visit to the office, she was allowed to sit freely instead of being bound to the chair. That was a good sign, but she didn't want to read too much into it. If Lyn was found innocent, all she needed to do was take the money and leave. If Lyn was found guilty, she knew that she'd need to fight her way out. She really hoped it wouldn't come to that.

She politely waited until the casino owner spoke first. "Mr. Mint would like to thank you for your cooperation during the investigation." Cassandra assumed he was talking about her lack of resistance, because she definitely hadn't given them any information. "At this time, we have reached the conclusion that Ms. Lyn did not engage in any manner that would break the rules of this casino or the laws of this city."

"Fantastic. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Mr. Mint understands your haste to leave, but he would like to offer you access to the high roller room free of charge. Your games with Mr. Bovic have not gone unnoticed. Mr. Bovic is an extremely wealthy businessman who is well respected at this establishment."

"No, really, I'd just like Lyn's money and a ticket out of here. It has been fun, but I shouldn't leave my crew unattended for too long. Never know what they might do."

Mint narrowed his eyes when he received the translation, but the dark look passed as he chattered to his head of security. "Mr. Mint understands your desire to return to your crew. As Ms. Lyn's winnings are substantial, Mr. Mint has the allotted funds ready for you to count. You will find the original piece of paper with the amount recorded upon it inside for verification."

"I remember how much it was." Cassandra watched as Meili placed the suitcase on the ground in front of her.

"Please make sure every Beli is accounted for," Meili told her directly instead of translating for his employer. "I have a matter to resolve. It should not take long. Please refrain from attempting to communicate with Mr. Mint in my absence. He does not like to be spoken to without myself or another translator present."

Cassandra nodded as she flicked the clasps on the suitcase and opened it. Sure enough, Lyn's amount was scrawled almost illegibly on a piece of paper, the costs of her requests printed neatly below. She ran her finger down the paper, verifying the arithmetic and making sure there were no erroneous charges. Satisfied that the final amount as correct, she patiently went through every stack of bills to make sure she wasn't being shortchanged, occasionally checking to make sure the bills weren't merely printed paper. She couldn't truly check if the money was counterfeit or not, but she could find one way or another to launder the money if it was.

True to his word, Meili returned as she was counting the Beli coins. She was feeling a lot happier now that the entire ordeal was over. The singing coming from elsewhere in the casino filled her heart with cheer, and she couldn't help but smile. The amount of money in the suitcase was exact down to the last Beli. She flicked the final coin back into the suitcase and closed the clasps. It was good to see there was some honesty in the world. "Right on, as expected."

"Mr. Mint takes his job very seriously. He would also like to make sure you do not wish to take up his offer to go to the high roller room. He believes that you will enjoy yourself as much if not more than your games with Mr. Bovic and that the entertainment will greatly interest you."

Cassandra paused halfway out of her chair. "Greatly interest me how?"

"The high roller room features a sight not often seen, even on the Grand Line. Mr. Mint invites you to go to the room if you want to see for yourself."

She didn't like how ambiguously he phrased the offer, but she couldn't deny that she was curious. She felt happier than she had in a long time, so what was the harm in at least stopping by? The money in her hand may have been Lyn's, but she knew she would be able to increase it, especially in a room full of whales. She would only play a few rounds, then get back to her crew.

"I will see what you have to offer, but I don't want to be coerced into playing longer than I want to. I really must get back."

"Of course, Captain Libera. Right this way."

Cassandra raised her eyebrows as he held his hand towards the door. "You're going to escort me?"

"Mr. Mint has office work he needs to do, and my current commitment is currently to the high roller room."

"If you say so." She bowed deeply to the casino owner. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Mint. Pleasure doing business with you."

"Mr. Mint assures you the pleasure was all his." The two men exchanged a few more words before Meili escorted Cassandra out. She kept an eye on the head of security, but his forward gaze never wavered in the slightest. It was as if she didn't even matter. She tried to figure out whether it was because the handsome man believed her beneath him or because she had cooperated thus far, but his face was difficult to read. After staring at him for a bit, she shrugged and went back to thinking about how much fun to fleece an extra million or two from rich businessmen and spoiled brats.

When the elevator doors opened, she was surprised to see how dark the high roller room was. Everything was clearly visible, but the room was lit nowhere near as brightly as was typical for a casino floor. Instead, the brightest part of the room was the far wall, which shone brilliantly in the low light. Behind the polished glass was an aquarium far larger than any Cassandra had ever seen. The great blue rocks and strands of colorful seaweed gave it a very oceanic feel, and the pebbles at the bottom glittered brightly enough to be precious stones. She admitted that it was a very impressive sight, though she wouldn't call herself greatly interested. Morgan had many pieces of jewelry, though he would definitely kill to get a handful of the aquarium's floor.

However, her breath was taken away when she saw what Mint had been talking about. A large mermaid swam into view, undulating slowly in the water. Cassandra's feet carried her forward as she tried to get a better view. She had seen a paltry few fishmen before, but the only family that handled the extremely rare merfolk targets was Pythia's. As such, she had never needed to interact with one before in any way. It was incredible to see one for the first time.

The mermaid's long silver hair and ghostly skin gave her an ethereal appearance, augmented by the cream-colored dress she wore. However, the end of her tail was visible, showing off deep crimson scales rimmed with gold. The only ornament she wore was a silver collar bearing a single link. A nearby guard chuckled, and Cassandra whirled around to confirm that he was laughing at her open amazement. She couldn't fault him; she wagered most people reacted as she had. Even many of the high rollers were glancing up from their games to peek at the mermaid. Cassandra's grin turned predatory. Her interest in playing a few games had risen greatly. So long as she avoided the people with a similar mindset to hers, she'd clean the whales out in no time.

And that's when the alarms went off.


	31. Rescuing the Free

Cassandra immediately tensed when the sirens began wailing. Her hand shot to her belt, but it only grasped air. If there was one thing she hated, it was being completely unarmed and isolated from any form of help. She was confident in her hand-to-hand fighting skills, but she really preferred having some sort of weapon on hand. She looked around to see the rest of the people beginning to panic as well. She suddenly felt very vulnerable holding only her suitcase. She may be good at fighting, but she couldn't deal with a stampeding mob.

Strangely, the stampeding mob never actually formed. Most of the players chattered good-humoredly to each other as they gathered up whatever chips they had and prepared to evacuate. The ones that didn't were no less disturbed by the alarms, though they did move more briskly than their talkative counterparts. The guards were escorting the players towards the stairwells, and they kept glancing at their head of security questioningly. Meili remained impassive, merely listening to the Baby Den-Den Mushi muttering in his ear.

When he noticed that Cassandra hadn't moved, he turned his attention to her. "You should be exiting the premises, Captain Libera."

"What's going on?"

"A disturbance has occurred. For your safety, I must ask you to leave immediately."

"Sure, as soon as you give me back my weapons. They're priceless family heirlooms, and I refuse to leave them behind." She cared more for the quality of her weapons than where they had come from, but she would hate to lose them regardless.

"They should be waiting for you with a man in the lobby. Please, take care as you exit. The crowds may turn violent."

"How will I spot this man amid all these people?"

"He will be standing still with a suitcase similar to yours."

Cassandra thanked him and strode towards the stairs. As she descended, she saw that the stream of high rollers trickled into a torrent of regular casino players all trying to escape. Security guards swarmed like flies to apprehend those trying to take advantage of the chaos to steal from other players or the casino itself. A few men tried to relieve her of her money, but sharp rabbit punches left them gasping for air before they could wrest the suitcase away.

She let herself be carried away by the crowd, taking care to mind herself at all times. It was relatively easy to see the few guards waiting near a statue. She was able to navigate her way over to them with no small degree of difficulty. One of them evidently recognized her because he pulled her into the group before she got swept away. She eyed the multiple suitcases, trying to figure out what they would be for. As she was handed one, another man got pulled into the group. She thought she recognized him as one of the whales from the high roller room.

She couldn't contain her relief as she put her weapons back into their holsters. It felt so good to be armed once more. When she was finished arming herself, she was ejected from the group. The whale followed directly behind her, an impressive sword clutched in his hand. He glanced down at her and smirked as he shouldered his way past. She clenched her jaw, but didn't want to make a scene. She wouldn't be able to do much in the tightly-packed mob anyway.

The night sky was a welcome sight after having not seen it for so long. Any onlookers were pushed back by the people still trying to escape. Cassandra wished she had a length of rope to hook onto a building and get herself out of the crowd. She could see people strong enough to bound away vanishing onto rooftops or overtaking the front of the crowd, as well as a few who just bulled their way straight through and trampled people underfoot. She was also pretty sure she saw at least one person take wing, but she couldn't get a good enough look at them to confirm anything.

The sound of rushing water slowly grew, prompting shouts and screams of alarm. Partway up the casino's hotel was a massive dripping hole. The rate of the drip continued to increase until a sudden gush of water erupted from the building. People scrambled frantically to escape, and Cassandra was no exception. Pirate or not, her Devil Fruit weakness had given her an aversion to being submerged in water. She managed to grab hold of a lamppost as the water raced towards the ground, but her fears were forestalled as something truly unexpected happened.

Someone leapt off a rooftop and dove straight into the waterfall. Rather than continuing to fall, the water arced back towards the casino, smashing through a lower window and carrying the person inside. Most of the water fell in this irregular pattern, though quite a lot splashed upon the people below. Still, it was better to be soaked than crushed beneath that amount of water. Still, Cassandra's heart dropped as she realized what was probably going on. There was an extremely simple explanation for everything that had happened, and she didn't like it one bit.

Her foolhardy crew was trying to rescue her.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw a familiar enormous man through the hole in the building. He was attempting to lessen the flow now that most of the people had evacuated and Morgan had entered. Cassandra swore a blue streak as she unsuccessfully tried to fight her way through the mob. She had given Lyn very simple instructions not to stage a rescue attempt, but the first mate hadn't listened. She had rather liked the Mint State Casino; it had been more than fair given the circumstances. Now, instead of her crew rescuing her, it looked like she would have to rescue them.

She would have liked to get anywhere near the entrance, but she was abruptly grabbed from behind and flung away hard enough to crack the wall she hit. Her head rang like a bell as she slumped to the ground, bits of mortar falling around her. As her vision cleared, she looked up to see an extremely muscular woman advancing threateningly towards her. "Iris," she growled angrily. "You are annoyingly persistent."

"I just knew vermin like you would make a play," sneered the tall woman. "The fat cats wouldn't listen to me, but here you are with a box of cash while hell breaks loose."

"Touch me again and I'll cut off your fingers," Cassandra threatened. "Insult me or my crew and I'll cut out your tongue. Just let me get back inside the casino, and I won't hunt you down when this is over."

"You hear that, Malik?" Iris taunted. "She's gonna hunt us down."

A man slightly shorter than Iris wrapped his arm around her waist, his uneven mouth set in an ugly leer. "This baby girl is the one you were talking about, sweetheart? You sure she's a captain?"

The sniper took a deep breath. It would do her no good to start shooting at them. The surrounding chaos would increase exponentially, and bullets and knives were not very useful against a frenzied mass of people. All of her pent-up rage was threatening to overwhelm her, but she had to keep it in control. Oddly enough, she remembered one of the lessons she had tauntingly given while soundly defeating Morgan on Brickwork. _A good leader does not succumb to provocation. A hot head leads to rash decisions_.

"Well, she might have just been calling herself that to get special treatment. Wouldn't surprise me."

Despite what her crewmates thought, Cassandra never claimed to actually be a model leader. "Make peace with whatever gods you worship; you'll be meeting them soon. Voluntas Carnae!"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

For once, Morgan didn't care about the splendor around him. Lyn had told him the decorations were merely gilded, and he didn't have the time or the ability to take them anyway. Fortunately, Alexander had ruled his hand mostly healed, so the prince had been able to rid himself of that confounded sling. His left hand still ached, but he could move his remaining four fingers with little trouble. He did admit that he had expected the recovery process to take much longer. Even Raven's meticulous care couldn't account for the short recovery time. Perhaps the musician was onto something with faster healing aboard the _Howling Knave_, but Morgan was still skeptical about the supposed 'healing field.'

Nevertheless, his remaining injuries did not unduly affect movement while using his Devil Fruit, a fact he was most thankful for. Operating his elemental with one arm had been very disorienting, a fact he blamed for his complete defeat on Brickwork. He shook his head at the absurdity of it all. _The Untamed Infernal_. That brute deserved an epithet far worse than that, but he couldn't deny that it fit. Damien had been pleased to hear he had a bounty, which had only made treating him more difficult. Why Alexander couldn't wait until later was beyond him.

He coursed right onto the casino floor, ignoring the guards shooting at him. With the amount of water he was currently wrapping around himself, bullets couldn't hope to touch him. Most of his assailants were peeking out from behind the gigantic column in the center of the casino. Morgan glided over to verify the hole that had been surreptitiously melted into the smooth black stone. He would follow his crewmate momentarily. It would be better if he took out as many guards as he could before shedding enough water to fit inside.

"Burun!" He reared up, then crashed down upon the hapless guards. While the impact merely stunned them, he took many of them in his elemental. As he coursed across the casino floor, his physical body wove between the slot machines to avoid them. The guards were not as lucky, smashing clear into the machines and scattering coins everywhere. Several tried to lunge at him, but he simply shifted positions in the elemental to avoid them.

He very suddenly found himself hurtling towards the far wall. The enormous amount of water he had used trailed behind him, knocking over whatever wasn't too heavy or fixed to the floor. He was able to recover his bearings quickly enough to wrap a thin layer of stone around himself before he smashed through the wall and slid to a stop. The impact didn't stun him, but it took him a few attempts to climb to his feet. That had been some blow, even more impressive since he hadn't seen it coming.

The follow-up attack, on the other hand, he definitely saw coming. He used his cane to push himself backwards in time to avoid the fist that impacted the ground. His hand went to his necklace, and he swiftly wrapped himself in rough stone. The rock armor significantly reduced the impact his injured leg had on his movement, but his ability to walk or run was still lower than he was used to. However, encasing himself had the additional bonus of surrounding his already sturdy cane with stone as well, giving him a weapon he could use. While not as practiced as Lyn or Cain, a makeshift sword did help balance out his relative lack of mobility.

He raised his eyebrows as he saw who had managed to force him out of his water elemental. Even with the additional height given by his stone armor, the woman towered above him. Having conducted some rudimentary research before making the rescue plan, Morgan knew exactly who she was. Unfortunately, it indicated that his plan was already unraveling at the seams. He was supposed to distract the people in the casino pit until backup arrived. As such, he was supposed to engage the pit manager. Why he was engaging the head of hospitality?

"I didn't expect to see you here," he growled.

His opponent gave a look of mock sadness. "What, am I not enough to stop someone like you?"

"If you don't want to be hurt, I ask that you move aside. Where is Rossi?"

"That's a very good question!" she exclaimed. "But it doesn't matter. You and your friend have caused a lot of damage. Worse, you've spooked my babies! They don't take kindly to that, you know." She frowned as she noticed the guards gathering around them. "Don't you boys have someone else to play with? Me and my babies can handle this just fine."

"Right away, Madame Constance."

Morgan was at a loss as the men immediately marched away. He had really depended on facing the pit manager and his guards and having Cain deal with Constance. The woman was taller than the bodyguard and three times as wide. Her figure certainly implied strength, even if he couldn't make out any muscles beneath her fat. That being said, her fist had barely left an indent in the floor. Even Lyn could damage surfaces. "I implore you to stand down. My business is not with you."

"Oh, but your business is with this casino, so you bet your ass your business is with me." Morgan was slightly taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor. "What do you think, babies? He doesn't want to play with us any more."

The prince was rocked forwards as a hole was punched clear through the center of his rock armor, barely passing between his legs. He vaguely recognized the woman as one of the waitresses. Her outfit was quite pleasing, but he was more concerned by the unblemished skin it revealed. His rock armor was not insubstantial or smooth, but she had emerged without a scratch. Another swipe, this time from the side, took his stone head off. As chips bounced off the floor and dematerialized, Morgan whirled around to see a scantily-clad man getting to his feet. He wrung out his hand, which Morgan was pleased to see was at least scraped. He violently ejected himself upwards in time to avoid the next attack, two more women aiming for his legs and the remainder of his torso.

His decision to wrap vines around his body was a good one, as it enabled him to latch onto the chandelier and pull himself away from the subsequent lunges. He clung to the light fixture, staring down at the quintet below him. Of all the adversaries he had expected to face, these people weren't even on the list. He had completely dismissed servers and dancers from the equation, an act he was beginning to regret.

"Well don't just hang up there like a scared little spider!" Constance called up to him. "You were the one who decided to attack us, whelp! It's only fair for us to defend ourselves!"

_Whelp?_ he thought incredulously. He would not stand for that. His plan was already ruined. What harm was there in deviating from it to teach that woman a lesson? He let his vines droop away, leaving him holding onto the light fixture with his bare hands. His cane clattered to the floor, but he would retrieve it once he had won. As tendrils of yellow slithered up his arms, he reflected it was probably a good thing everything was merely gilded. He would hate to waste real gold. Besides, pure gold was too soft to use effectively in combat. The same could not be said for what lay beneath the gold leaf. "Metall Bronyu!"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Jadou grumbled angrily under his breath as he tried to reach the pen beneath the couch. The dumb thing was bolted to the floor, probably to avoid some irate prisoner attempting to beat a guard with it or something. Still, he was sorely tempted to rip it from the ground, consequences be damned. He really liked that pen. It was his lucky pen. It was a simple fountain pen, worth a little over a couple hundred thousand Beli, but he had won it from a pit boss. It had been the first time Jadou conned a person who could directly punish him for swindling. He had never forgotten the thrill of being just one step ahead of the people he cheated. There was something to be said for doing it so cleanly, they never even suspected him. However, he loved watching them wrestle with the feeling that they had been cheated, but being completely unable to prove anything.

Cassandra had been an interesting woman, but she was much better at catching his shenanigans than doing anything on her own. He had been surprised to learn she was only taking the place of someone else instead of being accused herself. While good enough for the streets, she wouldn't get very far in a place with real security. Jadou, on the other hand, basically lived in detention centers and jails. He would have been more upset if he had any interest of getting honest work, but he made enough money to get by.

He attributed his success largely to his lucky pen, the pen he had been spinning in his fingers when the alarms went off. As a frequent visitor to the Mint State Casino, he knew sirens were extremely rare. Even when pirates tried to break into the casino vault a few times a month, the only times the sirens rang were when the casino players were in real danger. There had also been that one time a man had gotten drunk and accidentally torched two hotel floors, but Jadou suspected that was not the current case.

However, when the sirens had gone off, all that had happened on his end was the doors to the detention center being completely secured. That meant it wasn't dangerous enough for him to be evacuated quite yet. Having previously been on the casino floor when the sirens went off, he knew the stampede was not a quiet affair. He marveled at the soundproofing that left the detention center almost completely silent.

With a shout of victory, he managed to push his fingertips far enough over the pen to pull it within his grasp. He scooted backwards, making a show to wring his arm out from the painful stretch. He checked the pen for any damage. When the alarms had gone off, he had jumped ten feet in the air and accidentally dropped it. Of course it had to roll into the most inaccessible space in the detention center. He waggled the pen happily at Wills, who had refused to assist him in case he was 'going to try something.' It was a fair point, Jadou supposed.

He received another fright when a geyser of water burst from the enormous metal column. Having been to the high-roller room multiple times, he knew about the aquarium that the column was supporting, but he had assumed it was solid stone on top of metal. How in tarnation had it sprung a leak? He checked to see what Wills' reaction was, only to see that the guard was just as astonished as he was.

They were even more surprised when a sodden mass of black tumbled out amid the slowing torrent. Wills was the first to react, immediately moving towards the object. Jadou saw a flash of metal before a musical note resounded through the room, followed by a complete absence of all sound. Both men were blown head over heels, Jadou bouncing painfully off the couch. Wills was far less lucky, cracking his head on the metal doorway of the security booth. Jadou winced as the thick door rebounded off the wall and crashed into the guard's side.

The swindler's eyes slid in and out of focus as he tried to regain his bearings. He found himself hauled up by the collar and staring at a shiny face swimming in front of him. The person's mouth was moving, but only indistinct noises came out. Jadou could only tilt his head helplessly to the side. He was jerked back and forth once as the mouth moved again. This time, he could almost make out the words, but he still couldn't respond. His shirt was released, and he fell back to the ground. He dazedly followed the person as they moved about the detention center, blinking furiously and working his jaw.

When the person came back to him, Jadou couldn't remember being happier to hear intelligible words. "Where is she?" The words sounded as if they were being spoken from behind a thick pane of glass, but they were intelligible. "Where's the woman that was in here? Blue hair, hazel eyes, skin a little darker than yours?"

"Wha?" Jadou said slowly. "You mean Cassandra?"

"Yes, her." The man grabbed him by the collar again. "Where is she?"

"I dunno. I think she was released, cuz I saw her go up a while ago and she didn't come back down."

"Could they be reviewing the footage? What if she was guilty?"

Jadou had a hard time focusing, but he didn't want to annoy his questioner. "Uh... I don't know... I think if they thought she was guilty, she'd be in here in cuffs. I think they just let her go."

The man's face lost its dark tone. "Well, this is very, very bad. Damn, damn, damn..." He continued to curse lightly as he stared at the slowly-recovering security guard.

"Lemme guess," Jadou groaned, "you were gonna try to bust her out."

"That was the plan. This wasn't included in the plan."

Jadou shook his head when the man jogged over and pressed a hand to the thick doors of the detention center. "I wouldn't bother. That's..."

His words died in his mouth as the massive doors seemed to shimmer, then abruptly turned to water and sloshed down to the ground. The intruder ignored it, already soaked from his entry to the detention center. He seemed more concerned with the blue-green bars that were stuck in the ground and ceiling. Jadou gaped in shock as he realized they were the seastone pegs that secured the door to the ceiling and floor when it closed. The man gingerly pressed a finger to one of the bars, then gripped it fully with his hand. Nothing happened, which confused Jadou. He thought the intruder was a Devil Fruit user, but the seastone had no apparent effect. He was truly at a loss.

After a moment, the rescuer took a step back and looked at the bars critically. They were too close together for even a slim person to fit though, much less the portly man before them. However, the mechanism that had inserted and retracted the pegs had evidently not been seastone, as it had completely disappeared, leaving a gap that the man could potentially squeeze through. The man had evidently come to the same conclusion as Jadou, as his bespectacled eyes roved around in search of some way to boost himself up to the gap.

"I'm not helping you," Jadou said, holding up his hands when the intruder's gaze fell upon him. "You hear that, Wills? I'm not helping this guy." The guard was still nursing his head and didn't look to be in any shape to move in the near future. Jadou sympathized; that weird attack had not been fun. He counted himself lucky he had hit the couch instead of the security booth.

The intruder spent some time wrestling with one of the chairs before he realized it was bolted to the floor. He knelt down and drew his hand along the floor, after which he was able to easily move the chair towards the seastone pegs. Jadou was surprised to see that one of his hands was tightly clutching a trumpet, which explained the flashes of metal he had repeatedly seen. The intruder pushed the chair against the pegs and managed to boost himself over them, hitting the ground hard on the other side.

As he moved towards the elevator, Jadou debated whether to follow him or not. On one hand, the swindler had spent so much time in the detention center that it was more like a formality at this point. On the other hand hand, following could be seen as escaping, which would give the casino the excuse they needed to actually lock him up. He decided to retreat to the beds in the far corner of the room. There was no reason to stick his neck out unnecessarily.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

"Wills. Come in, Wills. Can you hear me?"

Meili stood impassively in the surveillance room, his eyes fixed on the wall of monitors before him. He was currently interested in the video feed of the detention center, which was barely functional. The Den-Den Mushi had been rattled by something, but the team Meili had sent down hadn't reported in yet. He could make out fuzzy shapes on the screen, but the speakers had been blown out and no audio was being transmitted. The man attempting to hail the detention center officer looked helplessly at Meili. "He's not answering, sir."

"Keep trying." Meili glanced at the monitors covering the casino floor, where Constance was involved with some Devil Fruit User. He had a few people going over stills to identify the User, but he wasn't unduly worried. Constance was more comforting and kindly than was required for a head of hospitality, but she had been promoted to that position several years before when she managed to coordinate the entire staff, non-security personnel included, to stop the pirates attempting to rob the casino. It also helped that she could hold her own in a fight, which Meili appreciated to no end because it meant he could focus on real threats instead of being forced to deal with every single person who harassed the serving staff.

"Where is Mr. Rossi?" he asked.

"He just left Mr. Mint's office, sir," another guard said. "Mr. Mint is being escorted here as we speak."

"Good. How is Ms. Miserie doing?"

The man watching the mermaid leaned back in his chair. "She's not answering. She's shaken, but we don't think the person who breached her tank can see her, so she should be fine."

"Keep her on standby for calm," Meili ordered. "We don't want to risk Mr. Mint or Mr. Rossi before they arrive here. Detention team, report."

"We'll be there in ten seconds, sir."

"I want an update in fifteen. The man who broke the tank, where is he now?"

"He's still working on stopping up the water."

Although Meili would not be lenient with any of the intruders, he did appreciate the fact that they were attempting to minimize collateral damage where they could. The damage to the casino was still extensive, but nobody had been killed yet. Most of Constance's babies, as she insisted they be called, were dealing with the patrons who had been trampled underfoot and any other injured people. The more quickly they cleared out the wounded, the sooner Meili could send in the full force of his security team. "Good. Ms. Jewell should be there shortly. Make sure he doesn't leave, and keep her updated. Detention team, report."

"Uh, sir? We have a situation here."

"We have a lot of situations," Meili reminded him. "What specifically?"

"The detention center doors are, uh, missing."

Meili stared coolly at the Den-Den Mushi. "Come again?"

"The doors. They're not here."

"Explain what you mean by 'not here.'"

"Well, the seastone bars are still here, but the rest of it isn't."

Meili looked at the monitors covering the detention center. They were clearing up, but the picture was still very fuzzy. Nevertheless, he was able to confirm that the doors that the snails were watching had somehow disappeared. The indistinct blobs that represented guards were busy prying the massive pegs from their slots in the ground so they could pass. Replacing the doors would be an enormous pain, but at least the most expensive components were still intact. "Where are Mr. Wills and Mr. Bovic?"

"Mr. Wills is recovering from a nasty head wound. Mr. Bovic is nowhere to be found-"

The snail adopted a frantic expression. "No, wait! Here I am! I'm here! Old Jadou is right where you left him!"

"Mr. Bovic," Meili addressed the directly, "explain to us what happened."

"I was minding my own business, praying that the missus and my poor sons are alright-"

"Mr. Bovic, spare us the tales and focus on the facts."

"Hey now, Meili, my good pal, where's the friendship? Don't I-"

"If you do not comply, Mr. Bovic, I will count that as obstructing-"

"Whoa whoa whoa!" the snail exclaimed. "I was just being nice. No need to pull the helper card on me. I'm still right here, aren't I?"

"The explanation, Mr. Bovic."

"Right. Like I said, minding my own business, then some rando came in and does something that knocks me and old Wills backwards and dizzies us up. He asks where Cassandra is, but I says she went up to you, probably released. Then he goes to the doors and, hand on my heart, turns them into water. See, it's all wet down here. Anyway, he climbs over the bars and leaves. Then you fine gentlemen show up."

"How long ago was this?"

"I dunno. Like I said, that thing he did shook us up. My head's still spinning."

Meili accepted his excuse. Anything that managed to stun Den-Den Mushi was enough to incapacitate a human. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Bovic. Your assistance has been noted."

"Any chance you'll let good Jadou out to see his wife and kids?"

"Your investigation has been temporarily suspended in light of current events."

"Oh, come off it. I'm playing nice here!"

"We appreciate your cooperation, and it will factor into your case. However, no progression on that front can be made until the situation at hand is dealt with. Ms. Jeanne, have you identified the man fighting Constance yet?"

"He hasn't stood still enough to get a clear picture of him. If Mr. Bovic is telling the truth, he's also trying to find Captain Libera. Whether to help her or capture her is unclear."

Meili pondered this. "Where is Captain Libera now?"

"She successfully retrieved her weapons and evacuated the building. There have been no signs of her since."

"We make no assumptions. Simply treat this as an independent case-"

"Sir! I think you should see this."

The chief security officer walked over to the monitor to get a better look. Mr. Mint's security detail was paused in a corridor with weapons drawn. Meili instantly recognized the person they were aiming at, having seen countless images of her for the past few days. He instantly turned on his heel and walked towards the door. "Ms. Jeanne, take control here. Do not make any rash decisions. I will deal with Ms. Lyn personally."


	32. Cracking Down

Cassandra spun in the air as she kicked off a fire escape, barely avoiding the punch that demolished it a second later. When she hit the ground, she finally saw a place to ditch the suitcase temporarily. It had only been slowing her down, and she would much rather survive than die with tens of millions on her person. As she ran down the alley, she somersaulted and flung the suitcase behind a trash bin. Even if someone found it, she wouldn't unduly mourn the loss. She needed to deal with Iris and her boyfriend so she could help out her crew.

Unfortunately, Iris was an even bigger threat than she had anticipated. Perhaps it had been the tranquil way Iris had harassed her in the detention center, but Cassandra had assumed she was all bluster and her muscles were just for show. The pirate captain was rapidly finding out that Iris was a good deal more than just talk. Iris wasn't as fast as she was, but she was much stronger and evidently a practiced fighter.

Her boyfriend Malik was only making things worse. He was much slighter than her companion, but he had a vicious strength of his own. Unlike Iris' top-heavy body, his legs were much more defined than the torso visible beneath his sweat-stained shirt. Cassandra had to flatten herself against a wall to avoid the dumpster he kicked at her as if it were merely a ball. She was also down two knives she had experimentally thrown, only to have them easily dodged and caught. She only had a few left, and she didn't have much ammunition for her pistols. She needed a plan and fast.

"Come back here, you pussy bitch!" Cassandra careened to a halt just as Malik landed in front of her. He gave a nasty grin. "Weren't you gonna make us pay?"

The pirate captain ignored his goading, backflipping to dodge Iris' slow tackle. She landed on the bodybuilder's back for a moment before springing up and grabbing onto a pipe spanning the alley. She easily looped onto it and used it to leap onto another pipe that led almost to the roof. She scampered up it, trying not to feel the intense heat radiating through her gloves. She pushed off towards the opposite building, then ricocheted onto the roof.

She only had a split-second to rest before she was showered with shards of stone. Her adversaries landed on either side of her, both of them smiling malevolently. "Where you gonna run to now, bitch?" Iris taunted.

Cassandra was done simply evading them. She no longer had a suitcase weighing her down, and she didn't need to worry about a panicked mob. "Ira Iunonia!" She absolutely relished the painful sounds of gunshots in her ears. Iris and Malik immediately retreated, having not expected her to pull out her pistols so suddenly. Cassandra listened to the crowd erupting into a newfound frenzy, but she was no longer concerned. She had two people who needed dearly to pay for what they had said.

"Oh come now, Iris. Surely you can't be scared of a bit of metal, can you?"

"What the fuck, you crazy cunt!" the bodybuilder screamed from behind a chimney.

"Don't worry, sweetheart, I got your gloves. Hopper Hop!"

Malik burst upward so strongly that the roof couldn't withstand the force. The surface beneath Cassandra's feet caved in, sending her crashing to the floor below. A quick look around revealed it was just a sparse living area, which meant she didn't have access to any new weapons. She briefly considered using the cloud of dust and mortar to make a break for the casino, but she couldn't let Iris go unpunished. The things Iris had said about her nakama while they were both in the detention center were unforgivable. She couldn't let them slide.

Iris was still clinging to the damaged chimney, which made Malik Cassandra's next target. She dashed forward and caught him just as he hit the ground. He tried to dodge, but he couldn't avoid the bullet that wrecked his ankle. He collapsed on the ground, screaming in pain. She took advantage of his instinctive comforting of his foot by vaulting over him. His nose broke with an audible _snap_ as the butt of her pistol crashed into it. Blinded and enraged, he lashed out with his uninjured foot, only to connect with thin air. Cassandra retreated to the dark corner of the room, her temporary objective accomplished. She had no desire to kill Malik. She needed to provoke Iris.

The bodybuilder landed heavily on the floor, shrieking with rage. "Where are you, bitch? Where the fuck are you? I'm gonna pull your fucking head off and feed it to my dogs!"

Cassandra emerged from the shadows as dramatically as she could, making a show to holster her pistols. "I'll carve out your heart and feed it to my navigator. Ferrum Bellonae!"

The two fighters rushed at each other, both hellbent on not just winning, but crushing their opponent. Iris lashed out with a blindingly fast punch that knocked the cowboy hat from Cassandra's head with enough force to snap the cord. She twisted to avoid Cassandra's lunge, and the knife only drew a few drops of blood. Her elbow sliced across the pirate captain's brow, which drew considerably more blood. Cassandra quickly jerked her head to the side to keep the blood blinding only one eye and pulled her hand back. The blade bit deeply into Iris' forearm, but the muscular woman didn't so much as wince. She tried to punch Cassandra again, but the pirate moved in close to avoid it. Cassandra also managed to avoid the attempted grab by ducking down and ramming her head into Iris' stomach.

All she got for her troubles was a bad headache. She would have done more damage to a brick wall. She tried to stab at Iris' leg, but the large woman pivoted on the ball of her foot. That same leg came whipping around, and Cassandra was forced to hopskip backwards. Ever mindful of her surroundings, she leapt over Malik's sweeping fist and skidded to a stop. Iris charged after her, and Cassandra braced herself. She locked eyes with the bodybuilder and held out her arms challengingly.

Iris took the bait and lunged. At the last possible second, Cassandra lowered herself to Iris' waist. She caught the larger woman, ignoring the fact that she was sliding along the ground, and heaved Iris over her head. Iris crashed into the wall upside down, leaving a deep indent. Before she was able to extract herself, Cassandra's flying kick knocked her fully through the wall and out onto the street. The pirate captain breathed heavily as she stared through the hole. She had no illusions that she had won, but her Devil Fruit meant that she would gain more by taking a moment to rest than Iris.

She wiped the blood from her face and, feeling the cut had healed, jumped after her real opponent. She landed on the street, where most of the crowd had retreated to a safe distance. The Mint State Casino no longer leaked water, though the two large holes in the front remained unrepaired. There was still a trickle of people being led out of the casino by well-dressed or scantily-clad employees, which meant the wounded were still being evacuated. Cassandra could make out loud crashes from inside the casino, which meant at least some of her crewmembers were already fighting.

Her eyes were drawn away as Iris pushed herself to her feet. The mortar and dust clung to her sweaty skin, causing her bleeding wounds to stand out even more. Her injuries were light, but Cassandra aimed to remedy that. With a shouted "Fulmen Fulgorae!" she took a running jump, clearing Iris easily and hooking her fingers beneath the bodybuilder's chin. Iris' head crashed into the ground once again, though much more violently than before. Cassandra circled her fallen foe, fighting the urge to put a bullet in her head and ending it too quickly.

"Let me tell you about my crew that you so rudely insulted." She landed a sharp kick to Iris' side. The muscular woman barely reacted. "They're fighting tooth and nail to get me back. Some of them are crazy, but who isn't in this mad world of ours? How fucking dare you speak so badly about them!"

Iris propelled herself up by rolling over and shoving the ground hard. Cassandra lunged forward with her knife outstretched, but Iris caught the blade and snapped it between her fingers. "And they're causing millions in damage to 'rescue' you? You're out here; they're in there! You expect me to believe you? Oly Pia!"

Her gauntleted fists connected with thin air as Cassandra weaved through the punches. The pirate captain growled in irritation. She was beginning to think she had missed her window of opportunity. Iris' range may have been her armspan, but she could strike anywhere within that range. As Cassandra backed off, she fired off a few rounds, only to have Iris deflect the bullets away with the backs of her metal gloves. Cassandra's main advantage was her Devil Fruit. She could chip away at Iris' body, but only a lot of damage very suddenly could effectively remove her from combat.

Both fighters had grown more wary of the other, circling each other in the streets. They both acknowledged that there would be one survivor, but they had learned not to underestimate their opponent. Cassandra had a knife held protectively in front of her while keeping a pistol trained on Iris' face. The bodybuilder had her hands held loosely before her chin, ready to react at any time. They both made feints to test their adversary's defenses, not wanting to commit to a full attack. Bystanders shouted all sorts of vile things at the pair, though Cassandra was surprised to hear most of the verbal assaults were directed at Iris. The pirate captain may have had a modest bounty, but that didn't make her instantly famous. Iris, on the other hand, seemed seemed to have quite the local reputation.

"Looks like you're to blame for the attack on the casino," Cassandra taunted. "I'm just a well-meaning pirate humanitarian, am I not?"

Iris launched a flurry of jabs, chops, and knees. Cassandra leaned to the sides as she backed away, even slapping away some of the closer strikes. When they resumed circling each other, they both ignored their fresh injuries. Iris' cuts were small, and Cassandra's bruises were already beginning to fade. "This woman is a pirate!" Iris shouted loudly. "She's the one trying to steal from the casino, not my gang!"

"Come now, there are places with much more money that are much less heavily defended. As a pirate, I can just sail there. You're land-based; you're stuck here. You've been trying to make big bucks for months, by the sound of it. It's obviously you who's attacking."

"Shut it, cunt!" The barrage of attacks was even stronger than before. This time, Cassandra wasn't completely able to outpace the bodybuilder. Her limbs couldn't keep up with her sharpened reflexes. She was sent tumbling down the rough stone street, but she was able to recover her bearings easily enough. Her clothing was shredded in places, but her flesh had repaired itself by the time she slid to a stop. Her arm, however, was bent at an unnatural angle, and it took a considerable amount of effort to keep from screaming in pain.

Iris gave a wide grin as she saw the pirate captain nurse her injured arm. She slowly stalked towards the injured pirate, pausing only to scoop the dropped knife from the street. She bit down on the blade and snapped it with a jerk of her neck, spitting the broken piece at the jeering crowd. "If you're waiting for backup, it isn't fucking coming. The police are a little busy right now. Looks like I'll have your head and the nice lump of cash that comes with it after all."

Cassandra grimaced as she forced her arm back into position, only preventing herself from passing out through sheer force of will. As the blinding pain subsided and the bone knitted itself back together, she wrung out her arm experimentally. She openly laughed at Iris' look of astonishment. "And what makes you say that? Real pirates are tougher than you think. You'll need to try a little harder than that to beat me."

She sent off a few more rounds that Iris deflected with ease. Even the bullets sent at the bodybuilder's legs were easily avoided by rapid footwork. As they circled each other, Cassandra went over every possible way of winning the battle. The best solution she could see was shooting from point-blank range, but that was much easier said than done. Iris showed more openings when she was angry, but she was also stronger and faster. Cassandra needed to irritate her just enough to get another opportunity like before, but not enough to be overwhelmed.

"Iris, why are you doing this? Is this because I'm a pirate? I hate to break it to you, but as long as there are people alive and oceans to be sailed, there will always be pirates. Why fight against something you can't stop?"

"You can't stop the World Government from coming after your ass. Why don't you stop there?"

"Because I will be the next Pirate Queen."

Iris laughed derisively. "You? Pirate Queen? There's no way that's gonna happen. A girl like you couldn't possibly hope to go that far."

"You don't know how far people like me can go. You're trapped on your sad little island with your sad little gang, too weak and afraid to stand up and take what you want. Don't project your inadequacies on me, Iris. You shouldn't be mad that I can do what you can't."

That certainly did the trick. With a roar of fury, Iris threw herself at the pirate captain. Instead of retreating, Cassandra dashed forward as well. Right before they connected, Iris lowered herself to prevent from being thrown again, but Cassandra dove to the side. She slid along the ground, firing shot after shot. Iris managed to deflect some of them, but no few bullets found their way into her arm and flank. They didn't penetrate as deeply as Cassandra would have liked, but damage was damage. Iris' right arm was severely injured.

As Cassandra rolled to her feet, the bodybuilder showed how resilient she was by ignoring the crippling injury and focusing on the fight. She did a rapid about-face and lunged, her fingers closing around Cassandra's calf. Her grip was strong enough to break the pirate's leg bones, but Cassandra would just heal that off when she could escape. Iris had no intention of letting that happen, swinging her overhead to smash into the street. Cassandra shook as she cracked the stones, feeling several of her bones bruise and break. She fought through the incredible pain and got another few shots off. Despite their wild inaccuracy, they managed to clip the side of Iris' head, causing the bodybuilder to release her and reel back.

"You fucking cunt," Iris snarled, her fingers pressed to her scalp unable to prevent blood from leaking out. "You won't be Pirate Queen. I'm claiming your head here and now."

"You got it, sweetheart." Cassandra managed to turn her head enough to see Malik limping slowly towards them. His ruined foot was wrapped in a makeshift splint, but the fact that he could move at all was terrible news for her. "Make her pay."

"No sense drawing it out. I'll have fun with her other pirates. That should be good enough."

"You will not lay a finger on them," Cassandra grated out.

Iris' leer was more menacing than ever. "Don't tell me what to do. Pray to your gods, as you said, you'll be meeting them soon. Dinak!"

She hopped forward with one foot upraised. While the incoming stomp was easily foreseeable, Cassandra had difficulty moving. Pushing herself up only reminded her that her bones weren't done healing, and rolling away was out of the question. She raised a trembling hand to fire upon the muscular woman, but her arm was too weak to make it in time. She knew she couldn't be instantly killed by the attack, but she couldn't figure out how to kill her opponent before she was killed herself.

Very abruptly, she smelled a familiar fragrance. She couldn't help but give a wide smile. Just before Iris' foot hit her, she was shoved out of the way. She squeezed her eyes shut as waves of pain shot through her body, but they were lessening as her bones realigned and fused back together. When she rolled to a stop and regained her bearings, she turned her head to see a disheveled set of black and orange hair. "You disobeyed me."

"Spirits above, you are the most ungrateful person I've ever met! If I get scolded every time I save your life, I dunno if I'll keep doing it!"

Cassandra rested her head on the street and laughed. "It's good to see you, Lyn."

She was dragged over to have a kiss planted on her nose. "That's more like it! Now." The first mate fumbled around for her crutches and climbed to her feet. Cassandra took a little more time, as her wounds weren't fully healed quite yet. "Who are these two?"

The pirate captain smiled despite the two fighters advancing towards them. Her previous rage had almost entirely evaporated, leaving only the strong desire to win. "They said some very naughty things about us. The tall one and I have a bet with our lives on the line."

Lyn gave a beaming smile. "You work that out! I'll take the other one!"

"Sounds good." Cassandra was fairly confident that Malik's injury was more debilitating than Lyn's. At times, it seemed the artist was completely unencumbered by her broken leg. "Let's teach them that the Black Glove Pirates only grow stronger when they gather together."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Meili stalked through the corridors, half-listening to the idle chatter from the Baby Den-Den Mushi on his hip. Ms. Lyn's sighting clarified the situation significantly. Since the money vault remained untouched at the moment, he believed she and her crew were attempting to rescue Captain Libera. Regardless of their intentions, he would have them all arrested for attacking the casino and causing significant structural damage. The Mint State Casino would undoubtedly have to be temporarily closed for repairs, and that would cost millions if not billions of Beli.

He turned the corner and spotted Mr. Mint's entourage. Ms. Lyn was loudly asking them questions, but the security detail followed their orders and remained silent. No shots or attacks had been launched, which was fortuitous. While Meili had little doubt in Mr. Rossi and his men, it was imperative to prevent any injury from befalling Mr. Mint. That was why Meili had the men stall until he arrived. He would be more than enough to deal with the female pirate.

"Ms. Lyn," he said loudly to announce his presence. "Stand down and surrender. Let us resolve this without any further damage."

The intruder whirled around on the ball of her foot. "Who the fuck are- Wow, she wasn't kidding. You are really hot. You're Meili, right?"

Meili gave the slightest of frowns. "Have you already talked to Captain Libera?"

"Huh? No, why?"

Asking how she knew about his appearance and name could wait for another time. "Captain Libera has already been released. If you seek to steal from the vault, I assure you that will be a most unsuccessful venture."

"_Meili!_" Mr. Mint shouted. "_Who's this screwy doll?_"

"_Ms. Lyn about to be apprehended_," he assured his employer. "_Everything will be taken care of shortly_."

"If Captain's gone, then I don't really need to be here."

"Not so fast, Ms. Lyn." Meili held out his hand. "You are still under arrest."

"_You best have some giggle water in that hole of yours, Meili. See if you can't convince her to put on a show. Always nice to have new skirts. Rossi! Let's hoof it._"

"Hey, why am I under arrest? I didn't do anything!"

"Will you allow Mr. Mint to pass?" Meili asked.

"Do you swear Captain has been released?"

"She was escorted out of the casino with your money and her weapons when the sirens went off."

Ms. Lyn looked stumped. "Uh, I guess he can go. Anyway, if she's already gone, I kinda need to be elsewhere. Bye-bye!"

When her fist completely obliterated the wall, everyone stared in shock. The instant she started to move towards it, the security guards acted as they should, forming a defensive ring around Mr. Mint. Meili quickly gestured for Rossi to continue on as he dashed after the fleeing woman. As a head of security, he knew for a fact appearances could be deceiving. Simply because she was smaller than he was didn't mean she didn't possess incredible strength. That being said, the way she simply crashed through everything in her path while speeding up was still a sight to behold. She definitely hadn't looked so strong in the footage.

Unfortunately for Meili, Ms. Lyn was faster than he was and only continued to accelerate. She had started just outside of arm's reach, but that distance was increasing rapidly. If he wanted to stop her, he would have to find some other way. As much as he didn't want to do it, he would have to cause more damage to his employer's casino. He estimated that Mr. Mint was far enough away to be unaffected. He planted his foot on the ground and concentrated. "Accesso Negato."

His sword flashed out of his sheath, and the floor below Ms. Lyn's feet disintegrated. She let out a yelp of surprise as she crashed to the story below. Meili threw himself through the hole and landed in a crouched position on the far side of his target. She would need to get around him if she wanted she wanted to exit the building through the wall ten meters behind him. He held his sword evenly before him, making it absolutely clear she would not be able to pass. "Stand down, Ms. Lyn, surrender peacefully or suffer the consequences."

"Right, about that..." She knocked her vest open, but Meili wasn't distracted by the indecent exposure. Indeed, it seemed the point of doing so was to retrieve the tiny tools that lined the inside of her vest. In a flurry of movement Meili couldn't discern, she had turned a nearby piece of rubble into a long winding snake. The head of security paused, unsure if she intended to use the stone reptile as a weapon or if it was a peace offering of some sort. For some reason, Ms. Lyn looked as confused as he did. "Okay, that wasn't supposed to happen. Hold on a minute."

Meili watched as she turned several nearby pieces of rubble into a variety of long objects, including a cigarette, a pencil, a phallus, and a few arrows. After an elongated chicken fell to the ground, she looked sheepishly up at him. "Uh, rain check?"

She stomped the ground hard enough to break the floor again, sending them to the next story. He easily cut through the chunks of masonry she sent flying in his direction and pushed off after her. She managed to duck beneath his swipe and crashed through the wall beside them. "Would you wait a second? I'm trying to make a sword!"

"If you intend to craft a sword, you intend to fight. If you intend to fight, I will stop you."

"Well, why the hell are _you_ coming after me? What did I do?"

Meili turned away a large stone statue, trying not to imagine how much it would cost to replace. "You assaulted this casino. That was all you needed to do."

"Fucking... how hard is it to make a goddamn sword? Oh!" His swipe was abruptly brought to a halt. The dust settled enough to show the gleaming piece of metal blocking his blade. It could not truly be called a sword, but it was a similar shape. That being said, merely looking like a sword did not make it a sword. A deft flick of his wrist sent half of the piece of metal spinning off into the ceiling.

Ms. Lyn looked at the ceiling, then her broken weapon, then at Meili. "Man, Caicai's a piece of work."

The woman staggered backwards, a hand pressed against the bleeding slash along her face. "Surrender."

"Hold on a sec. Cici'll have a goddamn heart attack if she sees me like this." She wiped her hand along her face. Meili was slightly taken aback, and not just by the smeared blood. Ms. Lyn's face had distorted significantly. Her nose had been moved off-center, and her left eye had drooped significantly. Her twisted mouth curved into a disturbing grin. "Thanks. Also, fucking ow. You should watch where you're swinging that thing. Still not gonna surrender though."

Meili leveled his sword at the slash on their face. "What are you?"

"I'm nobody and everybody. Wish I could stay and chat, hot stuff, but I really have to go. Bye-bye!" Meili lunged forward, but the hideous shapeshifter deftly deflected his blade with their metal rod. He was surprised at how hard it was to keep ahold of his sword. He took careful aim and darted forward, catching the impostor through the side. They twisted, so the stab wound was relatively shallow, and grabbed at Meili's neck. The head of security managed to free his sword and retreat with a deterring slash.

Unfortunately, this gave them the opportunity to run away. He tried to slash the floor out from beneath them, but they only leapt forward hard enough to break everything in their path. Meili chased after them, swinging his sword in rapid movements. The shapeshifter seemed to avoid most of the slices, but even the attacks that did hit didn't slow them in the slightest. Even the deep gash that left blood all along the wall and ceiling was completely disregarded.

Just as they were about to escape, they were brought to a very sudden halt. Meili skidded to a stop, his sword leveled at the back of their neck. A woman wearing a flak jacket over her security uniform stood in the impostor's path with her arms folded across her chest. "Ms. Jeanne ordered me to be here, sir," she said without preamble.

"You had preexisting orders, Ms. Jewell."

"The large one isn't going anywhere, sir. He's still trying to fix the fish tank. Ms. Jeanne thought it was imperative that Ms. Lyn is apprehended as soon as possible."

"I'm not Lynlyn, and I don't want to be apprehended by you. I was having fun with this one. Although... I already had one threesome today, but I wouldn't mind another." Ms. Jewell reacted the instant the impostor moved, sending out a lightning fast jab. Her punch was easily caught, and the shapeshifter laughed. "Gonna have to try harder than that."

"Spijkerpistool." A high-pitched humming sound filled the air, and the impostor leapt backwards. They wrung out their hand, which had somehow turned an unhealthy grey color. Ms. Jewell's fist was a mere blur, and it slowly became visible again as the hum died out. "You will not be able to use that hand for some time."

The impostor's amusement had given way to surprise. "What the fuck was that?"

"Do you surrender?" Meili asked, keeping his sword trained on them to preempt another sudden escape.

"Will you tell me what you did to my arm?"

"It is not permanent."

"Are you sure?" The shapeshifter extended their ashy hand towards Ms. Jewell, but she knocked it away. "Does this look normal to you?"

Ms. Jewell faltered. "I've never seen that happen-"

"Don't be fooled," Meili cut in. "This person can change their appearance. Their adoption of Ms. Lyn's form was merely a distraction."

"And it worked, didn't it?" The impostor grinned widely. "I can't believe I got both of you to myself! If Cici wasn't already out, this would be even better than Momo dreamed!"

"Permission to use any means necessary, sir?"

Meili nodded. The impostor tried to lunge at the woman in front of them, but their foot punched straight through the floor as ground began to shake wildly. Meili simply prepared for the fall to the story below, landing lightly without any trouble. Ms. Jewell alighted effortlessly as well, and the shapeshifter crashed clumsily into the floor. The two security guards were upon them in an instant, Meili's sword across their neck and Jewell's foot on their back. "Ms. Jewell, incapacitate them."

"Drilboor." Her boot began vibrating as she pressed down, but she immediately stopped at the ghastly crunching noises and screams that followed.

"Fucking hell, what the fuck was that for, you fucking bitch? Was that my fucking spine? What the fuck happened to not permanent? Don't you know your own fucking strength? The fuck is wrong with you?" Their legs gave unnatural spasms that grew weaker and weaker. Ms. Jewell looked horrified, and Meili couldn't blame her. In all the years of seeing her use her Devil Fruit, he had never seen her miscalculate so terribly. She had occasionally done more lasting damage than she intended, but not this badly.

"Although I did say we would take you in by force, we did not mean to hurt you to this degree."

"Hurt me to a degree?" they repeated. "Are you out of your motherfucking mind? That bitch fucking paralyzed me! To a degree? I'm not walking again! You think a fucking apology is going to make up for that?"

"We could have killed you."

"I'd rather you did kill me, you fucking cocksack! You think Cici'll focus on escaping now? She will march back in here and rip you to fucking pieces. Her and Didi are worth nearly 200 million! You pissed off the wrong people, motherfuckers!"

Meili fully recognized the seriousness of the situation. Captain Libera had been very willing to spare her crewmate even the slightest discomfort by taking her place in the detention center. She had been cooperative, but pirates did not get bounties that large this early in the Grand Line without a very good reason. Although he and Ms. Jewell were unharmed, they had been focused on a pirate who only intended to escape. It would be an entirely different story if the pirates decided to attack.

He had no time to think. He needed to act immediately. First things first, the impostor's shrieks of pain were distracting him. "Ms. Jewell, can you please silence them?"

Much to his satisfaction, the woman put her hands on the sides of their head with only a little hesitation. He knew her recent promotion had been no mistake. "Decoupeerzaag."

As the shapeshifter lapsed into stunned silence, he picked up the receiver from the snail on his belt and raised it to his mouth. "Ms. Jeanne, get an escort to Ms. Jewell's position immediately so they may detain this intruder. Has Mr. Mint arrived yet?"

"He's almost here, sir."

"Good. Did you get a hold of Ms. Miserie?"

"Yes, we finally managed to reach her."

"Also good. The instant Mr. Mint is inside, tell her to calm everyone down. Where is the man who broke her tank?"

"He is moving towards the casino floor via the Swan Staircase, sir."

"I will move to intercept him. This person mentioned Captain Libera had another crewmember whose bounty is approximately 80 million Beli. Verify this claim. Ms. Jewell, wait here until the escort arrives, then come to assist me. Are we understood?"

Jewell clicked her heels together as she saluted. "Yes sir!"

Meili nodded to her and took off towards his next opponent. His job was never done.


	33. The Devils in the Details

It was getting to the point where Morgan was pretty sure he should have practiced wrapping metal more before using it in combat.

Of all the materials he had used, metal was definitely the best at protecting him. It took a certain degree of raw strength or skill to break through solid metal. However, metal had one major drawback that none of his other elementals shared. Unlike liquids, which allowed opponents to pass straight through, or stone or vines, which crumbled or stretched, his metal elemental was one solid mass. A blow to any part of it sent him crashing to the ground. As he was facing five opponents, he found himself on the floor repeatedly even though his body was completely unscathed.

Also, he was pretty sure he should be able to manipulate his armor beyond just repairing any dents or gashes it had. His vines grew and shrunk, he could send out bursts of water, and one of his favored attacks was launching his rocks as temporary projectiles. It stood to reason he could find some way of sharpening his metal or something. The only success he had had was condensing the armor around him into a thin layer that was nearly impenetrable. This extreme density combined with the amount of metal he had wrapped made him extremely difficult to topple.

That was how he had gotten to the stalemate against his five opponents. He absolutely refused to believe he had difficulty in dealing with mere servers, but that appeared to be the case. Constance and the most voluptuous serving girl were able to knock him back with their attacks, and the lanky male and female focused more on speed and sneak attacks. The final woman was not as fast or strong as her companions, but she was the only one who was completely uninjured.

It was the last one who insisted on continually attacking him even though it was clearly obvious neither of them could hurt the other. She never relented from her barrage of solid kicks, but the dents caused by her feet were molded away in seconds. Initially he had avoided striking her too much, as he was loath to hit a woman without a good reason. Since he had realized her skin remained unmarred, he had been steadily increasing the force of his blows and aiming for body parts that weren't her arms and legs. It was when his straight punch to her face knocked her back, only for her to bounce right back up and continue without so much as a bruise or bloodied nose, that he realized he would need a different tactic.

He briefly considered attempting to create a weapon, but he knew his skills were nowhere near proficient enough to create one quickly in combat. Ever since he had eaten his Devil Fruit, he had completely neglected any other form of offense. He refused to ask Cain for help. The Maki Maki Fruit was one of the most versatile Fruits; it was more important to learn how best to use it than how to craft weapons from his surroundings. Besides, was that not what his Fruit did?

"Hold in there just a little longer, Gracie," Constance called out. "You're doing great. Don't give him a break. Candy, jump in whenever you want to."

Morgan sidestepped away from Candy, not wishing to be laid out again. He had been doing a reasonably good job of keeping Gracie between him and the two strongest women, but the other servers had been doing a similarly good job staying behind him at all times. While their speed wasn't much use against armor like his, they were smart enough to figure out he wanted to take them out and boost his chances of winning.

Knowing that time was running extremely short, he tried bolting to the side and angling towards the strongest fighters. Although he had been trying to avoid the two women, maybe he could demoralize the others by defeating them. Gracie tried to stop him with a well-placed kick to the back of his head, but he barely even felt it. His leg was throbbing from its dislocation, and his elemental was mitigating the amount of moving it had to do. His run was more of a rapid limp, but it was still better than nothing. The two fast servers, Remi and Helga, raced to intercept him, but their staves simply bent as they bounced off his armor. Constance only smiled as he bore down upon her. "Now now, little one. Children should play with each other."

Candy stepped between them and wrapped her arms around his metal waist. Her muscles, while not usually too prominent, grew more defined as she brought him to a halt. She lifted him clear above her head and spun him until he was dizzy. When he was slammed into the ground, he remained completely unhurt, but he still had to wait until his head stopped spinning. His head was knocked slightly from side to side as Candy pummeled him with her fists, and his armor was beginning to thin out. Any attempt to get up was stopped when the other serving people pinned him down.

"Get out of there!" Candy shouted, punctuating each word with a powerful blow. "Fight like a man!"

That certainly sounded odd coming from the woman bashing her fists against solid metal. "I don't suppose you could fight like a woman?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she challenged.

Morgan opened his mouth to respond, but he paused when he remembered how utterly he had been defeated by the last woman he had fought. "Well... straddling me is unbecoming."

"We're not gonna let you go," Helga informed him.

"That's right!" Remi gave a wide smile as he wrestled with one of Morgan's arms. "Don't you want to play with us?"

Although they were trying to restrain him, Morgan couldn't help but appreciate how right it was to have several scantily-clad women beside him. Even without a crown on his head, he was a prince, and having courtesans fawn over him was only natural. The only issue was the enormous woman standing some distance away with her arms crossed. While there were countless much larger women on Winter Isle, none had ever had such a supervisory air about them. She really put a damper on the situation.

"Any other time. Metall Oruzhiye!"

The armor burst apart, shards of metal flying everywhere. Remi and Helga shouted in pain as shrapnel dug into their skin. Candy was the only one who didn't go flying, but the pieces of metal embedded in her body caused her to recoil. Morgan managed to shove the strong woman off of him and push himself away. He wouldn't be able to get quickly to his feet on his own, but he only had one catalyst left on his necklace. He didn't even want to try wrapping the carpet he was lying on; there was no way that would turn out well. He pulled the vial from his necklace and splashed it on his hand. "Vode Bronyu."

While nowhere near as large as the water elemental he had when he had entered the casino, it still gave him the boost he needed to put some distance between him and his adversaries. The two fastest fighters were still dealing with their injuries, but the unharmed Gracie was already charging after him. Without more water, he wouldn't stand a chance against the four servers. He dispersed his elemental just before Gracie tackled him and flew through the air. The impact with the smooth red column that supported the ceiling jarred him slightly, but he wrapped enough of the stone around his body to land on two feet without hurting his leg.

Gracie was caught clearly by surprise when he turned around and caught her in a powerful punch that sent her flying. As she crashed among the roulette tables, Morgan leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding Candy's punch. He reasoned if he managed to subdue the head, the rest of the servers would comply. Constance watched unimpressed as he soared towards her, her arms folded across her chest. "Remember, roughhousing should be left to children, not-"

The next thing Morgan knew, he was lying dazed in complete darkness. He wasn't seriously injured, and he could still feel part of his armor around him. He tried to push himself up, but the weight on top of him was more than he could lift. After a few moments of straining, the weight shifted and rose off of him. Morgan found himself crushed in a small crater caused by the large mass off to his left. His annoyance only grew when he saw how he had been pounded into the floor. "What sort of bodyguard inflicts harm upon his principal?"

Cain whirled around, and a look of horror spread across his face. "Young Master! I'm so sorry! Are you hurt? Is anything broken?"

"No more than before."

A good-looking man landed lightly in front of them, his sword at his side. "Surrender peacefully or suffer the consequences."

"Meili!" Constance barked. "What part of hands-off didn't you get? Did it look like I needed your help?"

Morgan was going to object when Candy and Gracie blitzed towards him. Cain was between them in an instant, his large metal mace bending slightly as he slammed them through the wall.

"I did not mean to intrude, Madame Constance. The floor merely collapsed beneath us."

"Carlo's gonna be ticked off if you keep smashing his stuff."

"You know perfectly well that the Mint State Casino is insured. If you will allow me to join you, I will aid in apprehending these two."

"Come on, when do my babies get to play around by themselves?"

"Only Ms. Floss and Ms. Pelga will continue to function well when Mr. Mint reaches the security center."

"Why does it matter when Carlo- oh!" Constance glanced at the two bandits fighting servers. "Well, I guess you can join in. You better not get in the way of their play, Meili."

"My interference will be minimal." Morgan saw the man coming, but couldn't seem to move out of the way in time. Before Meili's sword reached his chest, Cain's mace impacted the ground between them. The sword embedded itself in the head of the mace, and a twist of Meili's wrist cut the ball of metal in half. Confident that Cain could deal with the head of security, he turned to confront the servers he had been fighting previously. Remi and Helga were fighting through the injuries caused by his dispersed metal elemental, and Gracie was already advancing towards him again.

"Morgan, stay behind me. Asja!"

The elementalist ducked as Cain once again sent Gracie flying. Cain let out a shout of pain as Meili's sword sliced across his back, but he still managed to bring his damaged mace around to block the next attack. Morgan struggled to stay on his feet, as the floor trembled every time Cain braced himself and he was directly beneath the enormous pirate. Every time he tried to move away, Cain took a step to keep Morgan underneath and behind him. The lack of viable reactants made it impossible for him to form an elemental.

"Cain, allow me to participate!"

"You're hurt, Morgan. Threk! I can't allow you to fight without armor."

The large pirate skidded backwards as Candy hit him square in the chest, the soles of his boots shredding the carpet as they fought for traction. The revealed wood floor wasn't much use to Morgan either; its rapid growth wasn't enough to make up for its lack of durability and flexibility. There was one option that would certainly give them an enormous advantage, but he truly detested it. However, it seemed like he had no other choice. "Cain!" The bodyguard was at his side in an instant. "Give me your mace. We will coordinate."

Cain's face lit up, and he immediately dropped the metal weapon. As soon as Morgan caught the mace, Cain's gauntleted fist closed around the prince. The metal slithered up Morgan's arms, quickly wrapping around his body. As the elemental continued to expand, it soon enveloped Cain as well, leaving only his face exposed. Morgan moved along the man's arm and centered himself over Cain's chest. He carefully maneuvered into the standard ready stance taught to every Winter Isle bandit, feeling that Cain was doing the same. "Verteidiger des Berges."

Gracie, Helga, and Meili all dashed towards them, but the bandits were ready. They threw out their right fists at the same time, causing the elemental to act as armor for Cain. Their combined fist clipped the wounded Helga and spun her about like a top. Meili slashed with his sword, but the bandits reacted as one, barely managing to block the blade of air. The following overhead slice was deflected in a way that caught the security leader completely off-guard. The metal separated from Cain's arm, blocking the sword before it had a chance to build up a decent speed. Cain's fist continued forward, his gauntlet smashing Gracie into the ground. As he withdrew, Morgan was glad to finally see the impervious woman stunned.

Meili was slicing away, but most of his efforts were focused on deflecting or blocking the powerful blows. Morgan knew that Cain favored armed combat, but the bodyguard's unarmed fighting skills were not to be underestimated. So long as Morgan protected him from the most serious attacks, he could continue unimpeded. It seemed a bit backwards for Morgan to be the one protecting Cain, but it was an undeniably effective tactic.

The instant they stomped Gracie beneath their feet, they were completely bowled over. It took everything Morgan had to keep himself from detaching from Cain. They demolished a glass window and the restaurant behind it before they came to a stop. Constance was striding angrily towards them, a no-nonsense look on her face. "What did I say about grown-ups roughhousing with children?"

She lunged forward, but Cain and Morgan already knew what to do. Cain thrust his arms out, slowing the massive woman down significantly. Morgan reared up slightly with his elemental to get clear of his bodyguard and threw a barrage of punches. Constance's face was soon bloodied and bruised, but her expression only grew more livid. She and Cain struggled against each other, neither of them having a clear advantage. Morgan considered this especially impressive considering the blows he was raining down upon her. He brought his foot down onto her leg, causing her to fall to one knee, but the two giant humans were still in a standstill.

"Arresto." Meili buried his sword in the elemental's stomach, which Morgan had just barely managed to separate from Cain to avoid a real blow. The swordsman was a flurry of motion, and it was everything Morgan could do to keep up. As he ceased his attacks on Constance to focus on Meili, she slowly pushed herself to her feet. Cain just as slowly moved her backwards, the floor cracking beneath their strength. Only when Morgan suddenly struck both of her ears did Cain shove her backwards.

With the brief respite from the unbelievably strong woman, the two bandits focused on the head of security. The man was in full retreat, trying to elude the large mass of limbs chasing after him. Morgan supposed it wasn't often that he had to deal with a four-armed, four-legged attacker. The head of security did extremely well, as he somehow completed a circuit of the casino floor without being struck once. Cain's and Morgan's punches flew fast and strong, but he wove and blocked with practiced ease. He bought enough time for Constance to rejoin the fray, which brought the rapid pace to a grinding halt.

As the two large humans strove to overcome the other, Morgan devoted all of his energy to taking out Meili. He fully detached from his bodyguard, compressing his metal armor to its smallest, densest form. He was on Meili's level for once, which only helped him realize that Lyn had not exaggerated her description in the slightest. Sparks flew from his elemental as Meili took a few experimental swipes, but the blades of air barely left any mark. Morgan took a step forward, only to have his foot swept out from beneath him. Helga left twin plumes of dust in her wake as she drifted to a stop. Morgan bit back a curse, as he had completely forgotten about the servers. This fight was not going to be an easy one.

However, maybe fighting wasn't the answer. He had formulated the plan based on the expectation of heavy resistance, but perhaps that was only because they had attacked first. After all, he would certainly defend his domain from any intruders if he were king. He had not tried negotiating with the casino owners to give Cassandra back. It was important to keep in mind their primary objective, and Morgan admitted he had forgotten about it in all the chaos. These people were likely to be reasonable if given the opportunity.

To further bolster his statement, Meili abandoned his ready stance and sheathed his sword. The servers were ignoring him, focusing more on caring for their injuries. Above him, Constance and Cain's struggles were becoming less and less intense, the floor ceasing its creaks and groans of protest. This time, Constance was the one to shove Cain backwards, though with nowhere near enough force to topple the enormous pirate. He staggered backwards a few steps, but composed himself quickly enough.

Meili advanced until he was an armspan away from Morgan. "Am I correct in assuming you orchestrated this attack in an attempt to free Captain Libera?"

"Yes. You have imprisoned her for longer than was promised."

"Captain Libera was released not long before your attack commenced. She was escorted out in the pandemonium you caused."

Morgan gave a slight frown. Had he really miscalculated? If that were the case, then the casino's defense made all the more sense. "I see. Can you verify this statement?"

"I am sure it would be possible to see from the footage, as your attacks merely disrupted the snails instead of the recordings. However, I have it on record that she made it safely out of the premises."

The elementalist was at a loss about how to proceed. "I suppose you would oppose our departure, then?"

"You must be held accountable for your crimes," Meili stated. "However, because this large gentleman worked to minimize the collateral damage and loss of lives, your crimes are not as severe as you might expect."

"That's good to hear." Something wasn't right. The entire situation was a bit off, but Morgan couldn't put his finger on why. "We do have to leave, if Captain isn't here. We will use force if necessary."

"Perhaps we could come to some sort of agreement."

"I can't think of any agreement we would accept."

"We have your shapeshifter ally in custody."

Morgan sighed. He had absolutely no idea how Jordan had gotten herself caught, but he never knew what to expect from the troublesome impersonator. However, he did know that Cassandra wouldn't stand to let her precious Moon Sister go needlessly. "That does seem to be an issue. That being said, if you don't release her shortly, you may find yourselves in more trouble than you think."

"Why do you say that?" Meili asked.

The prince gave a serene smile. "You underestimate the tactics of the Black Glove Pirates. You have made a serious mistake if you think you have all of us accounted for."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Alexander was lost. It wasn't that he didn't have a good sense of direction. Every corridor just looked the same to him. He didn't even know why the basement of a casino needed to be as labyrinthine as this. His copy of the layout had been ruined by water, and the markings on the walls seemed not to correspond with anything. It also wasn't helping that he was simply melting his way through the walls to avoid the watchful Den-Den Mushi and security patrols. He had no doubt he was being pursued, but nobody had caught up to him yet.

It had been quite a surprise to find out that Captain had already been released, but the biggest problem with that was they couldn't use her brain to augment or change the plan in any way. That being said, the others were too busy to answer their snails, so it didn't really matter either way. He peeled the wet shirt from his chest for a moment, mildly wishing he could heat his body enough to dry. If he didn't know the sacrifices Damien made to summon his fire, he would have envied the heated navigator.

His next transmutation took him into a break room. He opened the refrigerator and peered inside. He wasn't particularly hungry, but constantly using his Devil Fruit was taking its toll. He spied some bananas resting on the counter and grabbed two of them. As he chewed, he could hear the footsteps of guards walking towards him. He put his hand on the floor and made a hole below the refrigerator, sending the appliance falling to the story below. He listened as the guards strolled past, neither speeding up nor slowing down. He highly doubted they hadn't heard the crash, but perhaps they were depending on a patrol below investigating the noise.

After waiting for a while for the footsteps to fade, he exited the break room and went down a different hallway. A peek around a corner revealed a Den-Den Mushi slowly scanning the area, but the two doors at the end were accompanied by a pair of buttons beside them. While he didn't know the layout of the casino, he did know that elevator shafts would probably help him get outside. He had had to ignore the one by the detention center as a car full of guards had been rapidly approaching, and he had been too focused on escaping to remember where it was. This elevator gave him the opportunity he needed to find his way out. Not wanting to be caught on video, he walked through the rooms next to the hall, making holes in the walls as he went.

As he melted a hole in the elevator shaft, he carefully looked up and down to make sure no cars were careening towards him. He didn't possess the strength to climb up the cables, but he could certainly slide down the the car below him. He jumped forward and wrapped his arms and legs around the cable. One of his hands had to hold the trumpet, so his descent was a little more rapid than he had intended. He landed as softly as he could on the roof of the car, though his landing wasn't quiet by any means. Nevertheless, a minute's pause didn't bring any guards to his location, so he decided he was safe.

His next course of action was to figure out how to raise the elevator car. He melted away the lock on the hatch with a single finger and peeked in to confirm there were no guards. When he opened the hatch, he was slightly disappointed to see that a key was required to operate the elevator. No amount of transmutation or spirit channeling was going to help him with that. He had to figure out how to move the elevator without being caught.

His first thought was to somehow draw the guards into the elevator and subdue them. However, he didn't know how he was going to do that. Close, personal combat was not his area of expertise, and most of his attacks might damage the elevator. Drawing the guards into the elevator and making them go up on their own was an option, though he had no idea how he was going to do that without them investigating the elevator shaft for the source of whatever he used to lure them in.

Another option was to somehow move the elevator up on its own. It didn't help that he didn't have a clue about how elevators worked. The taut cable indicated it was supporting the elevator, but he couldn't see the winch at the top that would raise or lower it. He could vaguely make out a series of metal slabs suspended away from the car and spent some time considering what they meant. If they were what he thought they were, they might be of some use to him. He decided to throw caution to the wind and test his theory. If he was wrong, he was reasonably confident in his ability to figure a way out of his predicament.

With that in mind, he tucked his trumpet beneath his arm and gripped the cables tightly. After taking a deep breath of preparation, he put one hand as far down the cables as it could go and whispered, "Eau Magie."

Immediately, the cables were nearly ripped from his hands. Only by grasping as tightly as he could did he manage to hold on. The elevator below him left trails of sparks in its wake as it dropped. It stopped quickly enough, but the counterweights were only accelerating. He could feel his grip on the cables sliding, but there was nothing he could do. His heart dropped into his stomach as his fingers could hold on no more. He gazed upward as the coils shot away from him. He was still moving up, but gravity was taking hold. He didn't feel panicked at all, but he knew that he stood a slim chance of surviving if he fell.

His mind was as clear as it ever was, which helped him come up with a quick solution. It would be a complicated maneuver, but he was reasonably sure he could pull it off. Orienting himself so he faced a wall, he concentrated as hard as he could. Timing was everything. He inhaled deeply as he reached the apex of his ascent. "Trompette Sonnerie!"

His trumpet blast propelled him backwards, sending him towards the wall of the elevator shaft. The instant his back hit the wall, he transmuted his shirt and the wall into water. His ribs and bruises flared in pain, but it was better than falling to his death. That being said, he had depended on going into a hallway or closet of some sort. His transmutation had ejected him partway up the wall of an enormous darkened room. He didn't even have time to register his surroundings as he impacted the ground below. The thick carpet slightly cushioned his fall, but the table he fell through definitely didn't.

He didn't know how long he lay there, hovering in and out of consciousness. He could feel that his skin was slick with water, but hopefully not blood. He couldn't feel any particularly sharp pain, which meant he probably hadn't gotten impaled with something again. He still had scars from the glass ceiling shards of Reichmann Manor, and he didn't feel as bad as he did then. Perhaps it was the feeling of peace he felt. He simply wanted to lie there and rest.

Regretfully, he did have a responsibility to his crew to make it out alive and uncaptured. It took him a while to muster the strength to push himself to his feet. Fortunately, his glasses were still intact, so he wasn't completely blind. The blackjack table he had hit was not as lucky, the two halves angled towards him like the sides of a crater. He rubbed his aching muscles, periodically checking his fingers for blood. While they did frequently come back red, the amount of blood was not very concerning. The water that had clung to his skin had formed a thin sheet of metal that had partially negated any damage he might have received.

It took him a moment of shambling to find his trumpet. The bell was dented from where it had landed awkwardly, but its usefulness in battle wasn't completely lost. Alexander wouldn't deign to use it to play music, but that wasn't a requirement at the moment. He had to figure out how to leave without attracting the attention of any security forces.

As his eyes adjusted to the gloom, he realized that was completely out of the question. He counted at least five vigilant Den-Den Mushi, all of them looking at him. It was just his luck that he had landed in a heavily-monitored area. What drew his attention the most, however, was the enormous wall of light off to his side. Further inspection revealed it to be a glimmering sheet of glass that held back the water of the aquarium. Alexander had a pretty good idea about where he was: the high-roller room. He was standing not far above the hole he had bored in the aquarium's support before the initial assault.

He slowly approached the aquarium, limping slightly through the abandoned casino games. Lyn had mentioned the precious stones that lined the bottom of the tank. It wouldn't hurt to take a quick peek. He half-turned as guards came up the stairwell and advanced towards him, all of their weapons partially drawn. "Put the weapon down and your hands up."

Alexander gently placed his damaged trumpet on the floor and pressed his hands to the glass. He let his energy spread through the transparent pane, visualizing an area roughly the size of a doorway. The aquarium spanned no few stories, so he knew that getting to him would be hard against the massive torrent of water. "Eau Magie."

He ducked down as the aquarium forcefully ejected its contents across the high roller room. The security forces didn't make a sound as the deluge swept them away. Alexander waited for a suitable period of time before slowly raising his hands. This was going to be difficult. Standing water may have been the antithesis of Devil Fruit Users, but it was a lot easier for Alexander to transmute. The water that splashed against him didn't drain his alchemy at all, which was fortunate. He tried not to focus on one particular section of water, as that would simply be washed away. Instead, he tried to push as much of his alchemy as he possibly could out of his hands.

He gave a relieved chuckle as the torrent was suddenly stopped by the large metal block. It probably wouldn't hold indefinitely, but it should give him enough time to escape. He was tired to the bone, and he hoped he would be able to meet with one of his more capable crewmembers as he escaped. No sooner had he picked up his trumpet than he was slammed against the aquarium. His right hand was wrenched behind his back, and a set of strong fingers closed around the side of his neck. Panic coursed through his system, stinging in his veins.

"Don't move," came a canorous voice from behind him. "Don't think about trying anything funny."

Alexander nodded jerkily, not wanting to startle his captor. He was dredging every last drop of power from his body to do one final act of alchemy, but the burst of adrenaline coursing through his body made it hard to concentrate.

"Who is he?"

"Who?" The fingers threatening to crush his throat made speaking extremely painful.

"Him! The one with the shiny cone!"

He wasn't sure, but he thought they were referring to himself. "Al... Alexander..."

"What is he doing here? What does he want with Miserie?"

"What?" Now Alexander was thoroughly confused. "I don't know what you're-"

"Don't lie! Why else would he be here?"

Alexander tried to swallow, but that was even harder than talking. "We were just... trying to rescue our captain. That's all."

"He's lying!" He was pressed even harder against the glass. "Why else would he... what is this?"

He found himself dragged backwards, still facing the aquarium. At first he thought his captor was talking about the metal plug blocking the hole, but he was soon corrected. "No, they said it was a mirror. They said it was just for Miserie. That means they could see the entire time. No, no! Go away. Go away! VERI KUOHUU!"

A loud song erupted from behind him. Alexander began struggling mightily, furious at being restrained. Unbridled ire seared his body like molten lava. He couldn't believe he had wasted precious time investigating pointless jewels instead of trying to reunite with his nakama. His eyes opened wide, and his heart pounded so rapidly he thought it was going to explode. "**Voix Sonnerie!**"

The spirits shouted along with him, their battle cries and mournful wails and victorious cheers blending into one pure voice. The entire pane of glass exploded, water instantly consuming him. Alexander was completely helpless as he was swept along. The powerful grip on his body vanished, and he tumbled end over end. He opened his eyes to see the bannister before him break under the force of the current, creating a large waterfall. As he tumbled over the lip, he found himself flying above the casino floor. Before he hit a row of roulette machines, the water curved upwards, carrying him far away from the floor.

"Alexander!" The prince floated beside him in the water, pushing him out of the elemental so he could breathe. "Turn this all into metal so I may show them their foolishness in provoking me."

Cain smashed his fists together as he let loose an angry bellow louder than anything Alexander had heard from him. "The finger you next lay on my nakama will be the only part of you that remains! Come and test your might against me!"

"Playtime is over!" screamed the gigantic woman opposite them. "Naughty children must be disciplined! Come, babies, we'll crush them!"

The injuries on his fellow crewmates brought Alexander's blood to a boil. "The Black Glove Pirates will not be crushed! The only people who will fall will be you! Tribut der Berge!"


	34. Peace Talks

Cassandra's breathing came heavily as she pushed her jaw back into place. She could say with confidence that she was winning her fight. The margin by which she was winning it, on the other hand, was very slim. Even while mortally injured, Iris was dangerous. While Cassandra had been recovering from making yet another imprint in the street, the bodybuilder had wrapped a tourniquet around her destroyed right arm. The limb was beyond the point of recovery, but Iris was beyond caring at this point. Cassandra admired her single-minded pursuit of her goal, even if that goal was the pirate's head.

Iris was panting equally hard, but Cassandra could see the traces of death creeping into her eyes. It was that familiar look Damien got whenever he was held up by only his stubborn desire to win. Her arm had stopped bleeding, but it had gained an unhealthy hue and hung limply at her side. Cassandra wasn't fooled; she knew that Iris still had some degree of mobility in that arm. She had been sent flying through the air when she had slipped to what she assumed was a safe zone by Iris' right side.

Another disadvantage Cassandra had was that she had run out of bullets. Her original pistols had run dry long ago, but the special small ammunition cartridges for her ancestor's pistols were either spent or crushed. Unlike her usual strategy of either planning ahead with caches of ammunition or salvaging magazines for her regular pistols, Iris didn't use firearms and Cassandra hadn't anticipated the battle at all. Her Susurri only had a handful of shots left between them, and she didn't want to spend them unless she was certain she wouldn't have to use her pistols afterwards.

Between the two, Iris had the most to lose, as her injuries took their toll regardless of what she did. Cassandra's regeneration was taxing, but she was not at the point where she could no longer heal while conscious. Time passing by was only good for the pirate captain, and Iris knew that. It was up to her to kill Cassandra before she bled out. She pressed forward with suicidal abandon, never letting up the pressure. Cassandra, being marginally slower and considerably weaker, was pushed to her limit as she dodged the flurry of blows. Without a good way of putting distance between them, she had to avoid getting hit to stay alive.

There were times, however, when she did benefit from being punched down the street. If there was a chance that Iris' strike wasn't solid, the muscular woman's angle was off or Cassandra's dodge was particularly good, she welcomed the opportunity to soar towards the distant onlookers. Her regeneration eliminated the worst parts of the injury, and the added time gave the pirate captain a moment to regain her wits. It wasn't as if Iris could move particularly quickly either. She staggered towards her opponent with dogged perseverance, but her speed was gradually decreasing.

Cassandra also valued these brief respites because it gave her a chance to look over Lyn's fight. It was more than a little strange to see the first mate fight despite her broken leg. She used her strength and balance to her advantage, keeping the broken leg facing away from Malik as much as possible while still engaging in combat. Unlike her usual style of outpacing her opponent, she remained as stationary as possible while she warded off Malik's attacks. It helped that Malik was crippled as well, though his drop in skill was far more severe. Lyn's leg was taken care of, and her crutches helped considerably. He merely had a splint and clenched teeth.

Regrettably, Cassandra couldn't help out. Her first bullets in his direction had been deflected by Iris, and at her current level of exhaustion, she didn't trust her aim. She was confident in Lyn's ability to hold her own and didn't want to risk hitting the first mate. Her aim was good, but she didn't trust herself. Lyn was doing fine on her own. It was Iris Cassandra had to be worried about.

Just before Iris managed to reach her, the front of the Mint State Casino exploded outward. A massive metallic humanoid fell backwards, its impact shaking the ground mightily. The axe that was indistinguishable from its hand didn't dislodge from its grip as it embedded into the street. As Cassandra and Iris lowered the arms they had used to shield themselves from the debris, a fat woman leapt through the hole. Though she was larger than almost every onlooker, she was still only half as tall as the grey elemental.

Her fist was about to connect when the humanoid's half-formed mouth opened. Much to Cassandra's shock, a loud concussive blast brought the ponderous woman to a halt in midair. She crashed to the ground, a stunned look on her face. As the elemental rose to its feet, a man sped by the downed woman. He swept his sword in a horizontal slash with such speed that even Cassandra had trouble keeping track of it. The large slice in the metal shins brought the elemental to its knees, and the buildings behind it collapsed in a similar manner.

"What the fuck is that?" Iris wondered aloud.

Cassandra tried to take advantage of her momentary distraction by firing off a round aimed straight for Iris' ear, but the shot was bad and the bodybuilder only had to lean backwards. It also didn't help that the elemental's fist hitting the street caused the earth to quake, forcing both women to scramble to stay upright. Iris got the worse end of it, unable to remain on her feet. Cassandra decided that she could leave Iris be for now, as the bodybuilder was already about to die. The elemental's constant movements should disable her long enough for her to bleed out. If not, then Cassandra could always finish the job herself.

The pirate captain took off down the street as fast as she could, which wasn't much quicker than her usual jogging speed. Iris lunged at her, but she easily hopped over the wounded fighter. Meili's next attack was mostly blocked by the elemental's arm, and the long slash that spread along its forearm and shoulder was quickly molded away. The head of security tried to block the axe with his sword, but the enormous weapon knocked him clear into the casino. The large woman, who Cassandra assumed was Constance based on Wills' description of her, tried and failed to catch him in time.

"You little brats!" she shouted furiously. "How dare you-"

She clapped her hands together, catching the blade before it cleaved her in two. The pavement beneath her feet cracked from the force, but Constance remained unharmed. The elemental opened its mouth again, and that same concussive blast as before caused her knees to buckle. She pushed the axe away before it could touch her and backed up a few steps. Cassandra realized with no small degree of astonishment that Alexander was somehow inside the elemental's head.

Constance dodged the next downward swipe and thrust forward, driving her fist into the elemental's stomach. The metal humanoid fell backward, completing the buildings' demolition that Meili had started earlier. She grabbed the elemental's right foot and swung it above her head. The tremor shook the street, dislodging all sorts of detritus from nearby buildings. Another overhead slam shattered the lower windows of the casino. She leapt on top of the elemental and began pounding away, her fists leaving sizeable dents in the metal.

"Stop!" Cassandra shouted. "Get off of them!"

The giant woman glared around. When her eyes fell upon Cassandra, she gave a wide frown. "Who are you?"

"This is Captain Libera." Meili emerged from the casino, looking like he had seen better days. His handsome features were coated in dust and grime, and his suit was torn in places. His sword was sheathed, though he approached with one hand on the handle. "Those are three of her crewmembers. I can see Ms. Lyn has arrived as well."

Cassandra glanced to the side to see that Lyn and Malik had ceased their fight. The crippled man was inching his way over to his girlfriend while Lyn was just staring at the scene in shock. When she heard her name, she perked up and looked around. "Oh hey! It's you! Why are you here?"

"Any attack on the casino must be dealt with as efficiently as possible," Meili responded smoothly. "I am slightly surprised to see you here, Ms. Lyn."

"Why are you surprised that I came? Is it because you thought I was guilty because I'm totally not."

"Your innocence was proved. However, your assault upon the casino caused us some degree of trouble."

"Not as much trouble as Missy did," Constance said, still holding down the metal elemental by its neck.

"I agree. I will have to talk with her afterwards, as well as Ms. Jewell and Ms. Jeanne."

Constance pushed the elemental away and walked over to Meili. "And you and I have some talking to do too."

"All of our talks will have to wait." Meili faced Cassandra and inclined his head. "While I am glad you exited the casino safely, Captain Libera, I am afraid I must place your crewmembers under arrest. This is not a suitable case for you to take their place either. They have caused considerable damage to the Mint State Casino, and these repairs will not be inexpensive or easily done."

Cassandra tried to come up with a satisfactory argument, but her tired state made it difficult. Her crew had attacked the casino, there was no way around that. Their intentions would certainly not be taken into consideration. "I agree there's no easy way to resolve this issue. I feel bad about what they did, but I understand that there is no other option available. I hate to say it, but we will resist arrest. We are criminals, after all, and they are my nakama. I will not let them be locked up."

"I had figured as much," Meili said. "It came to my attention that your crew has a combined worth of 197,000,000 Beli. For the third island in the Grand Line, that is a sum to be respected. However, Constance and I are more than capable of holding our own. Our fight has no certain outcome and would cause undue damage to the Mint State Casino or its surroundings. However, we have one advantage you do not."

"And what might that be?"

"We have captured your crewmember."

Cassandra frowned as she glanced about. All of her pirates were accounted for, except Damien. However, if Damien had participated in the attempted rescue mission, she imagined he would either be causing no end of trouble right now or dead. Even in his weakened state, now that he knew how nevermeltice affected him, there was no easy way to capture him without killing him. "I don't know what you're talking about. All of my crew... Oh goddammit." She half-turned to Lyn. "Why the hell did you let Jay participate?"

"Hey, he insisted," Lyn protested. "What was I supposed to do, turn away the one who could infiltrate anywhere? Yeah, we had to change the plan when he said he was going to join us, but we needed all the help we could get."

"Why would you trust anything to him?" Cassandra tightly clenched one of her fists. Jordan certainly was helpful when he wanted to be, but he always had ulterior motives and they were always a pain to sort out. She didn't even want to think about what bargain Lyn must have struck to get him to cooperate. He was a lot smarter than he acted and a good deal more devious. She cared deeply for her genderfluid Moon Sister, but she could remember more than a few times she wanted to throttle him.

"He was impersonating Ms. Lyn. I apprehended him after some resistance. He was slightly injured in the process, but he was successfully detained."

Cassandra truly did not care how injured Jordan was. He could just copy her healing to get rid of it, and maybe it would teach him to keep his nose out of her business without invitation. "As long as he's alive, that's good enough for me. If you say he was impersonating Lyn, rather than he was Lyn's twin or copy, then I guess you really have met him. I would so like to leave him behind, but he is my little Sister, as much as it pains me to admit it. We could fight to get him back, but that would ruin the point of this little parley. What do you want in return?"

"I am not authorized to make such a decision." He took the receiver from the snail at his waist and brought it to his mouth. "Ms. Jeanne, can you put Mr. Mint on the line?"

Despite his distance from her, Cassandra was still able to pick up the faint response. "Sure thing, sir." There was a brief moment of inaudible chatter. "He is currently discussing something with Rossi. May I ask what this is about?"

"We have reached an impasse with the Black Glove Pirates. Mr. Mint is the one who needs to negotiate."

"Wait, who are you negotiating with? I thought the captain left."

"Captain Libera had not evacuated the area when we arrived. Mr. Mint knows who she is."

"Oh, really now..." Meili looked at the receiver, the smallest expression of bewilderment clouding his face. "You think he knows her? Darling, he doesn't know one thing she's capable of."

Meili studied the snail carefully. "What are you talking about?"

"So lemme guess: you thought that you could negotiate with her to get her beloved Sister back?" At this, Cassandra couldn't hold back her grin. Part of why Jordan was so irritating was his knack for showing up in unexpected places. "If you think she'll let that go, you're in for a world of hurt."

"How did you get into the security office? Ms. Jewell was supposed to take you-"

"Oh, the vibrating chick? If this weren't such a bad situation, I can think of all sorts of things she could do with her fingers. She's fine. Ish. She probably didn't take the sucker punch very well, but she'll be out there pleasing the ladies in no time. You should be more concerned about your boss."

Cassandra was impressed how well Meili kept his cool. She knew how easy it was to enrage bodyguards by threatening their principal. "It would be most unwise for you to harm Mr. Mint."

"Believe me, I don't want to touch Carlo. Granted, this would have been easier if I could understand what the fuck he's babbling about, because then I could have negotiated whatever I wanted. Still, the point is you don't hold any more cards, Meili."

The head of security drew his sword and pointed it directly at Cassandra. "Any damage done to Mr. Mint will be inflicted upon Captain Libera tenfold."

Cassandra stood up a little straighter. From what she had seen, Meili was not an opponent she wanted to fight. Although Iris and Malik were wisely retreating, she didn't know if she would be able to take Meili out on her own. "I'd only threaten Cici if you wanted to be tortured indefinitely," Jordan said as casually as he would remark upon the weather. "You haven't seen the rest of her crew, and they won't take very kindly to having her hurt. Let's put our claws away and talk like civilized men, shall we?"

"What do you want?" he asked evenly.

"World peace and my parents to love me, but I don't think you can give me those, so I'm gonna leave it up to Cici."

Now Cassandra was absolutely positive Jordan was up to something. He would never leave the talking to her when he had the casino owner captive unless he had an agenda. She was much more wary of her Sister than the head of security before her. She erased her look of concern as Meili turned to her and asked, "What do you want?"

"At this point, I just want to let bygones be bygones and leave in peace. My Sister leaves Mr. Mint alone, and you let us leave."

"What about the hurt you put on my building and my babies?" Constance demanded. "You can't just walk away from that."

"Your servers will heal quickly enough, Madame Constance. They and the building are both insured. It is the loss of revenue during reconstruction that is likely Mr. Mint's primary concern."

"What are you talking about? Storm's Port is down half the time, but it makes more than any two casinos in Valeglen combined. I'm not talking about money. It isn't right that they just walk away from doing all this."

"I will not allow any harm to befall Mr. Mint. If that means letting these pirates walk away, I will do so. Their presence has undoubtedly been noted, and the Marines will sort everything out. We are a casino, Madame Constance. Our job is money, not justice."

"Oh, that explains the detention center we have. Purely for keeping our money from escaping, right?"

"That is to detain people who may have attempted to steal money from us. These pirates were not after the money."

Constance folded her arms. "And where do you think the money to repair the casino is coming from?"

"I just reminded you that we are insured."

"Which goes to show you don't know a damn thing about what and how much we're insured for."

"That is not my job."

"I know it's not your job. That's why I'm telling you it doesn't just work that way."

"It's not your job either."

"I help Abaci with the numbers sometimes. It's non-trivial."

"Excuse me?" Cassandra interrupted. "I'm still here."

Meili turned away from Constance. "I have not forgotten your presence, Captain Libera. Have you come up with a proposition that Madame Constance and I will deliberate on?"

"Oh, so now you're involving me." The enormous woman crossed her arms in a huff. "It's just as well. Carlo wouldn't be thrilled if you came up with some pathetic counter-proposition."

"Let's begin by saying this was almost entirely my crewmate's fault and, by extension, mine." Cassandra cast a hot glare at Lyn, who was whistling merrily and staring at the sky. "What they did was stupid and against my direct orders, but it's still my responsibility. Our Log Pose hasn't set yet, and I don't want to spend the rest of our stay watching over our shoulders. How about this: in addition to not involving any law officials that aren't already on our tail, I'll lend you some of my crew to help with repairs until we leave. Cain! How far is the _Knave_ from being done?"

The bodyguard extracted himself from the metal humanoid and landed heavily on the street. Bruises and cuts covered his body, but none of them came close to impeding him. The wooden axe he hefted easily in one hand was as large as he was, which Cassandra supposed allowed it to be easily assimilated into Morgan's elemental. "It would take only a few more repairs for her to be seaworthy. I would gladly assist given the proper materials."

"I can help with the glass." Alexander slid out of the elemental and into Cain's free hand. "Your doors are beyond me, but I can at least do that."

The semi-formed metal face contorted in a faint frown. "I will not assist in manual labor that-"

"Hey, choreboy, you don't have a damn choice," Cassandra cut in. "You can and will help as I see fit. Lyn, you can't do much, so you'll have to sit out."

"She was well enough to confront that abomination," Morgan snapped. "Why should she be excluded?"

Cassandra's eyes widened, and her heart skipped a beat. "No, please tell me you didn't let Damien out. You didn't, did you?"

The first mate cocked her head to the side. "Of course I did. Why wouldn't I? The two days were up."

Fighting her rising panic, Cassandra carefully went over Lyn's injuries. The scrapes and blemishes could have come from Malik, and none of them looked particularly painful. "And he didn't do anything? He didn't try to rip your head off?"

"Nah, he didn't really try to do anything," Lyn dismissed. "It was all fine. He's resting right now in the medbay."

The pirate captain fought couldn't keep her incredulity from her voice. "It was all fine?"

"Mmhmm!" Lyn gave her brightest smile. "Don't worry about it!"

Cassandra was extremely worried about it. She trusted Lyn more than anyone, even if the novice had disobeyed her order, but she trusted Damien as far as she could throw him. Additionally, Lyn had a talent for creating situations that were only marginally easier to resolve than if she hadn't done anything at all. Still, she was once again amazed at how easily Lyn could deal with the volatile navigator. "You are not off the hook. Anyway, Meili, what do you say? Some manual labor on my end, and we'll call it even?"

He looked up at Constance deferentially. She sighed and uncrossed her arms. "Well, none of my babies died, so I guess it's not too bad. You don't happen to have a doctor who can remove scars easily, right?"

Cassandra glanced at the almost imperceptible lines on Lyn's skin. "Not on me at the moment."

"Pity. I guess that'll have to do. I want your babies here by nine o'clock."

"Ten the day after tomorrow. We also have work to do. Oi, Jay! Quit playing around, and let everyone go without hurting them!"

"I'm right here." She whirled around on the ball of her foot to see a bronze-skinned woman ambling up and wiggling her pinky in her ear. "You don't need to shout so loudly."

"So that's how you infiltrated the security office," Meili stated. "You disguised yourself as Ms. Jewell. How are you able to walk?"

Jordan punched her own side, causing her bones to give a sickening series of cracks. "Did you mean this? Child's play. Shifting isn't easy, you know. Or perhaps, you were referring to this?" Her fist began vibrating rapidly and emitting a shrill hum. She frowned when Meili gave no reaction. "Oh, you're no fun at all. Aren't you the least bit impressed?"

"Only Captain Libera's deal is keeping your head attached to your shoulders."

The assassin gave a throaty laugh. "That's more like it. Even if I have ninety-nine spares, I'm rather attached to this one."

"Ten o'clock," Cassandra said loudly. "I'll see you then. You five, we're heading back. We have a lot of talking to do.

"Rain check, Cici." Jordan smiled widely. "Didn't you hear what I said? With the Furu Furu Fruit, there's no goddamn way I'm not getting all the pussy I want."

Cassandra's gloves creaked as she balled her fists tightly. "Oh, the words I have for these idiots don't even compare to what I have to say to you, Jordan."

"Cheers!" The impersonator waved over her shoulder as she walked off.

Alexander ambled up beside his captain. "Shouldn't you be going after her?"

It took Cassandra a few deep breaths to calm down. "No, she'll be back. She has to go with me for her to get her favor from Raven. I'll talk to her then. Anyway, Constance, Meili, we'll see you day after tomorrow. Black Glove Pirates, let's go home."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Cassandra cut a chunk from her apple and pushed it into her mouth. She lazily chewed, slowly spinning her knife in her fingers. Morgan clicked his tongue disapprovingly as she crossed her feet on the table, but never stopped cleaning the kitchen area. She had half a mind to tell him to go away, as her business lay almost entirely with the woman before her. Lyn had the decency to look chastised, but she had the same air as when she had been confronted by her abbess. Cassandra heaved a deep sigh as she rested her hand on her forehead.

"Lyn, you didn't listen to me."

"Well, technically I did." Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "See, you told me not to rescue you, which I wasn't doing."

"Excuse me, what?" The cook fell silent as the knife embedded itself a centimeter from his face.

"We weren't busting you out. We knew you would get in trouble when you tried to escape, and even though you're Captain, the casino's security was pretty good. So I thought it would be easier if we helped."

Cassandra rubbed her brow. "Why did you think I was going to try to escape?"

"Well, you hadn't seen us in a few days, so we couldn't check in! You said that we had to check in, or you'd do anything to get us back. So you'd try to break out, and it wouldn't be easy alone, so we helped!"

"Lyn, that's just an excuse you came up with to justify your actions. You know I did mean-"

"Did you think you were the only one who didn't get that rule?"

"What rule?"

"The rescuing rule you made before we landed."

The pirate captain stared for a moment, then groaned as she realized what Lyn was talking about. "Lyn..."

"Your two days were up. So we came and got you."

"Did you miss the part where I was released? You assaulted the casino for no reason."

"Doesn't matter."

Cassandra took her legs off the table and leaned forward. "What do you mean, it doesn't matter?"

"You may be our captain, but that doesn't mean all rules don't apply to you." Cassandra was surprised by the firmness in Lyn's voice. "You said yourself that it didn't matter what the situation was. You'd rather be embarrassed than have one of us dead. Really, I think the rule should go double for you. Without you, we can't have the Black Glove Pirates. I can't be the permanent captain. None of us can. We'd do anything for you. Why did you think we'd do otherwise?"

"If you'd do anything for me, then you would have listened to what I said. I told you not to try anything."

"No, we do what we think is right, even if it means not listening to you. If we did everything you said without question, you wouldn't have a crew. Morgan wouldn't be here, so Cain wouldn't be here. Damien wouldn't be here, so Alexander maybe wouldn't either. I would get tired of being bossed around. We listen to you almost all of the time because you're smarter than all of us put together and you're good at seeing both the big picture and the details, but you're still human, Captain. You aren't always right. And even when you are, sometimes you have to let us make our own decisions. If you want to punish me for not listening to you, fine. Don't blame the others. I was the one who told them that you wanted us to get you out after two days. They didn't know you didn't say that."

The gunslinger chewed leisurely as she thought. Lyn was basically correct, and Cassandra was surprised at the degree of resolution and determination she showed. The first mate was sitting up straight and calmly holding her captain's gaze. "I didn't want any of you to get hurt. That's why I gave that order."

"The Grand Line's a dangerous place. You said so yourself. We're gonna get into fights."

"I still don't like you getting hurt."

"Not knowing what's happening to you is a gazillion times worse than getting a bit scuffed up."

"I attribute your relative lack of injuries largely to luck."

"Oh please, luck wasn't all of it. You're not the only smart one here, after all."

Cassandra frowned, realizing the implication of Lyn's words. There had evidently been some sort of strategy, though she doubted that the first mate had created it. "Is that how you got Jay to participate? Letting her think of the plan? No, wait. You said you already had a plan and he forced you to change it. So it was Alexander?"

Lyn's giggles escalated into full-blown laughter. "See? You forgot something! Sometimes you have to stop overthinking everything and trust someone else! Alexander helped, but he didn't come up with the original plan!"

"Then who..." The half-eaten apple core fell to the floor as she realized. She turned around, her jaw open in amazement. Although Morgan was still wiping down the countertop, there was no mistaking the emotions in his sky blue eyes. "No way. I don't believe it."

"Yup!" Lyn couldn't stop laughing, fighting to get words through her amusement. "Alexander's smart too, but Morgie's a bandit prince! He's good at planning, even if he doesn't show it!"

"Oh, after his stunt last island, I don't believe for a second he's incapable of pulling of all manner of plots. I'm more surprised that he put together a plan to help me. He wanted me dead and gone not too long ago."

"I was just as surprised as you are now when Lyn told me that you had placed me in charge of making the plan," Morgan stated. "I had not expected you to trust me to put such a plan in motion, keeping in mind my previous actions. I assumed it was a test."

"Believe me, I wouldn't have given you a test right off the bat with my life at stake. Something more like finding Alexander if he got too drunk somewhere."

"Exactly!" Lyn chirped. "Trust between nakama is key. You'd be surprised at how good he was! He did everything seriously and efficiently. He even listened to when we shot down his ideas. Plus, when Jayjay showed up, he even figured out where to put her! It was like watching you make a plan, only out loud with multiple people over a few days."

Cassandra still hadn't recovered from her original shock. Morgan's face remained impassive, but his eyes betrayed his desire to join Lyn and laugh. "Four thousand." He paused his scrubbing and looked up in confusion. It was her turn to enjoy his obvious surprise. "The limit of the worth of each article of clothing. I'm raising it to four thousand."

The new price still excluded virtually all of Morgan's preferred style of clothing, but it had the desired effect. The prince gave a small smile filled with satisfaction. "Thank you, Captain. I'll put that to good use before we help with the reconstruction of the casino."

"Especially since we got my money back!" Lyn exclaimed. "Now go and upgrade your jewelry. We're past first watch and bedtime's soon, but it'll still make you feel better."

"Indeed. Thank you both." He bowed his head and hurried from the galley.

Cassandra grinned as she leaned back. "Did you see that? Just an additional two thousand and he acts like I gave him water when he was dying of thirst. You did a good job, Lyn. I didn't even dream he'd do so well. What deal did you work out with Damien?"

"Deal?"

"He almost never backs down from going on a rampage unless he gets something in return. What was it?"

"Oh! It was nothing."

"Nothing."

"Mmhmm!"

"I don't believe you. What was it?"

"Just a fight, nothing much!"

Cassandra gritted her teeth. "Deal sparring is not the same as regular sparring. Plus, you're hurt. I'll talk to him about it."

"No, you can't!" Cassandra frowned. "That's against the rules! I made the deal when I was in charge, so I have to go through with it! You can't change that. It's meaningless if I don't follow through!"

"It's also meaningless if you get yourself paralyzed for no good reason. Let me-"

"I said no!" Lyn planted her hands on the table and shot to her feet. "You're being stupid again! Damien was at the end of his punishment, and there was no way Alexander was going to do nothing. I had to do it. Do you know how weak he was? He lunged, and I could stop him! Me! I had to figure out a way to get him not to fire up and kill himself, because you know he would have done that unless I dealt with him right then and there. I made that decision, I'm sticking by it, and you can't do anything to change it!"

Cassandra closed her eyes and sighed. She really didn't like the situation, but Lyn seemed to have her heart set on it. "I will be watching and ready to interfere if he goes overboard. You can have your fight, but promise or not, I will not lose you."

"Don't be such a drama queen. He's may be untamed, but he's still our nakama. Oh, that reminds me!" The first mate hobbled over to the newspapers in the corner and began rummaging through it. "I wanted to wait until you got back to update!"

"Update what?"

"These!" Lyn made her way over to the door, stopping below the carvings above the doorway. She pulled out the knife pinning Cassandra's bounty poster below her carving and stuck the new one on top of the old. Cassandra admired the new picture, trying to figure out when during the battle on Brickwork it had been taken. She raised her eyebrows as Lyn stabbed a poster below Damien's face as well, and a smile spread across her face.

"77,000,000? The Untamed Infernal? It could be worse."

"You shoulda seen Alexander when I showed him. He was smiling all day. Damien was really happy too, which was good, because I had to bet I could make him laugh so he wouldn't raid our stores instead of eating properly."

Cassandra simply stared at the two posters. "So that's what Meili was talking about when he said our combined bounty was 197,000,000. I thought Jordan was impersonating a wanted pirate or something. Well, that's good. There's no way people won't take us seriously now. The Amaranth and the Infernal. Which of us do you think will be next?"

"Alexander," Lyn said instantly. "Morgan causes upsets, sure, but Alexander has the longest history with the Marines. He doesn't like to admit it, but he's a lot like Damien when it comes to them. Even in combat, he's a lot stronger when fighting them. Either him or me!"

"You? What have you done?"

"I'm first mate of the most kickass crew in the world!" Lyn glomped onto her captain, nearly knocking her chair over. "That has to count for something!"

"It is true. You'd have more than Damien if they knew how important you were. It makes me think your punishment shouldn't be too too bad."

"My punishment?"

The pirate captain put the first mate in a light headlock. "Of course. You still disobeyed me. As you said, nobody is exempt from the rules of the Black Glove Pirates, not even the first mate. You aren't allowed to leave my side for the rest of our stay on Juhla. That means no going to parties without me, parades without me, bars without me-"

"Silly Captain!" Lyn pressed her cheek to Cassandra's. "Then I should give you a punishment for giving orders that go against the rules of the Black Glove Pirates! You can't leave _my_ side forever!"

Cassandra couldn't help but laugh along with her first mate. "I think I'll find a way to be okay with that."


	35. Helping Hands

"Look, I'm telling you, this won't work!" Constance shouted. "You can't put that beam there!"

"This will make it more structurally sound," Cain protested. "And it's possible to make it not interfere with anything."

"Would both of you can it?" They both looked down at the construction foreman. He may not have come up past their knees, but his personality was bigger than either of them. "Now I don't give a rat's ass what either of you think. Your job is to act as mules carrying materials to cut down on the cost of labor. If I want your input, I'll bash myself over the head with a hammer to remind myself that I've been doing this for decades while you've been dressing up women and looking after men. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir," Cain said instantly. Constance grudgingly nodded as well.

"Good. Now, I have I have a few tons of lumber that need to be prepped and ready to install. This is even more annoying because of all the goddamn water damage. Plus, we have to work around those weasels."

The two enormous humans looked at the street repairing crew, who continually cast glares in their direction. "That was your fault," Constance said offhandedly.

"I was not the one who slammed us into the ground."

"It was your body that did the damage."

"I never touched the ground myself."

Cassandra smiled as she watched the bickering pair. She supposed it wasn't often that Cain interacted with another human his size. It was especially impressive that Constance was a lot stronger than he was. The skin on her face as already returning to its original ochre tone, though a couple of particularly nasty bruises still lingered.

"Did I mention how weird it is whenever Cain's not just acting like a robot?"

The pirate captain looked up to see Lyn hanging from the beam above her by one leg and two crutches. Her broken leg stuck straight up into the air like a flagpole. "I'm not catching you if you fall, you know."

"I can't leave your side, remember? You'd have to fall with me."

Cassandra grunted. "And you've seen Cain act like that tons of times. We just usually leave him be when he's working because we don't want to disturb him."

"Like hell I'm doing that any more. He doesn't mind at all."

"There's a difference between chatting while working and pestering. How is your skirt disobeying the laws of gravity?"

"Well, if it didn't, someone would throw a temper tantrum and I'd never hear the end of it."

Alexander was resting on the lip of the fountain below them, gratefully chugging at a cup of water. The construction workers had been enchanted by his ability to change materials to whatever they needed. Although they did their best to be understanding of his limits, there always seemed to be another job for him to do. Fortunately, the alchemist didn't mind and pushed himself as hard as he could to keep up. Cassandra thought it was good training to improve his transmutation speed and accuracy as well as his stamina. She might have him do odd jobs such as this more often.

She was also surprised at how Morgan made himself useful. Although his strength was an asset by carrying heavy loads, he was also occasionally asked to use his Devil Fruit in an unexpected way. Because he cleanly consumed whatever he used to kickstart his armor wrapping, the construction workers sometimes needed him to correct a mistake or remove a troublesome piece of debris without damaging its surroundings. Although his irritation with dealing with people he considered beneath him was evident, his more expensive clothing and jewelry almost completely overrode any negative feelings he felt. To his credit, he completely ignored the many disparaging remarks made about his outfit.

"It's my crutches, in case you were still wondering."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "I wasn't."

"Why do you think he conked out there?"

"Why do you think I can ever explain what he does?"

After being told about their adventure in the casino, Damien had insisted he come and see for himself. He was obviously unimpressed, as he had quickly fallen asleep in the middle of the plaza. After he had growled angrily at the person who had complained that he was in the way, the construction workers had just learned to walk around him. He luckily hadn't chosen to plop down in the most heavily trafficked path, but he was still the same inconvenience he always was.

"Where's Jay?" Lyn demanded. "I haven't seen him around."

"He's undoubtedly avoiding me and being his usual lecherous self." Most of Cassandra's anger had cooled down, but there was no way the irresponsible assassin was going to leave the island without a stern talking-to. "He knows the Log Pose sets tomorrow. He'll be back. Anyway, do you have any plans for tonight?"

Lyn shook her head. "Not any more. I didn't think being with you would be such a punishment, Captain."

"I'm offended. We went to that club yesterday, didn't we?"

"Yeah, then we got thrown out when you knocked that guy's teeth down his throat."

"He shouldn't have groped me."

"He was just being friendly!"

"He put my hand up my dress."

"You could have just said something!"

"I did. I told him about respect."

"After he was on the floor!"

"That counts."

"You're impossible!" Lyn threw up her hands and almost hit Cassandra in the face. Her crutches clattered to the ground far below, narrowly avoiding two workers. "Oops."

Cassandra barely reacted in time, catching the first mate as she fell down. They both very nearly fell off, and it was only by Cassandra straining her muscles to the limit that they didn't. "A little warning would have been nice."

"You were fine!" Lyn exclaimed as she threw her arms around her captain's neck.

"You could have hung there and given me time to prepare."

"But you said I shouldn't do anything to hurt my leg!"

Cassandra sighed and ran her fingers through Lyn's hair. "And you say I'm impossible."

"You are! The impossiblest stubbornest thickheadedest person I know!"

"You sure about that? Have you met Damien? Or Alexander?" Cassandra paused. "Or Raven or Cain or Morgan?"

Lyn looked down at all of the pirates. "Like things attract!"

"That's opposites attract," Cassandra corrected airily.

"But they aren't opposite."

"Never mind." The sniper sighed contentedly and leaned back against the beam. She did enjoy the relaxation she felt as she looked out over Juhla. It always felt nice not having to worry about her crew being attacked or some other danger. At sea, the weather was always a threat. Ashore, there seemed to be no end of troubles. She liked being able to just sit back and idly observe her surroundings. It also helped that her sniper rifle was hanging on a peg nearby, and a small crate filled with ammunition rested on the scaffolding beside her.

It was a lot easier to relax when she knew she could deal with any problems in an instant.

"You still didn't have to punch him."

"He was a dick. He deserved it."

"If you're gonna punch every person who touches you, you're gonna have problems with your hand."

"They'll run out of teeth before my healing can't keep up. Besides, it sends a message. Permission first. Speaking of which, Ciera could not keep off of you."

Lyn stifled a giggle. "She only had one shot too. Just like that other person I saw who almost completely lost it after one shot."

"Let's focus on Ciera."

"Oh, come on, Captain! You have to admit it was funny. You just did not stop ranting about Jordan and Damien and Raven and Morgan and how much trouble they caused you and how much you loved them and-"

The pirate captain pressed her lips together. "And Ciera had barely finished her shot before she was hanging on you like a scarf."

"Yup! It was so funny, both of you trying to talk over the other."

"Why didn't you take her back? I'm mostly sure I told you I'd kip out in the medical ward. Damien's snores can wake the dead, but you get used to them if you're really exhausted."

"She wasn't very nice. She was only trying to make her boyfriend upset."

"Did it work?"

Lyn giggled openly. "He thought it was hot and wanted us to kiss. You 'accidentally' fell and smashed his balls. I'm surprised you didn't cause an uproar. You're a pretty good liar even when you're drunk."

The sniper frowned as she stared into space. "I don't remember that at all."

"Yeah, Ciera got pretty mad at you, but you were all sunshine and innocence. I also think you broke her wrist when she tried to slap you. Did anybody ever tell you you can get violent really easily?"

"No, it never occurred to me that self-defense is so deeply ingrained that I react quickly and forcefully. If I recall, you stopped waking me up unexpectedly."

"You've stopped attacking me when I try to wake you up. There's a difference."

"Maybe I've stopped registering you as a threat, though Mors only knows why. You cause me no end of trouble."

"What do you think Raven's doing?"

The question caught Cassandra completely by surprise. "I dunno. Reminding her family that she is her father's daughter, I would assume."

"Who else would she be? I thought she wasn't adopted."

"How do you have the ability to become friends with anyone in the world despite having such a lopsided mastery of our fair language?"

"The world?"

"Seriously, remind me to buy you a book of idioms and sayings. You can share it with Raven when she comes back."

"Hey, I know plenty of sayings! And I'm not an idiot!"

Cassandra laughed and shook her head. "I never said..." She reflected that she wasn't entirely sure if she had insulted Lyn previously, even in a mocking tone. "I know you're not."

"I can count all the way to thirteen!"

The pirate captain laughed so hard that she almost fell off. "Lyn, what would I do without you?"

"Anything you want! You're gonna be Pirate Queen! That's why I got you the pirate hat. I always thought you needed it instead of that cowboy one. Anyway, you're gonna take me to see the whole world and get Damien and Alexander to the Marine place and Damien to all the good fighters and Alexander to a world concert and Raven to do something or other and Cain to make a weapon or something and teach Morgan to be a good leader and make him rich!"

"Two of those aren't like the others."

"Yeah, well Raven still doesn't have a dream, and I didn't really understand Cain's. I'm not worried, though. Cain already has something he wants to do: protect Morgan at all costs."

Cassandra remembered the heartfelt arguments Cain had made on Morgan's behalf. "You're right. We don't have to worry about him at all. He may protect Morgan, but we're his nakama too. He would fight the world before wilfully allowing harm to come to the rest of us."

"Well, you're immortal. You don't count."

"I'm not immortal."

"Sure you are."

"It's unrealistic for you to think I'll never die. I don't intend to before I become Queen of the Pirates, but I don't know what the gods have in store for me. I'll-"

She was cut off as Lyn's grip tightened painfully. "I won't let you die. I won't go through that again. We'll drag you back if we have to. Don't think we can't."

Cassandra stroked Lyn's hair soothingly. "As I said, I don't intend to die. Our profession comes with risks, but I have faith we can handle it. If Raven were here, I wouldn't be worried at all."

"I think you depend on Raven almost as much as she depends on you."

"Believe me, it wasn't always that way."

"You still haven't told us why she likes you so much."

"It's not that complicated a story, but I still don't understand Raven's side of it. I don't feel comfortable talking about it without her."

"Fair enough." Lyn squirmed around to get more comfortable. "But it was a big deal for you, right?"

Cassandra chuckled. "It was. I'm a pirate now, and thank the gods for that."

"Yeah! Let's have a party!"

"Wait, how did you make that leap of logic?"

"Pirates party. We're on a party island. We just succeeded in not dying, We don't have to party with other people, even if we are on the island of festivities. We can have a bonfire by the _Knave_ or something. C'mon, it'll be fun! Morgan can make a feast, and Alexander can be music! Get some of Damien's happy drink and a whole Sea King for Cain and a whole apple tree and we'll be set!"

"Indeed. That sounds good." She gently deposited Lyn on the scaffolding beside her and got to her feet. "You get to planning that. It looks to me that Meili wants to ask me something."

Lyn peered over the edge and squinted at the man looking up at them. "Oh yeah. Race you there!"

"No, wait-"

The first mate was already lowering herself hand over hand down the frame. Cassandra sighed and pulled the rifle strap onto her shoulder. After picking up the crate of ammunition and making sure everything was secure, she hopped off. Her landing severely injured her legs, but she was able to bear through the pain and stand up freely. She tossed the box over beside her sleeping navigator, making sure to hit him in the stomach, then faced the head of security.

"Mr. Mint would like to see you now," he said without preamble.

"Lyn will be accompanying me."

Meili didn't react at all as the first mate landed on top of her captain, sending them both to the ground. "Very well. Follow me."

"Not helpful," Cassandra snapped under her breath.

Lyn's only response was a beaming grin as she fetched her crutches. The trio made their way into the casino, giving Cassandra a good look at the reconstruction happening in the interior. Workers noisily bustled about, all shouting at each other using terms she didn't understand. There were a few people easily recognizable as the Mint State Casino servers who were helping out in much the same way the Black Glove Pirates were, carrying heavy loads and doing odd jobs. It was interesting seeing all the reconstruction taking place given the previous grandeur of the casino.

Humorously enough, Mint's office was completely untouched. Some of the books were less dusty than Cassandra had last seen them, but the room was otherwise exactly the same. Lyn was provided a footrest for her injured leg, and Meili took his place by Mint's side. After a brief unintelligible exchange between the two, Mint turned to the pirates. "Mr. Mint thanks you for coming to his office so quickly. He is, however, curious about Lyn's presence."

"She's not allowed out of my sight after what she did. I don't need her causing any more trouble."

Lyn looked suitably chastised and thankfully remained silent.

"Mr. Mint is not pleased with the damage you and your crewmembers did to his casino."

"I'm not happy with it either, but I'll remind you that we didn't have to help you fix anything. We could have just sailed away. I already have the Marines and no few bounty hunters after me, not to mention a couple other organizations that want me or one of my crewmembers dead. Nothing you could have done would have changed that."

"Mr. Mint believes your words are only attempts to soothe your conscience. He reminds you that Madame Constance and I were fully capable of continuing to fight. It is only by your underhanded attack upon Mr. Mint that you emerged from the situation so advantageously."

"I firmly believe in doing anything in my power to win, underhanded or not. I'd rather be a coward with a pulse than an honorable corpse. Lyn staged a rescue attempt while aiming for zero casualties. Believe me when I say I'm not that nice. Why am I here?"

Mint's mild reaction once again confirmed that Meili's translation wasn't entirely accurate. "Mr. Mint merely wanted to speak with you again. That was why he did not allow you to aid in the reconstruction effort."

"Nobody 'allows' me to do anything. You didn't want me to help; that's fine. I didn't stand down because I wasn't 'allowed' to participate. If I really wanted to help, you would accept my help." She gave a toothy smile. "Willingly or at gunpoint. But then, that would defeat the purpose, now wouldn't it?"

"Mr. Mint would have liked to participate in the negotiations. He understands that given the situation, you had to talk with myself and Madame Constance, but he would have preferred being able to talk despite being a hostage."

"If I recall correctly, you had a chance to talk through Meili or one of your other goons. But that's not hostages do. I don't care to consider hypotheticals about the past. We can't change what happened. You still haven't fully answered my question. Why am I here?"

"Mr. Mint notes that you were not as hostile during your previous encounters. He had expected more humility."

"Everything was was going smoothly before. You make a false accusation; I take Lyn's place so we can sort it out. Although we are pirates, we don't have to flout the law at every turn. At the time, you were only dealing with me. I'm a proud woman, but I don't often start fights I don't need to. When you involve the Black Glove Pirates, that's an entirely different matter. Collectively, we are far more dangerous than just me alone. As you saw two nights ago."

Meili paused when he received Mint's words before translating. "Mr. Mint wonders why you would walk into his office with Ms. Lyn, given your protectiveness of her. He is not happy that the Mint State Casino has lost a lot of money due to the reconstruction and lack of revenue. With your willingness of underhanded tricks, why should he not reciprocate and take you two hostage?"

Cassandra shrugged. "Go for it. Lyn's healing well, and she's more agile than she looks."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

"Plus, you haven't seen all of my crew yet. One of them is still taking a vacation, but I can't scare you with cards you don't understand. However, surely you can't be unaware of the 77 million snoring away out front. He's not called 'Untamed' for nothing. Even I have a hard time stopping him when he gets going, and by the gods does he love to get going. He'll raze this building to the ground along with everybody inside. I may have the higher bounty, but that's just because I present more than a physical threat. He's all brawn and no brains. There's no reasoning with him. If you try to attack me or Lyn, no force on Juhla will keep you alive."

The casino owner studied her over his steepled fingers as Meili relayed her words. "Mr. Mint admires your confidence, but he would like to remind you once again that he believes in the fighting prowess of his employees. Two nights ago, we were caught off-guard and focused more on evacuating the premises. All he has to do is say the word, and your crewmembers will be the ones caught unawares."

"We're pirates. Being caught by the unexpected is how we operate. If you want to attack, the sooner the better. I'm just as confident in the skills of my crew as you are in yours. I'm telling you now that we will win this fight. You've seen how my crew gets more dangerous when more of them are together. Even with one missing, the rest of us will be more than enough to destroy everything you have. I'd think long and hard about pulling that trigger. We won't be the ones to start the fighting this time, but we will definitely be the ones finishing it."

Mint's eyes bored into hers for the longest while. When he spoke, his words were filled with thinly veiled rage. "Mr. Mint thanks you and your crew for your assistance, and he would hate to detain you from your travels any further. He assures you that the reconstruction will continue to go smoothly in your absence. He wishes you the best of luck and encourages you to enjoy the festivities Juhla has to offer."

Cassandra bowed her head and got to her feet. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Carlo. Let's go."

She strode from the room without waiting for an assigned escort. Two muscular men hastened after her, narrowly beating her to the elevator. She waited until Lyn caught up before entering and leaned casually against the wall, smirking victoriously. She had been the one to offer with the construction, but it was evident Mint deemed her too great a threat to keep around. She supposed his worries were not invalid, as she had tried to emphasize how the situation would change if things didn't go her way. It was a pity to part on such sour terms, but it couldn't be helped. They were pirates, after all.

"You've got to tell me how to do that!" Lyn exclaimed suddenly, causing Cassandra to start. "That was so cool!"

"What was?"

"You! I bet he wanted to get more out of you, but now we're walking away! How did you do that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. That wasn't anything special. I just made threats that I could and would follow through. It's a lot easier to state the facts than bluff."

"I've seen you do both, but that's not what I'm saying. He owns a casino worth billions of Beli, and you made him almost shit his pants! You really were like a queen! How did you do that?"

Cassandra shrugged. "My family doesn't use disguises like Jay's or skills like Raven's. We manipulate from behind the scenes. The name 'Black Glove' was chosen because we have our fingers in everything. One isn't the heiress to an organization like that without learning a few tricks here and there."

"Oh, neat! Why is Raven's family called..." Lyn frowned as she tried to remember.

The pirate captain laughed as they exited the elevator. "It's a funny story. Make sure to ask her when she gets back. For now, let's focus on the pirates we have here."

"I'll get Morgan! I need to convince him to make a feast, and I don't want you to bully him into doing it."

Cassandra rolled her eyes as she waved the first mate away. She didn't think the casino would try anything. If they even touched Lyn, she would have fun joining Damien in his rampage, assuming she could goad him into it. Before she could wake him, however, she spotted a lone man standing at the edge of the construction site. Malik's expression of desolate fury spoke volumes. Cassandra felt no remorse as she approached the crippled man. His watery eyes never left her, and he constantly readjusted his grip on his crutches.

"I assume Iris didn't survive."

He gave a weak smile completely devoid of humor. "She did, bitch. You think you're so good, but you're not. You didn't manage to kill her."

"Pity. I know I did a lot of damage. She can't be well off if she didn't come herself."

"She hasn't woken up," he said shakily. "She lost her arm, her knee, lots of her insides, most of her face, her beautiful face..."

"So, what? You want revenge? Is that why you've come?"

"No. We've lost. I just want you to know what you've done."

"I'm actually glad. Comatose and maimed is better than dead. What she called my crew, what she said she'd like to do to them... She deserves no less. I would like to do so much more, but I don't have the time." Malik's entire body tensed, and he trembled with rage. "What, are you mad at me? Good. Remember that anger, that fear. Spread the message as far and wide as you can. Anyone who threatens to rape and butcher my crew will suffer tremendously. If Iris does miraculously wake up and wants round two, I'll always be waiting. By the time I'm finished with her, she'll know she got off light the first time."

Malik soundlessly opened and closed his mouth as he fought for words. She turned on her heel and walked away. It was incredibly impressive that Iris had survived. Cassandra had been sure she had inflicted lethal damage. Regardless, the issue was put to rest. She was reasonably sure none of her crew knew about the atrocities Iris had spoken of, and she intended to keep it that way. She only wished Raven were at her side to get the job done properly.

Putting the issue from her mind, she remembered she had a crew to assemble. She might as well start with Damien, as she might need time to deal with any potential antics. She hopped onto the damaged fountain and crouched above the sleeping man. "Oi, meathead. It's time to leave."

His snoring only grew louder. She drew her pistol and shot him in the forehead, but he turned his head in time to deflect the bullet into the ground. He sleepily blinked a few times and gave a wide yawn. "Ain' nice t' shoot somebody, bastard."

"Wake up like a normal person and I wouldn't have to. Get up. We're leaving."

"Already?" He heaved himself to his feet and scratched at his bleeding forehead. "Just fuckin' got 'ere."

"No we haven't. Some of us were actually doing work."

"Who is us?" Alexander walked up, dusting off his hands. "You were slacking off just as much as he was."

"I was not slacking off. I was told my help wasn't needed, and I didn't want to push the issue. How would you like to do more volunteering? I think it would really help you with your Devil Fruit."

"I can see that happening. Have a good rest, Hothead?"

Damien gave a low growl. "I'm fuckin' starvin', and shitty Cap'n decided t' fuckin' shoot me."

"It's really creepy when you don't meet violence with violence," Cassandra stated. "Especially since you tend to meet everything with violence."

"Then why'd you fuckin' shoot me?"

"I had to wake you up somehow, and that was the fastest way. Don't be such a baby. You get shot tons of times and don't bat an eyelash."

The earth trembled slightly as Cain ran up, Morgan and Lyn sitting on his shoulders. "Is it true we're leaving right now?"

"Would I lie to you?" Lyn asked. "I know you want to spend time with your girlfriend, but you can always see her later."

"Girlfriend...?"

"She means Constance," Cassandra said. "It's good that you three are together. You can get the supplies for the feast. Lyn's in charge, obviously, but I trust Cain to be the responsible one. Lyn, don't tease him."

"Aww, but I never get to tease Cain!" gushed the first mate. "He's so boring and straight-laced! And unlike some stupid, thickheaded, brainless, slow-witted people who'll remain named Damien, he responds!"

"You can't use insults with Damien," Alexander said. "You're just speaking his language."

The navigator rested his hand on Alexander's head, causing the musician's knees to nearly buckle. "Th' fuck are you talkin' about, harlot? Wha' fuckin' language?"

"We can act like a crew when we don't have work to do!" Cassandra interjected. "Cain, here's the money. Don't let them compel you into buying anything unreasonable, you hear me? I'm your captain, so I outrank all of them. You have my permission to ignore their orders, got it?"

Cain gave a wide grin as he saluted. "Yes, ma'am."

"But Captain, I'm not allowed to leave your side!" Lyn protested.

"Forgot about that," she muttered. "Well, Damien and I are going to spar to make sure he hasn't forgotten how to fight. Since I don't want you to get hurt, I give you permission to temporarily be elsewhere."

"Wait, we're doin' wha'?"

"Sparring. You know, fighting? The only thing you're good for?"

"I told you, wench, I'm fuckin' starvin'."

She slammed her fist into the side of his head. "The only times you don't want to fight are the times I need you to. Why is that?"

"Ask the cockmuncher 'oo stuck me in a fuckin' room for a week. I'm goin' with them."

Lyn cheered and propelled herself at him, only to have him sidestep out of the way. She would have bellyflopped onto the street if Cassandra hadn't dove beneath her. Cain gently picked her off of the pirate captain and placed her back onto his shoulder. "Are you okay, Captain Libera?"

"I want a new crew," she groaned. "Can I just have five copies of you, Cain? That seems like it'd be a lot easier."

"You'd be so broke," Lyn giggled. "Imagine feeding five of him."

Cain scratched his collarbone as he averted his eyes. Damien roughly grabbed Cassandra by the back of her shirts and hoisted her up. "Don' be so limpdicked, Cap'n. Tha's barely a fuckin' scratch."

"I'd rather have a hundred of Cain than one of you. Why are you even here?"

Alexander raised his finger. "I'm going too, in case you were wondering."

"Oh, come on, not you too. I'm not going back home alone. I wanted to relax, not supervise the lot of you shopping."

"Yes, but there's an easy way of taking care of that."

It took a moment for Cassandra to figure out what he was talking about, then she gave a wide grin. "You're right, first mate. Hey, Lyn! You're captain until we get back to the _Knave_."

The artist beamed brightly. "Sure thing, Queen! Let's go shopping!"


	36. Amends Around the Fire

Shopping with the Black Glove Pirates was always an adventure in and of itself. Even though Cassandra wasn't technically in charge, she couldn't help but try to keep them in line. It also didn't help that her presence gave Lyn no reason to behave properly, and the artist was all over the place. The only times she wasn't hyperactively bouncing around were when she was chattering with her nakama. She also insisted on dragging them through every parade and festival that she could find. More than once she mentioned Alexander's musical prowess to the entertainers, and the alchemist was helplessly roped into participating. For all of his grumbling, it was evident he was enjoying himself.

Morgan was still showing his excitement for his raised clothing price limit. Although nobody missed his longing glances at expensive clothes or jewelry stores, he didn't look as depressed when he saw the prices. Cassandra chalked it up to his realization that his punishments were not permanent and could be lightened by good behavior. She didn't know how long his good mood would last, but she hoped it would help him in the long run. Although she wanted to help him reach his goal by methods other than bribery and punishments, the end result might be the same. Only time would tell.

Cain didn't complain as he slowly became burdened with groceries and supplies, but the baggage also didn't slow him in the slightest. He had no shortage of adventurous children running up to him in awe and greeted them all kindly. When he had announced that he and Morgan had to return home to prepare food, Cassandra had to order him back before the children's obvious disappointment changed his mind. Damien had been surprisingly cooperative, only knocking two shopkeepers through walls and overturning one food stand. Most of the time he just wandered in the general vicinity as his crewmates, idly munching on the haunch of some dead animal. He had also completely ignored Lyn tying balloons to his dreadlocks, which made him look completely ridiculous and caused the other pirates to nearly die of laughter.

After being sidetracked in a concert that all of the pirates at least mildly enjoyed themselves, they finished their shopping and returned to the _Howling Knave_ as the sun began to set. Cain had already constructed a bonfire with the dismantled stand and gladly rowed Alexander to the ship bobbing some distance from the shore. Damien made himself useful by staying out of the way and taking a nap in the fire pit while Cain created makeshift tables and benches. When he finished making the furniture, he rowed tirelessly back and forth from the ship as he brought the food ashore.

By the time all traces of daylight had vanished from the sky, their party was complete. The food was prepared, and the pirates were all gathered around. Cassandra didn't even have time to take a bite before she detected people moving towards them. She got to her feet with her pistols drawn, only pausing when Lyn put a hand on her belt. "I invited them! Be nice!"

"Who did you invite?"

"Some of the casino people!" Lyn said brightly. All of the pirates looked at her as if she were insane. "What? I wanted to make it up to them for making a mistake. Isn't that right?"

Cassandra was surprised at who had arrived. Meili strode surely at the front of the small group, his suit impeccable and a tall bespectacled woman at his side. A few people that Cassandra thought she recognized as servers were hastening to keep up with Constance, who towered over them all. Meili pulled his sword sheath from his side and held it out to Cassandra. She raised an eyebrow at the offered weapon, unsure about what she was supposed to do. Realization dawned when he also extended a length of string.

"A peace bond," Meili said smoothly, "to show there is no ill will between us."

The pirate captain bowed her head and handed the weapon off to Lyn. She drew her pistols one at a time and emptied them in plain sight. She pulled the triggers to demonstrate she had left no bullets inside them, choosing not to show how quickly she could reload them if she needed to. As Lyn gave Meili back his sword, Cassandra looked at the gathered casino employees. "Lyn didn't tell me you were coming."

"On Juhla, it is considered impolite to turn down an invitation."

"They attacked us," Constance reminded him. "We could stand being impolite."

"Nevertheless, Ms. Lyn did show genuine remorse over her actions. We also reasoned you would have no motivation to attack us outside of the Mint State Casino."

"Hey, I'm not sorry we did what we did," Lyn clarified. "I'd do it again a thousand times over. I just wanted to show you that we only wanted to get Captain out. I'm sorry that we had to smash up your place and hurt your friends, but not that we tried to help her out."

Meili nodded. "Indeed. Thank you for your honesty. I believe introductions are in order. You may call me Meili, and this is Ms. Jeanne."

The woman beside him bowed deeply, a single strand of hair slipping from her tight bun. "Good evening."

"I believe you are all acquainted with Madame Constance, and Ms. Gracie and Ms. Floss are accompanying her this evening."

"But you can call me Candy!" The woman leapt forward and seized Cassandra's hand in a painfully strong grip. "I know all about you!"

"Thanks, I think." Cassandra managed to extract her hand, flexing to regain feeling in her fingers. "I'm Cassandra, and I bet all of you know Lyn."

"Hiya!"

"Next to him is Alexander, and the big one over there is Cain. Morgan's the one making food, and Damien's the one eating it- Hey! Couldn't you wait a goddamn minute?"

The navigator glanced up from his massive hunk of meat. "Fuck off, Cap'n."

"You're going to make yourself sick if you don't pace yourself," Alexander told him. "You can't just eat nonstop after not eating anything for six days."

"Watchu talkin' about, slut? I 'aven' been eatin' nonstop."

"Not literally, but still."

Meili's eyes roved around for a moment before focusing on Cassandra. "You seem to be missing a crewmember."

The pirate captain rubbed her forehead. "Yeah, well, he's being a coward and not coming back right now. I have a few words for him that he doesn't want to hear. He's undoubtedly off getting smashed somewhere, so I don't care about him. He can take care of himself."

"Very well. Make yourselves comfortable," he told his fellow employees. "We brought some food and drinks of our own."

Morgan hastily hobbled over to look at the boxes Constance placed before him. "I asked for sour cherries. What are these?"

"Bilberries, raspberries, goldberries, and some others," Constance said, crossing her arms defiantly. "We couldn't find as many sour cherries as you wanted. If you don't know how to use them, Gracie will help you."

The chef gritted his teeth as he turned to the smug server. "What will you need to prepare whatever dessert you insist on inflicting upon us?"

"Water, sugar, starch, a huge pan, and a huge freezer."

"We don't have a huge freezer. Perhaps you should have factored that in when you made your decision to deviate from my request."

"We are going to provide you with a Juhlan staple. Deal with it."

"Unless Juhlan staples involve conjuring large blocks of ice from the ether, I don't see how your dish will be completed."

"That's a cool tattoo!" Lyn exclaimed. "Can I see the rest of it?"

Jeanne undid the top buttons of her suit and pulled her shirt aside enough to expose the lionfish covering her upper chest, shoulder, and neck. "It covers up a scar I got from a drunken whale who smashed a bottle on me."

Lyn cocked her head to the side. "How could a whale hit you with a bottle? Did you run into it with a boat?"

The tall woman looked like she wasn't sure whether Lyn was being serious or not. "Whale as in high rollers at the casino."

"Oh!" Lyn cocked her head to the other side. "Why are they called whales?"

"Oi." Constance looked down to see Damien staring up at her. "Biggun said some 'uge bint 'eld 'im back. That you?"

"You need to watch your mouth, boy. Did your mother never teach you manners?" His straight jab knocked her leg out from beneath her, forcing her to kneel. She blocked his upward punch with her hand, and her face darkened. Damien hopped backwards and burst into the air, only to be smacked clear across the beach by Cain.

"Sorry about that," the enormous pirate said sheepishly. "He has his moments. Please don't hold that against the rest of us."

Cassandra swore beneath her breath as she sprinted to confront the navigator charging back at them. It was fortunate Cain hadn't held back, giving her plenty of time to reach Damien. He bulled right into her, forcing her to cling to him as she shouted, "What the fuck will it take for you to cooperate for five seconds?"

"I 'aven't 'ad a good fight in ages," he snarled.

"All those blows to your head must have fucked up your memory. You took on one of Raven's family members, fought for four days against Jay, then woke from the dead to wipe out half a Marine crew, kill their commander, and drive off their captain, and after that fought all of us, survived nevermeltice keeping your spirits from sustaining you, and staved off starvation for nearly a week. Even for you, that's ridiculous. Calm the fuck down! Constance is stronger than Cain, but she's about as fast and she hasn't had formal training. I could take her down. You wouldn't have any trouble. Now listen, listen!"

He finally slowed to a stop, still some distance from the bonfire. "Fuckin' wha'?"

"You need to slow down. Remember- hey!" She moved in front of him as he began to walk forward. "Remember Fyuchrzend? You took two weeks to rest, that time after Reverse Mountain and that time when you went around the island. Bear in mind this after you kicked the crap out of me and took on all those enemies on Reichmann Island. I know you live to fight, but you need to heal up. Get that through your fucking head. If you do this one thing - avoid frivolous fights like this - I'll give you the best fight you've had so far."

This certainly attracted his attention. His list of opponents he had faced was filled with absurdly tough fighters. His glare intensified as it shifted from the bonfire to her. "And wha' might tha' be?"

"When Raven comes back, I'll let her fight you for thirty seconds."

"Thirty seconds? Are you outta yer fuckin'-"

"In that time, I will give her authorization to kill you."

Cassandra had absolutely no intention of doing anything of the sort, but he didn't have to know that. A crazed grin spread across his face as he realized the implications. Damien was not quite as good as Raven when it came to fighting, but the small assassin was unfathomably better at killing. Despite the doctor's threats, she had always aimed to incapacitate him. There was a difference between fighting and assassination, a difference she knew Damien fully appreciated. Cassandra wasn't sure Damien would be able to survive thirty seconds. She had doubts he could last ten.

"All righ'." His grin continued to widen, his teeth gleaming dangerously. "All righ'. Tha's fair. Yahahahar! Blackie best be ready! This is gonna be fun!"

"You know you can beat Constance. I can beat Constance. Cain might be able to beat her. It doesn't matter. Unless someone too strong comes along and we need your help, focus on healing. If you do, I'll give you your thirty seconds." This entirely depended on Damien not telling Raven about it. Even if she explained the situation to Raven, she had a feeling that Raven would side with Damien. The youngest Moon Sister's devotion was unmatched, but Cassandra also knew what lengths Raven went through to remove those she perceived as threats.

When the pair arrived back at the bonfire, it was impossible not to miss the guarded looks that the Mint State Casino employees cast in their direction. Cain and Alexander helped alleviate the tension by offering Damien food and conversation, which he readily accepted. Morgan glanced over with a concerned expression much like Cassandra would have worn if she were ignorant to the situation. Damien's unbridled happiness was never a good sign.

"He's untamed," she explained to the employees. It was slightly amusing that the World Government had given her an official excuse about his actions. "Useful in a fight and not much else."

"A curious ally," Meili said. "But then, allies are not always as obvious as they seem."

Cassandra didn't like the subtext hidden in his words, mostly because she didn't know what he was insinuating. "He's a monster who should be put to death for everything he's done, but he's my monster, my nakama. As you saw earlier, he doesn't always need to be let off his leash to help me out."

The swordsman looked at the people gathered around the bonfire. Lyn was clambering on top of Constance, ignoring Cain's repeated remonstrations. Morgan was arguing heatedly with Jeanne, whose rosy cheeks were explained by the empty bottle of wine in her free hand. Candy sat awestruck in front of Alexander while he played a saxophone he had picked up somewhere. Despite his earlier words, Damien had engaged Gracie in a strange drinking game that involved slugging the other in the face after finishing each shot.

"You have assembled quite an eclectic crew, Captain Libera," Meili said at last.

"The spice of life. They're also handy in a pinch. No sense having six hammers instead of a full toolkit."

"So you view your crewmembers as simply tools."

"No," she said sharply. "They are my nakama. I would not be here without them. They're like family to me."

"Forgive me. I meant no offense. I was just clarifying."

She grunted as she caught the bottle of cider Lyn tossed over and took a swig. Meili hesitated as she passed him the bottle, but eventually took a drink as well. Cassandra didn't miss Lyn's obvious wink before the first mate returned to chattering with Constance. Gracie dug a furrow in the sand as she flew backwards and instantly got to her feet when she stopped sliding. She cracked her neck and ran back to smash her fist into Damien's face.

"The combat skills demonstrated by your crew are quite impressive," Meili noted. "Do you only recruit based on physical prowess?"

Cassandra couldn't help but chuckle at this. "I should say not. I'm certainly glad they can defend themselves if the need arises - being a pirate is dangerous, after all - but it wasn't a necessity. Also, I never asked any of them to join my crew. Well, except for Lyn. I had to start somewhere. The rest decided to join on their own."

"You allow strangers to freely join?"

"Why not? At first, I needed a crew. I found a man who could turn metal into water and a man who almost single-handedly razed a Marine outpost, two men who had piracy in their blood. Of course, just because they joined doesn't mean I trusted them immediately. I had to depend on them due to my relative lack of crewmembers, but they proved themselves readily enough. The others I knew well enough to know who they were when they joined."

"Why do you favor a small crew?"

The pirate captain shrugged. "Mass recruiting can be a pain, and I have enough troubles on my plate as it is. Did you know that Morgan and Damien both tried to kill me on Brickwork?" Meili only blinked. "Yeah, a real pain to deal with. I have my hands full enough with them. There were a few people I had hoped would show interest in joining, but they wanted to do their own thing. I don't like asking if I don't think they'll join. I won't bind any of the Black Glove Pirates here unwillingly." She briefly reflected upon Morgan's decision to stay on the crew despite his attempted assassination. "No matter what they do."

Meili stared into the fire. "An interesting philosophy. Do you have any restrictions on who may join?"

"Why are you asking so many questions?" She leaned in slightly. "Are you interested in joining?"

"No." She hadn't expected such a blunt response. "Although I was let go from the Mint State Casino, I already have a job waiting at the Storm's Port."

"You were fired? Why?"

"Mr. Mint believes I mishandled your situation. He also believes that our repeated encounters with Mr. Bovic indicate a lack of vigilance on my part."

"That's ridiculous. Jadou's sneaky as all hell. You should try to hire him."

"The offer has been extended more than once. Besides, I was hired for my skills which are no longer required. I am lucky to have been hired by Ms. Gio and Mr. Assam. I am not the head of security, but my new position is financially secure. My situation is not so bad."

"So my crew-"

He gave the faintest of smiles. "You and your crew were simply the last straw. Mr. Mint has been dissatisfied with my service for quite some time."

"Really? I can't imagine why. Were you skimming money off the top or something?"

"I do not embezzle. Thank you, Ms. Floss." He bowed his head as Candy gave him and Cassandra plates heaped with food. "He believed I was not managing my resources as efficiently as possible to maximize profit."

Cassandra frowned as she took a bite of meat. "Were you?"

"Truthfully not. I did not take full advantage of the abilities of my employees."

"How so?"

"Even though I am no longer employed at the Mint State Casino, I cannot reveal any of Mr. Mint's business practices."

"Suit yourself. Are you barred from telling me where Mint's from? I've never heard that tongue before."

"Many of the casino owners hail from Probta, a large rich island in North Blue. Juhla is but one of their primary islands with money-making ventures. They have at least one major island in each ocean with several more in the Grand Line. I do not believe there are any more on this path to Sabaody Archipelago, but you may encounter a few on the other side of the Red Line if you venture that far."

"Oh, I intend to reach the end of the Line. I will become Pirate Queen."

Meili's look of faint surprise gave Cassandra the feeling that he would be gaping in shock if he were anyone else. "Why do you wish to become Pirate Queen?"

"Why not? It'll be fun. Besides, Damien and Lyn have dreams that need me to traverse the entire Line, so there's no stopping."

"Do you realize the magnitude of your ambitions?"

"Of course I do. I was a princess of sorts. My family deals with world leaders quite frequently." Usually with a gun or a knife. "I'm not afraid any more of the World Government coming after me. What my crew can't handle now, they'll be able to handle when the time comes. After all, not all fights are won by force alone."

"That is true. I-"

She sat up straight and held up her hand. There was a small group of people coming towards them, probably attracted by the bonfire and loud conversations. She stealthily got up and dashed for the treeline, intending to intercept them before she reached the beach. Meili was instantly on her tail, his long hair flying behind him as he followed. She crouched in the undergrowth while he hid behind a tree. She didn't think his senses were as keen as hers, but there was no mistaking the sounds of people going towards the beach.

When she jumped out in front of the trio, they froze in their tracks, fear choking off their screams. "This is a private party," Cassandra told them. "You aren't welcome here."

"Now hold on, Cici, I-"

Cassandra's fingers tightened so hard that she was glad she had emptied her pistols previously. Even then, she wished she could shoot Jordan without having to reload. The assassin could always take her power and heal the wounds away. "You never fail to ruin a moment, do you, Jay?"

"Look I swear, I was only trying to-"

"Cici." Meili stepped out from behind his tree, his hand on his sword. "Only one of Captain Libera's crewmembers does not refer to her by her title: the shapeshifter who took Mr. Mint hostage."

"Oh, it's... you! The sexy one!" Jordan's eyes went from him to Cassandra. "Is that what you meant by moment? Attagirl! I knew you wouldn't be able to resist-"

Her sentence was cut short by the bullet that skimmed her ear. Meili only glanced at the smoking pistol once before focusing on Jordan once more. "I am not in the mood to deal with you right now. I was supposed to be enjoying one goddamn evening with my crew, but you won't even give me that."

"He isn't on your crew, is he?"

"No. He has a job. He and a few others were invited over in an attempt to make amends."

"Well, that's why I'm here!"

That threw Cassandra for a loop. "Come again?"

"I wanted to talk to you! That's why I came back!"

Cassandra looked at the two men with their arms around Jordan. "Did you think to bribe me with them?"

"Huh?" Jordan looked at her companions as if seeing them for the first time. "Oh! No, they just wanted to tag along! I was gonna ditch them before now, but they go down like deep-sea divers and-"

"Meili, would it be too much to ask for you to escort these fine gentlemen away while I talk with my Sister?" Cassandra asked with all the false sweetness she could muster.

"Certainly, Captain Libera. Would you like them to join the others or return to Valeglen?"

"Up to you." The swordsman bowed his head and gestured for the other two men to follow him to the bonfire. They hesitated at first, but hastened to leave when Cassandra trained her pistols at them. She waited until they were suitably far away before holstering her weapons. She would deal with them later.

Jordan lowered her hands slightly as she tentatively approached the pirate captain. "Now, Cici-" The sound of Cassandra's fist slamming into Jordan's jaw echoed through the trees. The androgyne staggered against a trunk, massaging her sore chin. Cassandra wrung out her hand as it repaired itself. She had put all of her weight in that punch. She certainly felt better after the blow, but she hadn't fully cooled off. Jordan gingerly tested a tooth before looking at her older Sister. "Fucking ow."

"Oh, don't pretend like you didn't deserve it. If I had your Fruit, I would have used Constance's strength to knock you across the woods. You wanted to talk. Talk."

"When you open up with a punch like that, don't you think I should get off a little more lightly?" Cassandra did not have the patience to deal with Jordan's antics at the moment. She turned away, but Jordan shouted before she could take a second step. "Wait, Cici, wait! I was just kidding, kidding! C'mon, give me a chance to explain, all right?"

Cassandra stared at the bonfire where her nakama were waiting before sighing and leaning against a tree. "Make your words count."

"Thanks." Jordan paused for a moment with her mouth wide open. "Uh..." Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"

"Was that a question?"

"No! I really am sorry!"

"For what?"

"For... everything!"

Cassandra crossed her arms. "Everything is pretty generic."

"I don't know, whatever I did! Wait!" Jordan reached out and grabbed the pirate captain as she turned away again. "Okay, look. I'm no good at this shit, all right? Just give me a minute."

"How in the hell did you get chosen over Tracy with an attitude like this?"

"Hey, I have way more successful missions than xe does, and I have the Waza Waza Fruit!"

"And Miyagino has twice as much experience as Shi does, but you said Shi's the new Hotblood. Personality counts."

"Yeah, if you're an Oshu! Mayflies live longer than they do! They want someone who won't go off and get herself killed like a total fucking idiot, and you know Mimi is a billion times more hotblooded than Shishi is. I don't even know how she's still alive."

"Don't sidetrack me with nostalgia, Jordan. You have an apology to make."

Cassandra could honestly say she had never seen Jordan look so uncomfortable. The androgyne had physically shrunk past Raven's height, and her fingers changed colors as she passed her thumb over them repeatedly. "Okay, how about I try to say where I'm coming from? It's kind of hard to explain because you're you."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm Hundred Face, so I don't get time off. You get to prance about doing whatever you want. If it weren't for the promise we made before you left, the five of us would have come with Raerae to join your crew. I'm so glad to get away from my family and spend time with you. It really is a vacation. I was just trying to help you have fun too, but it seemed like you didn't need us any more. You have your crewlings, you have Lynlyn, and you're on your way to become Queen of the Pirates."

"Don't be silly. You know I care about you all as much as I do my own sister. I'm happy to see you, but that doesn't give you a free pass to act like a complete asshat."

"Okay, okay, so I may have gone a bit overboard, but come on! I was just trying to have fun!"

"I have no problem with you having your fun. You can fuck every person from here to the Red Line and back as far as I care. You know I've never had any problems with Yin's sex life besides keeping track of who she was with at any given time. I told you before that I have problems when you try to force your attitude onto my nakama. You're right; you're not one of my pirates. I can't order you around. I am, however, your older Sister. I am allowed to be concerned about your behavior."

"And I said I'm sorry! I thought your crewlings could handle a little fun!"

"They all have their own ideas of fun. Do you see Lyn throwing women at Alexander? No. She understands and respects his sex life. If he were unsatisfied, he would do something about it. Instead, they find common ground to share. You want to have fun with them? Take Alexander to a concert. Scheme with Morgan. Get smashed with Damien. It's when you make them feel uncomfortable that I draw the line."

"Okay, I will do my best not to do any of that to your friends! Happy?"

Cassandra gave a slight frown. "Was that an apology?"

"Look, I'm really sorry, honest! What do I have to do?"

"Stop being a nuisance to us. You can even be like Damien. As chaotic as he is, he makes sure to let loose away from the crew. I truly don't care if he burns an island to the ground so long as that doesn't impact the rest of us and preferably if the others don't learn about it. You really want to make things up to me? Show me that you are fit to be Hundred Face. I could definitely use your help on Rime Island."

"My help?" Jordan looked completely nonplussed. "With what?"

"As you know, I have issues with feeling completely comfortable when I don't know much about my surroundings. Paranoid, as Lyn likes to say."

The shapeshifter scoffed. "She doesn't know what it was like to be kids like us."

"Thank you." Cassandra had forgotten she was not the only one who knew what it was like to grow up as an assassin. "Anyway, Raven was not only the doctor of my crew."

"A fact that amuses us to no end," Jordan interjected. "Yinyin nearly died laughing when Jenjen told us."

"She also did reconnaissance in and around the city we docked in. Now, I'm not asking you to do everything she did; that would be impossible. I'm just saying you know how to get information. I don't care how you do it or who you kill. Just find out what I need to know."

Jordan waited until she was sure Cassandra was done. "That's it? That's all I have to do to make it up to you?"

"That's a good first step. You're not off the hook. Besides, don't forget that I'm not the only Sister you're going to have to apologize to."

"Don't remind me," she grumbled. "So… Sisters?"

"Always." Cassandra welcomed the embrace, squeezing the androgyne tightly. She believed Jordan's apology was sincere regardless of how badly it had been phrased. She knew she had to take what she could get. As they broke apart, they exchanged broad smiles. Jordan was completely unprepared for the uppercut that knocked her into a bush. "And fix that sexist attitude of yours. You of all people should know how that feels."

"Okay ow… when the hell did you get so strong?"

"I didn't. You just have some weakling's power. Whose do you have?"

"Dunno. Can't remember. And why me of all people?"

"You've been men, women, and others. Plus, your Academy nickname was particularly offensive."

Jordan winced. "Oh. Right. Like yours was better."

"Mine wasn't a slur."

"Basically was at the Academy." Cassandra grunted in acknowledgement as she extended her hand to her downed Sister. Jordan looked at it cautiously. "You're not gonna hit me again, are you?"

"Of course not." She laughed as Jordan tensed after being pulled up. "I was going to, but you did help resolve that casino fiasco relatively bloodlessly. Why did you do it? Lyn said you volunteered."

"I wanted to help you, of course!"

"I don't believe that for a second."

"It's the truth."

"Don't make me hit you again."

Jordan laughed as she grew large enough to throw her arm around the pirate captain. "What, don't you trust me?"

"With my life? You know it. Otherwise? Not a chance."

"That's my Cici!" She planted a sloppy kiss on Cassandra's cheek. "Just watch out for when one of us stabs you in the back!"

Cassandra grabbed Jordan in a strong headlock. "If it's any of my Sisters, it's gonna be you. I don't have to look out for the others."

Their mock struggle took them back to the fire, where the festivities were as loud as ever. Lyn, Candy, Damien, and Jeanne were all attempting to sing along with Alexander's saxophone and Candy's guitar, but they were obviously too intoxicated to do much more than shout unintelligibly. Constance and Cain were lying at the edge of the ocean, letting the water rush past them as they stared up at the sky. Cassandra stepped over a sleeping Gracie to find Meili and Morgan somberly conversing by the grilling area.

The head of security bowed his head as she approached. "You did not tell me one of your crewmembers was royalty, Captain Libera. Prince Zematsal has some very interesting stories about you."

"Is that so." Cassandra gave her chef a flat look. "Any falsehoods I should be aware of?"

"He has nothing but praise for you."

Now Cassandra was even more skeptical. "He praised me shooting off one of his fingers?"

"He did mention that it was a much lighter punishment than he expected," Meili said.

"I can always take another one," Cassandra said. "And don't forget you still have to tell Damien what you did. Not now; I told him not to have unnecessary fights."

The prince's eyes and face paled. "Of course, Captain."

"Your crewmembers don't all know of his attempted assassination?"

"Damien's been busy trying to get himself killed, and I don't want to ruin the mood. It'd be a real pain in the ass to have him beaten to a pulp and consequently delay our departure. Plus, the bastard's trying to get drunk right now. He might forget to hold back, and I really don't want to have to kill him for killing Morgan."

"It's nice to know you have my best interests at heart, Captain. I only tried to kill you once. That abomination has tried multiple times."

"He wasn't trying that hard," Cassandra dismissed. "Besides, it's a lot easier to meet might with might than detangle whatever plot you've come up with to kill me next."

Morgan scowled. "I've learned my lesson, thank you very much."

"That doesn't mean I won't be keeping an eye out for any suspiciously well-informed attacks. Say what you will about Damien, if he wants to try to kill me, it'll be in a situation where I can put up a fight, not suddenly backstabbed without warning. Plus, don't we have Mark III for the next time he goes off?"

"We never actually got around to discussing it."

"Oh. Remind me to do that later." She still had to figure out how best to incapacitate him, but barring any unfortunate run-ins with the Marines, there was still time before he was likely to attack them again. "Anyway, let's liven things up. It's no use sitting around dejectedly. Meili, how does a true Juhlan celebrate living through a fight?"

The corners of Meili's lips curled up ever so slightly. "Drinking, dancing, and singing, Captain Libera. Life is a celebration. It doesn't take a Juhlan to show you how to live."


	37. Devils and Angels

"Again!" Cassandra planted her elbow on the table and firmly grabbed Damien's hand. He gave a wide grin as his metal-enclosed fingers wrapped around her hand. They stared at each other challengingly as they prepared to arm wrestle. Damien waited for Cassandra to initiate the struggle, his arm as steady as stone. The pirate captain waited for her breath to slow before initiating her overload. "Voluntas Carnae."

Energy flooded through her limbs, and she drummed her fingers on his black gauntlet. His grin only widened. The point of the exercise was to try to catch him unawares, and she wasn't surprised to find that goal nearly impossible. While ordinarily Damien's restraint was virtually non-existent, there were times when his amusement overcame his impatient nature.

The instant she put pressure on his hand, he was pushing back. She strained herself past her limit, feeling the muscles and ligaments in her arm threaten to give way. Slowly but surely, he relentlessly lowered her hand until her knuckles hit the table. She grimaced as he released his hold, allowing her to flex her arm and repair the damage it had sustained. "That's just not right, you know that?"

"Sore losers ain' fun, Cap'n."

"Even with that blow from Madaxe and injuries from Brickwork not fully healed, me with adrenaline should have been able to do something. You're still recovering from that foodless week, and it's my dominant versus your non-dominant hand too."

"Aye, but I bet y' can beat tha' royal fuckin' brat with th' same rules."

"I still don't understand where your reflexes come from," she said as she leaned back in her chair. "You've got damn good nerves under all that meat you call muscle."

"And you muscles 'tween skin 'n' bones."

"Hey, just because I'm not built like Cain doesn't mean I'm not strong."

Damien threw his head back and laughed. "Aye, an' strength ain' everythin', now ain't it? Else Biggun would be be'er than Blackie 'n' me 'n' you, an' that ain' the fuckin' case. That said, 's fun goin' agains' strength like tha'."

The knife she threw lightly bounced off his forehead without leaving a mark. "Only you would think getting pounded into the dirt was fun."

"Wha' doesn' kill me'll really fuckin' regret it."

"Any advice on how to kill you next time?"

"Yahahahar! Yer th' brains; you figure it out!"

"You know, most captains don't have to have contingency plans in case their own crewmembers turn on them."

"But you ain' mos' cap'ns, now are ya?"

Cassandra chuckled. "And you are not most crewmembers."

"How touching," Morgan drawled. "I think I might shed a tear."

"Hey! Quit moving!" Lyn scolded. "You asked for my help-"

"I didn't ask you for your help; I asked if you knew how to-"

"You asked for my help, so I'm giving it to you!" she finished. "So quit moving."

Morgan sighed and leaned back in his chair. Lyn stuck her tongue out in concentration as she gently dabbed his finger with a sponge. "Wait a second," Cassandra said, "didn't Alexander say you were supposed to do your own nails to help with your recovery?"

Lyn sighed exasperatedly. "He doesn't know how to do ombre nails, so I'm doing them for him."

"Teach a man to fish-"

"Yeah yeah, stop moving!" She smacked him in the side of the head. "Damien didn't budge an inch, and he was arm wrestling with Captain!"

"He only had five fingernails to do."

"Quit being such a baby. Remember that I pulled you from laundry for this. Captain could send you back there with wet nails."

The prince scowled at her. "I still have to do the laundry. You are merely providing a momentary respite from it."

"Still, isn't a break nice?" Alexander held up his nails to see them in different angles. "Why red?"

"I thought it would be hilarious. And it was!" Lyn's giggles forced her to stop lest she mess up her work on Morgan's fingers. "I didn't think you'd let me do yours!"

"Yeah, well, I didn't think Damien would let you do his."

"You were the one who told me you can get him to dress however depending on his mood."

Cassandra frowned at this. "Have you tried to get him in a dress?"

At this, everyone broke into laughter at the mental image, Damien included. The one to quell their hilarity first was surprisingly Lyn, who fixed the navigator with a speculative gaze. She tilted her head from side to side as she appraised him. "What do you say I give it a shot?"

"Yahahar! Just fuckin' try it!"

Lyn beamed at him. "Okay! Next island, you and me are going dress shopping!"

Cassandra wasn't sure which of them was being serious, but she would put money on Damien's words being a threatening dare. Painted nails were one thing, but a dress was quite another. Anyone who could get a good look at Damien's nails would probably by flying through walls a half second later. The same could not be said for him in a dress. That being said, it would still take a ridiculously brave person to taunt Damien regardless of what he was wearing.

"Your Jolly Roger is fading a bit," the pirate captain observed as Lyn leaned forward over Morgan's foot. "You should get that touched up."

"She almost completely disregarded Raven's instructions for preventing fading," Alexander snorted. "It's no wonder the colors are already going."

Lyn rolled her eyes dramatically. "You still haven't told me what you want. You said you'd let me design it."

"No, I said I'd let you do one if you got good enough," he corrected. "You may be a painter, but what looks good on paper doesn't necessarily translate well to skin. You're not a professional tattoo artist."

"And Morgan's not a professional cook, and Cain doesn't know how to build a ship. What's your point?"

"I am learning," the enormous pirate grumbled. "Designing a ship isn't easy."

Cassandra extended her hand, allowing him to give her the model he had been carving. "He's not just designing a ship, Lyn. He's planning our future home. Even if it weren't Cain designing it, I wouldn't want it to be anything less than perfect."

"Even if it weren't me?"

"For someone so large, you have quite an attention to detail." She slowly spun the model in her fingers. "If it isn't right, change it so it is. Not all of us share that attitude."

Alexander laughed loudly. "Are you talking about the one who tried to take food from Damien because he didn't think it was good enough, or the one who spends half her money on drinks and the other half on art supplies? Perhaps the one who starts exercising spontaneously at the oddest of times?"

"It seems we all have something we want to perfect," Cassandra conceded.

"Perfection is overrated." Lyn put aside her sponge and grabbed another bottle of nail polish. "Nothing's perfect. Giving your best is better than trying to do the impossible.

"Some things impossible for you are not impossible for others," Alexander said. "After all, only one of us is going to become Pirate King."

"King Cassandra doesn't have quite the same ring to it. She'd be a much better queen."

Cassandra shook her head. "Being a king wouldn't be very fun anyway."

"Excuse me," Morgan interjected, "I don't think the issue is which one would be more fitting. Are women not queens and men kings?"

"Says who?" She jabbed a finger at the assassin napping in the crow's nest. "And what about Jay? King Jordan or Queen Jordan?"

His mouth opened and closed a few times before he pressed his lips in a thin line. "Does her family not have their own title?"

"All of ours do. It's more a formality than anything, tradition. The heirs have titles too."

"Don't you think it was a bit brazen to name your pirate crew the Black Glove Pirates?" Alexander asked.

"Of course it was. I may have been a touch bitter, but I've mellowed out. Besides, don't you think we have a nice crew theme going?"

The musician smiled broadly. "That we do. You know that when we're famous, tons of people will be copying us, right?"

"Let them. Influence will spread more quickly." Her arm had recovered enough to try Damien's strength once more. "Hey, I'm not finished yet."

Damien wasn't listening. His stare was focused on the sky, an unreadable expression on his face. When he noticed she was looking at him, he shook his head. "Wind's up again. Time t' sail."

"Hey I learned the funniest thing today," Lyn chirped. "Did you know Damien actually has a job besides trying to get himself beat up?"

He cuffed her in the back of the head as he ascended to the poop deck to take the wheel. He paused at the top stair before letting loose a round of wild laughter. "'Eads up, concubines! We got company!"

Cassandra was the first on her feet, easily jumping up to the women's quarters railing, then up to the poop deck. A large ship with an avian figurehead was quickly bearing down upon them. She could already make out the people gathering on the forecastle deck, armed to the teeth. Their Jolly Roger flapped merrily in the breeze, which calmed her down somewhat. The last thing they needed was to see another blue seagull.

"What are your orders, Captain Libera?"

She contemplated her options. She didn't really want to fight at the moment, but she still had to deal with any threat that might arise. "Wake Jordan and get her down here. Get suited up, but if you don't have time for full plate, don't sweat it. Just whatever you can get on before they arrive. Morgan, Alexander, fire off a cannon. See if that deters them."

"A cannon?" Morgan said incredulously. "You want a warning shot fired from one cannon?"

Cassandra shrugged. "Damien, bring her about. His Majesty insists on a full broadside. If even one cannon isn't fired, I'll tie it to his feet and throw it overboard."

"Yahahar! Aye aye, Cap'n!" He spun the wheel around, and the _Howling Knave_ tilted as it began to turn.

She turned to the ashen-faced prince. "I'd get started loading those. Good leaders don't make empty threats."

Never had Morgan moved so quickly. Cassandra had half a mind to actually follow through with her threat, though she would send Cain in after him. She neatly sidestepped, barely avoiding the androgyne crashing to the deck beside her. "You were supposed to keep an eye out for things like this."

"Not a pirate. No wind. Got tired." Jordan poked Damien's shoulder, then cupped her hand around her mouth and snapped her fingers.

Cassandra wrinkled her nose at the exhalation of smoke, waving the pungent cloud away from her face. "You know, I heard of a new device they just invented. They're called lighters. You don't have to use Damien's power whenever you want to smoke."

"Ah, but where's the fun in that? Whaddaya say, Didi, race to see who gets the most? Winner gets to punch the other, no hard feelings."

"Pass."

"Good, now I figure we're going to get in each other's way a bunch and-" Jordan's cigarette dropped to the floor. "I'm sorry, what?"

Damien's feral grin widened. "I ain' fightin'. Ain' tha' right, Cap'n?"

"You're a dick," she informed him lightly as she loaded her pistols. "Why do I even put up with such a troublesome crewmember?"

"I'm gonna be th' best fuckin' fighter alive, an' yer too smart t' let that go."

"You're gonna get your dumb ass killed, and if I were half as smart as you all claim I am, I would have dismissed you long ago. Guess I'm no smarter than the rest of you."

"Yahar, whatever you say! Can' kill me without Blackie, and I ain' leavin'."

Jordan swatted his ear. "Hey, I bet if you didn't get the drop on me and I had your abilities, we could all bring you down."

Damien glanced at the assassin. "Wanna try it?"

She grew tall enough to throw an arm around his shoulders. "I bet I'll get the chance to redeem myself before Raerae arrives. Still, we gotta deal with these fuckers first."

"Indeed." Cassandra caught her sniper rifle without having to turn around, checking to see if there was a bullet in the chamber. "Lyn, where did you-"

She leaned to the side, letting the box of ammunition hit Jordan in the head. The androgyne looked at the box on the ground. "Wow, I didn't feel a thing. Are you sure you don't just have nerve damage from all those wounds?"

Damien's lightning fast rising kick sent her spinning into the air, crashing into the mizzenmast and bouncing to the ground. "Feel that?"

"You bastard…" she growled, rebounding to her feet. "What happened to no fighting?"

Cassandra was between them in an instant, a hand held out towards either one. "It's true that his injuries are not without their price. However, Damien, you could have demonstrated that less violently." As much as she wanted to smack the insolent grin from his face, she knew no good would come of it. Sighing, she turned to her Moon Sister. "Cain is going to bring you over. I can't have you damaging the _Knave_ while we're out in the middle of nowhere. Be cautious, and try not to fall off."

"Yeah, yeah." The assassin took a deep drag as the _Knave_ finished its turn. "Why cannons?"

"Why bullets? Just because some people can diminish or negate their effectiveness doesn't mean I shouldn't use them."

"That ain' why." Damien's muscles visibly strained to keep the wheel in place. "'S th' same reason we still 'ave sails. Gotta be true pirates! Ain' tha' right, Songbird!"

"The salt in our blood is as pure as the sea's!" the musician shouted back. "Ready to go, Captain!"

Cassandra smiled. "That's why, Jordan. We're pirates. Fire!"

The _Knave_ rocked on its side as the cannons went off in quick succession. Cassandra ticked the shots off on her fingers, making sure every cannon had been fired. Many of the shots went wide or fell short, but even the direct shots didn't reach the opposing ship. They were knocked into the sea with such force that even Cassandra's keen eyes barely made out the spears piercing the metal spheres. The score of spear throwers by the railing prepared another salvo, one that she knew would not be defensive. "Incoming missiles!"

The spears hurtled towards them like bullets, whistling through the air. Damien's metal wings snapped out, but a spear still found its way through one of the holes Jordan had torn and embedded in his side. The other weapons stuck fast in the deck, some piercing clean through. No screams from below indicated the spears had missed her crew, which Cassandra was extremely grateful for. She rubbed the closing wound on her ribs before going over to her navigator. "Hold still for a moment."

She braced her boot on his back and yanked out the spear. It had barely penetrated his muscles, simply adding to the countless scars covering his skin. He didn't even acknowledge her actions, his eyes fixed on the sky. The enemy ship drew ever closer, and more spears were in the pirates' hands. "More missiles!"

"Trompette Sonnerie!"

"Kamnepad!"

The spears had barely left the ship before they were intercepted. The rock splinters from Morgan's fists knocked quite a few out of the air, and Alexander's sound wave took care of the rest. The arrival two Devil Fruit Users meant Cassandra could depend on them to defend the ship while she ascended to her preferred vantage point. She was halfway up the rigging when another volley was launched, only to be struck down by Alexander and Morgan. By that time, the two ships were within boarding distance, and the spear throwers were quickly replaced by pirates with grappling hooks.

Just as the lines were thrown, the _Howling Knave_ reared dangerously out of the water. Cassandra had to hang on for dear life, her grip nearly failing her. She recovered in time to see Jordan and Cain land on the enemy ship amid a flurry of action. To contrast Cain's massive size, Jordan had shrunk down to no more than a meter in height, but Damien's combat strength was not to be underestimated regardless of size. Cain had elected to use the battleaxe Basilikos, its green-white blade hacking through everything in his path.

Similarly, no few pirates boarded onto the _Knave_. Morgan moved easily among all three decks, his water elemental forcing enemies overboard as he coursed about. Alexander's trumpet blast rang out with decreasing frequency, though he was able to launch more attacks than he had been before. The first pirate that attempted to go belowdecks was knocked right back out as Lyn fought inside the medical ward. The narrow space would better benefit her limited mobility, so Cassandra wasn't too worried. She was able on sniping ranged attackers from the crow's nest.

It took very little time for the pirates to learn to avoid the _Knave_'s poop deck. While Damien mostly ignored the fighting around him, any person who attempted to attack him found out very painfully that they should have left him alone. Jordan's adversaries were not as lucky, as they were forced to defend their ship from her attacks. Several pirates had to stop fighting and attempt to extinguish the sails as she gleefully set them ablaze.

It was inevitable that the man Cassandra supposed was the captain emerge. His armored helmet obscured his face, but his bare chest and arms indicated he was well-versed in combat. His sandals pounded the deck as he threw himself at Cain with a loud battlecry. Although he was only a head or two shorter than Cain, his blow would undoubtedly be strong. The bodyguard barely had time to bring his battleaxe around to prevent the leaf-shaped sword from cleaving his head in two.

What resulted was a bright flash of light and a clash so loud that Cassandra was forced to cover her eyes and ears. When she recovered, she saw with some surprise that the enemy pirates were just as curious as she was, staring at Cain in awe. He and the captain stumbled back a step, eyeing each other in shock. Everybody was frozen in place, unsure of how to proceed. Cain slowly extended Basilikos, and the captain mirrored his movement. When the two weapons touched, another flash of light blinded the pirates and another earsplitting crash shook the ships. Both crews were clearly unnerved by the inexplicable development, not even a sneak attack being attempted upon nearby unsuspecting enemies.

Cain and the large captain exchanged hasty words, each going over his weapon carefully. They all jumped then a third flash of light and crash of sound occured. When Cassandra opened her eyes again, black clouds filled with lightning had completely obscured the previously clear sky. The downpour was so unexpected that even she gave a shout of alarm. The temperature had risen several degrees, and she was soaked to the bone. Damien's maniacal laughter mingled with the thunder and pounding waves.

"Rope up or die, bilge rats! Those sails need t' go up, 'atches locked, cannons in an' bolted down! I ain' swimmin' t' th' next island cuz you shitstains sucked each other off! Yahahahar!"

She supposed the hot rain was better than the frigid sleet that had nearly frozen the _Knave_ on the way to Juhla. The winds were only increasing, and she had precious little time. She used the rigging to descend, not wanting to risk jumping and being blown out to sea. By the time she made it to the main deck, she had to stab her knives into the main deck to fight her way over to the mast. A few enemy stragglers were huddled against the railings, but they couldn't do much but hang on for dear life. Alexander was already fumbling with his safety harness, his quick fingers securing himself sturdily.

A mass of vines shot over and tangled around the mast. Cassandra followed them to Morgan, who had converted his elemental into a single pair of viny arms. The vines pulled taught, then snapped suddenly over to the ship. A child crashed through the railing, dislodging the other pirates, and skidded across the deck with their claws. Once Jordan managed to stop, he effortlessly dispatched another enemy by kicking them out to sea.

"Harness!" Cassandra shouted, gesturing at the mast as she climbed the rigging once more. A loud crack distinguishable from the thunder rang through the air, and the enemy ship heeled dangerously towards them. Its main mast leaned towards the _Howling Knave_, then abruptly changed direction and fell away. Angry shouts followed Cain back to the _Knave_, but the bandit paid them no heed. The wave that swept over the ship nearly knocked him off, but his grip on the fore mast kept him aboard. He ducked his head as he climbed down to the main deck to put on his own complicated tether. Unlike the others, who could get by on thick ropes, his size required steel cables to anchor him to the ship.

"Get Damien's harness on!" Cassandra yelled at Jordan over the wind. "He says he doesn't need it, but he does! It's beside the wheel!"

"Yahar, won' make much difference! If I'm gone, Cap'n, yer all fuckin' dead too! Those sails ain' furled yet, sea lice! Quick afore we go keel up!"

"I need help with the cannons down here!" Lyn's voice could barely be heard over the wind. "Hallways are filling up!"

"Morgan, inside! Cain, see if you can reach over and shove them in! Bailing out below won't be easy!" She struggled up the rigging, soon catching up to her second mate. "Come on, we need these sails furled!"

"Easier said, Captain! I wish we had time for the raingear!"

"Less wishing, more furling!" She made it to the spar first and crawled as quickly as she could, taking care not to get her safety rope caught. When the alchemist was in position, they both grabbed their respective lines and began pulling. While the way the sails were rigged allowed them to be raised and lowered by a mere two people, the system was still strained to its limit by the gale-force winds. Cassandra and Alexander worked in perfect tandem without needing a voiced call, each working in a comfortable rhythm. As soon as the sail was raised, they lashed it in place and climbed to the next yard.

The _Knave_ began tilting back, forcing the two Devil Fruit Users to cling for their lives. An ever-increasing slope of water rose before them, and the galleon gave a mighty groan. Damien's wild laughter only grew louder as he fought to keep the ship straight and prevent them from rolling. "Aye, I missed this! Show me watcha got, devil!"

When the _Howling Knave_ crested the swell, the ship seemed to hover in midair for a moment. Then, with a stomach-churning drop, it rushed down the opposite slope, gathering speed as she went. The figurehead pierced clear through the surface of the black waters, submerging most of the ship. Cain was rocked backwards, only his head and shoulders remaining above the water. As the bow stayed underwater, Cassandra prayed that everything would be all right. All she could see from the main mast forward was seawater. Finally, after what seemed like far too long, the bow emerged dripping from the ocean, water gushing overboard through the scuppers. She gave a shaky laugh, but couldn't dwell on her relief for long. There were more sails to raise.

The spray coming off the bow was a mild annoyance to her, but she knew Alexander was having a bit of trouble. His glasses were next to useless in this weather, and he was nowhere near as strong as she was. That being said, he still seemed to be able to find his way up, and that was what mattered. Far below, she could see Morgan and Jordan climbing onto the foremast to furl those sails. A quick look around revealed the pirate ship they had encountered previously was valiantly keeping on their tail. Their sails were already up, though the toppled main mast was causing them no end of trouble. Cassandra could barely make out the pirates attempting to disentangle it from the other masts and throw it out entirely. Their three additional masts would still carry them through the storm, but keeping up with the _Howling Knave_ would be a difficult task.

"Again!" Having been locked up for the previous journey between islands, Damien was enjoying himself to no end. It was always difficult to come up with convincing reasons for why he was on her crew, but his insane enjoyment and complete resolve to conquer the sea was definitely one of them. There weren't many people who would refuse to leave the helm until calm waters, regardless of what the weather threw at them.

That being said, the rest of them also had to do their parts. As the _Knave_ climbed another swell, Cassandra and Alexander hauled away at the next sail. The musician was flagging slightly, but he pushed through his weariness to keep up with his captain. Even when the ship began careening downwards, he refused to stop. The jarring impact of the _Knave_ hitting the ocean forced them to pause for a moment, but they were able to hold on and continue.

When they lashed the sail in place, Cassandra felt a familiar pounding at her temples. She spared a moment to see Lyn using her spirit to close and lock the doors to the galley and men's quarters. She nodded, then waved to get Alexander's attention. "Get to my room! It's safest right now!"

Her words were partially drowned out by the wind and rain, but when he wiped his glasses and followed her finger, he nodded and began carefully climbing down. He was forced to stop when the galleon caught a swell unevenly and tilted dangerously to the side. Cassandra clung to the rigging for dear life, not even wanting to look below her. She knew there was only rain between her and the raging sea, and she had a healthy appreciation for how useless she was in water. She huddled on the ropes, her body painfully tense. A light pressure enveloped her, the echo of Lyn's comforting hug, and she managed to relax slightly, though her fingers were still as stiff as stone.

Only after the _Knave_ righted did she release the breath she had been holding. She cracked an eye downwards to see Cain center himself once more, having leaned in the opposite direction in an effort to keep the galleon from rolling. His weight did serve as a useful counterbalance up to a point. He grasped the two handles he had installed in the deck, bracing himself against the oncoming wave. Even when lightning crashed into the ocean nearby, he only averted his head.

The only times Cain released his hold were when he leaned to the sides and when he retrieved Morgan and Jordan. The pair had had a much easier time than their counterparts on the main mast, as they had identical strength and the ability to ascend and descend the yards by coiling around them. The two were indistinguishable save for the female body Jordan had. Cassandra was grateful she was minding the rule not to completely impersonate any of the pirates, even if the man who necessitated that rule was completely occupied.

"We ain' turnin' right! We got too much fuckin' water in th' wrong places! You poxy blaggards better sort that out! Check tha' fuckin ballast!"

Cain pried open the hatch to the medical ward, allowing Jordan and Morgan to jump through. Lyn and Morgan knew how to operate the ballast pumps, and Jordan could help regulate the water inside the hull. Cassandra wanted to take shelter inside the ship, but she was more concerned with keeping an eye on the ship on her tail. Joining the people working below and letting Lyn scout was an option, but she didn't want three Devil Fruit Users and a comatose woman fighting against seawater. One wrong move and all four of them would drown.

She settled for fighting her way over to Damien. While the crow's nest was a much better vantage point than the poop deck, it was way too vulnerable a position for her right now. As she dropped to the main deck from the rigging, she glanced over to make sure all of the safety lines were where they should be. Three led below, Alexander's flapped as he struggled down the ratlines, and hers was clearly visible. She had to detangle her tether from the rigging, but she was beside her navigator in no time.

He didn't even glance down at her as she latched onto his arm. "Th' fuck you doin' 'ere?"

"Their hel-" She paused to push some of his dreadlocks from her face. "Their helmsman is in a cabin, so I can't snipe them. That ship is bigger than ours, and it could still ram us."

"Yahar, they're doin' a fine job keepin' up, I'll say that! Don' answer my question, though. Wha' good're you if you can' use yer guns?"

She braced herself as the _Knave_ punched through a swell instead of riding it, jolting the ship mightily and drenching them from head to toe. Damien's skin heated up beneath her hand, but not to an uncomfortable degree. It was as if he didn't mind being completely soaked. "I still need to figure out what to do. I can't just have Cain go back over there, and I don't think he can slice that entire ship in half."

"Th' fuck you need Biggun for? Songbird'll do just fine."

"Have you forgotten he's not as physically able as you and Cain? He fought earlier and just finished with the sails. Cut him some slack." Her eyes widened as she saw that they were about to glance off a particularly large swell. "Damien…"

His only response was a round of insane laughter. The _Howling Knave_ shot into the air, hanging still for a long moment. When they landed back in the ocean, Cassandra's grip finally failed her. She smashed facefirst into the deck, dazing her significantly. She crashed to a stop against the railing above the women's quarters and lay motionless for a second. She was remarkably unhurt, even considering the short time her body had to heal. She clambered to her feet, wiping at her face, before she froze in surprise.

Alexander was struggling with an unknown assailant who had her hand clamped over the musician's mouth. He managed to keep her knife from cutting into his throat by pushing away with both arms, but the blade only needed another jarring impact to plunge into his neck. Cassandra shouted for Cain to help, but the enormous pirate was almost completely over the starboard side as he tried to keep the ship upright.

The assailant heard Cassandra's yell and looked up. She evidently realized she had to act quickly, and she did. Just as Cassandra slid down the wet stairs, the pirate released her hold and spun around. She met Cassandra's tackle head on, grunting in pain as they crashed into the mast. They were swept to the side as a wave washed over the ship, both slamming into the railing. Cassandra felt her limbs slow as the seawater enveloped her and began sapping her strength. As the water rushed overboard, she looked around for her adversary. While she did locate the pirate huddled by the galley door, she was more drawn to the length of rope undulating on the deck. Her horror grew as she followed it to the set of ropes by the main mast.

Three ropes led below, and one led to her. The fifth wriggled on the deck like a decapitated snake, the clean cut visible even in the gloom.

She knew it would be suicide to search for Alexander in the water. Even Damien or Cain would have trouble retrieving him amid the raging waves and pounding rain. She stared overboard for a moment, then slowly turned to the enemy pirate. The woman had the gall to smirk victoriously and brandish her knife threateningly. Her smirk was wiped from her face when Cassandra's hand struck her neck and smashed her into the wall, fracturing the boards. Cassandra dragged the coughing woman to the poop deck, adrenaline and rage fueling her body. She didn't need the sea interrupting her revenge, and she didn't know how kindly Cain would take to what she was about to do.

Damien glanced at her when the first scream pierced the air. His lips spread in an amused grin as she cut off the scream with another blow to the neck. Although she wanted to exact as much revenge as she could, Cassandra didn't need the others hearing her work. She buttoned her black overshirt despite the warm climate, but didn't bother to roll down her sleeves. Blood would show up on her tank top, but the rain would take care of her arms and face.

"His name was Alexander," she informed the enemy pirate quietly. She didn't know how Damien would react, and she needed him at the helm. "He was one of the best men I've ever met. When the gods ask you why I sent you, tell them that."

Grieving would come later.

All that mattered was transferring her pain to her enemy.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Inside the ocean was surprisingly relaxing. It was true he could barely move, but the flow below the surface was significantly calmer than the raging above. He felt himself tugged slowly back and forth as he sunk. Instead of his life flashing before his eyes, he saw everything he hoped his life would have. Captain would become Pirate Queen, Damien would be satisfied that he was unbeatable, Raven would become friends with her crewmembers, Morgan would become a great leader. He would be on stage playing for the entire world. He didn't want to die, but he knew better than to fight the inevitable. There was nothing he could do. He had already tried one last time to turn his surroundings into air, but to no avail. His lungs burned for air, but he refused to inhale seawater until he had no strength to resist. There was nothing to do but accept his fate.

The fact that he was at sea made it easier. If there was one place he would rather die besides of old age in bed, it would be in the ocean. His parents said he was born at sea. It was only fitting he would die at sea. He could feel the fingers of the Sea Devil pulling him down, but he was more looking forward to meeting Sir Jones. The gods of the sea were both kind and cruel. It would be an interesting conversation.

His peaceful descent was interrupted as he was seized by the back of the jacket. He rocketed upwards at an astonishing speed, the ocean pulling at his clothes, trying to retain its hold. When his head broke the surface, he inhaled air so quickly he gave himself a coughing fit. He had an instant to realize was falling back in to clamp his hands over his mouth and nose to prevent himself from trying to breathe in water.

The next time he surfaced, he found himself flying over the _Howling Knave_. At this point, he wasn't entirely sure he hadn't died. Lightning flashed as the grip on his collar vanished. His eyes widened as he saw a white figure soar above him. The last thing he thought before he struck something hard was he didn't know the sea had angels as well as devils.


	38. Sea Maiden

The storm left as suddenly as it had arrived. Cassandra looked up, slightly annoyed with the abrupt change in weather. She had depended on the rain to peter off to give her time to finish her torture and clean up. Knowing she had only a few moments before the others emerged, she threw the still-living pirate overboard to drown and shed her overshirt. Blood soaked the sleeves, even showing up on her arms, but she quickly wiped it away with the back of her shirt. When she gestured at the blood covering the deck, Damien instantly knew what she wanted him to do and scorched the boards with a breath of fire. She wrung her gloves and shirt over the railing, but there was no hope for her jeans.

"Quick, stab my leg."

Damien grabbed her thigh, his claws sinking deep into her skin, and hurled her to the main deck. She fell with a muted grunt, having not expected the latter action. Still, it gave her a more plausible explanation for the blood on her person, and that was what mattered. It was always nice when her navigator listened to her, even with his additional brutal flair. Cain hastily undid his safety lines and moved to her side, gently helping her to her feet. "Are you hurt?'

"Devil Fruit," she reminded him. "Besides, that one was my fault. I'm fine, really." Her adrenaline was dying off, and the magnitude of what had happened was sinking in. She stared at the severed tether, and her words turned to ash in her mouth. She had thought her upbringing would help her deal with loss, but she had never been good at letting go.

She jumped when the hatch banged open and Lyn burst out. "Wow! That was intense!"

"Excuse me? What was intense?" Morgan limped after her, his cane sliding slightly on the wet deck. "You were asleep the entire time."

"I was out of my body, not asleep," Lyn corrected. Cassandra's heart stopped as she realized Lyn might have witnessed her vicious revenge. It only resumed beating when the first mate continued. "You and Jay basically had it under control."

"Nearly setting the ship on fire does not count as under control."

Jordan gave him a light shove as she exited behind him. "Give it a rest! I got rid of the water, didn't I?"

"At the risk of sinking us all, yes."

"Well, we didn't. Don't be such a whiny bitch."

"Enough." Cassandra heaved a sigh, her eyes still not leaving the cut rope. "Alexander-"

"Oh, don't get me started on him!" Lyn cut in. "He was such a baby! How did a guy like him even become a pirate? I could not get him to come inside!"

"He was swept overboard."

Lyn cocked her head to the side. "When? The rain just stopped. I saw him like two seconds ago."

"Two seconds ago? That's impossible."

"Look, he was just up there, cowering like a wuss, and I didn't know how long I could keep him from flying off."

Cassandra frowned, staring up at the crow's nest. "Cain, if you would?"

He instantly obliged by tossing her up. She hooked her fingers on the lip and landed in a crouching position. The alchemist huddled on the floor looked up at her and gave a weak smile. "Crazy weather we're having."

She glanced down to make sure Jordan wasn't pulling some cruel prank before climbing into the crow's nest. She hauled him sputtering to his feet and grabbed him in the tightest hug she could muster. He returned the embrace, though he was obviously confused. She fought to keep tears from her eyes as she held him. After a long while, she released him and planted a firm kiss on his forehead. "I thought you were dead."

He gave a small laugh. "Very nearly. What about you? Did you get hurt?"

"It's just a scratch. Healed it off ages ago. How did-"

"Hey, Alex!"

"Alexander!" he called down.

"You owe me for keeping you from flying out!"

"You tried to get me to climb down!"

"It wasn't safe up there!"

"Continue this discussion on the deck," Cassandra said. "I don't want you straining yourself."

He shrugged. "I'm pretty beat, Captain."

"Not a problem." She hoisted him up and leapt off. For being pretty beat, he latched onto her quickly enough. As she expected, Cain gently slowed them before they hit the wooden boards, depositing them safely when he was sure they were okay. Alexander held his chest, hanging onto her for support.

"Thanks," he managed at last.

"Any time. You went overboard, and your line was cut. How did you wind up in the crow's nest? You should have sunk too quickly for a wave to carry you that high."

"I did sink. I was saved."

Everyone stared at him in confusion. "You were saved while in seawater during a storm on the Grand Line," Morgan clarified.

"Look, I know it sounds crazy, but that's what happened," Alexander insisted. "I don't know if I was hallucinating or what, but I swear an angel rescued me."

"An angel." The prince's voice was dripping with incredulity. "You were saved by an angel. Did a heavenly chorus descend from on high amid cherubs and sunlight?"

"...Mi..." Cassandra's head snapped around, staring out over the ocean.

"Hey, I just had a near-death experience."

"Living with _him_ is a near-death experience, so you'll forgive me if I don't extend my deepest sympathies."

"Come now, Morgan, surely you can appreciate the horrors of being people like us in water. Drained of the ability to move or do anything is not something to be looked down upon."

"I remember quite well. I don't discount that. It's just the idea of an angel rescuing you is more than a little far-fetched."

"...angel..."

Now Cassandra was positive she heard something. She slowly walked towards the poop deck, straining her hearing to its limit. The argument died down when the others saw her odd movements, merely watching her curiously. "What is it, Captain?" Lyn chirped. Cassandra put a hand to her lips as she stared about. "Did you finally get too paranoid and snap?"

"Who's there?" she called out.

"...by yourself..."

She motioned for the others to stay still, slowly reaching for her pistols. She advanced onto the poop deck, but still couldn't see anyone besides Damien. The stench of blood still lingered, but there were no other unexpected scents. She knew she wasn't just hearing things. Aside from the usual additional sounds of the sea, there was an unusually close heartbeat she had initially dismissed as the woman she had previously thrown overboard. She peered overboard, trying to find the owner of the heartbeat.

She was focusing so intently that she jumped when Damien spoke. "Tell 'em to fuck off."

"Your hearing isn't that good," she said instantly.

"I know they're 'ere."

"How?"

"Spiri's."

She watched him for a moment, contemplating the ramifications of his words. "Stop hiding and come out! I don't like people who hide."

"You don' fuckin' wha'?"

She punched his ear and leaned to the side to avoid his retaliatory swipe. A ghostly figure gradually materialized beneath the stern of the _Knave_, obscured by the wake left by the ship. It paused before it grew too visible, and that same faint voice came forth. "...look away..."

Cassandra frowned. "I'm sorry?"

"...don't like… stares…"

"You're coming up on my ship uninvited. You don't get to set the terms. I won't stare, but I do need to look at you and make sure you're not going to try to attack me. That would be a very bad move, by the way."

The figure continued to hover below the waves for a moment, then fully came to the surface. Cassandra was more than a little surprised to see a woman's long silver hair and pale face emerge from the ocean. She was even more surprised to see the shimmering red fin where the woman's feet would be. Her surprise grew strongest when she realized where she had seen the mermaid before. "You! You're from the casino!"

The mermaid's face darkened slightly, and her lips tightened. When she spoke, her canorous voice was slightly strained. "Mint was mean. He told Miserie he would keep her safe and she wouldn't be seen. He lied."

"Keep who safe?"

"Miserie. He said if Miserie sang for him when he asked, he would keep people from looking at her. He lied."

"Oh." Cassandra was used to reading her conversational partner's facial cues, but the mermaid kept her face averted almost the entire time, only occasionally glancing at the captain. "Your name… is Miserie?"

The mermaid bowed her head. "Yes."

"Wait, did you follow us all the way from Juhla?"

"Libera left this morning. Swimming is easy for Miserie. She's a mermaid."

"Yes, I can see that." Miserie shrank away, and Cassandra belatedly remembered the mermaid's request. She focused her gaze slightly away from the mermaid, taking care not to look directly at her. "Sorry. Why exactly did you follow us?"

"Miserie can't work at the casino. She wants to go with Libera."

Cassandra was taken aback. "You want to go with me? You don't even know me."

"Meili and Constance said a lot about her. They told Miserie many things. Miserie thinks going with Libera is better than staying in Juhla."

That explained all of Meili's questions. Cassandra had known he wasn't simply being curious. "I think you got the wrong idea. Coming with me isn't going to be easy."

"Is everything okay, Captain?" Alexander shouted.

"Yes, everything's fine! I'll be right there!" She turned back to the mermaid in the water. "Look, I know you think this seems like the best thing to do. It's not. We're not very nice people. We're dangerous."

"Miserie knows. She saw the woman who tried to kill the fat one. She passed by her."

Cassandra nodded. She had thrown the dying pirate over the railing she was currently leaning on. "Then you'll know I'm the wrong person to follow. I know you can't go back because this is the Line, but trust me when I say-"

"Why does Libera think Miserie shouldn't follow? She took revenge. Miserie thinks she did the right thing. Miserie would have done the same."

Now that was odd. The mermaid didn't appear to be lying in an attempt to get Cassandra to accept her; she seemed to honestly agree with what the pirate captain had done. "Is that so."

"Miserie wasn't very happy with Mint when she found out he lied. Mint can't lie any more. Miserie made sure of it."

The earnestness in her smile was slightly unsettling. It seemed vaguely reminiscent of Damien's amused grins, only without showing any teeth. "Well, if he lied to you, then I guess you did what you thought was necessary. That still doesn't mean-"

"Miserie wants to become a pirate."

Cassandra's train of thought ground to an abrupt halt. "What."

"Meili and Constance told lots of stories about Libera. She takes care of her crew. Her crew takes care of her. They do anything to save each other. That is why Miserie saved the fat one. She knew Libera would be happy if he didn't die."

"Oh, you're the angel he talked about. He wasn't just crazy."

The mermaid squirmed and sunk slightly, her hair fanning out on the water. Try as she might, she couldn't hide her bright blush. Her voice was slightly muted by the water. "Miserie is no angel. She just saved him. It was easy."

"I still thank you on behalf of him and the Black Glove Pirates." She had no real reason to turn the mermaid away. Miserie was a bit strange, but who wasn't on her crew? She had saved Alexander, and having a mermaid would certainly be an asset since her crew had more than a few Devil Fruit Users who didn't fear the sea. With Raven absent and Cain and Damien always recovering from injuries, she did need a rescuer. "I should warn you that we are a dangerous crew. We go to dangerous places, and one of us even goes berserk now and again and tries to kill the lot of us."

Miserie gave a slight frown. "Goes berserk?"

"Yes, gets very angry, goes on a rampage, nigh unstoppable."

"That's not a problem!" Miserie said happily. "Miserie can just sing!"

Cassandra had rarely met such a confusing person. "You can just sing."

"Yes! Miserie is good at singing. When she sings about happy things, people are happy! When she sings about sad things, people are sad. When she sings about calm things, people are calm. That's why Mint bought her. He said she could help him make money if she made people happy."

This was almost too much information to process at once. Everything about her experience at the Mint State Casino made so much more sense. She had known something was off, especially when it came to her lack of reaction to Iris' taunts, but she had not known there was someone actively manipulating her emotions. It also made sense why Mint was so keen on getting her to see the high-roller room, and why the accounts her crew had given about their attempted rescue had several bizarre moments. Mint was smart enough to recruit her, as she undoubtedly boosted his revenue, but… "Wait, when you say he bought you, what do you mean?"

Miserie looked down. "Miserie doesn't want to talk about it. Meili said Libera takes in people of all backgrounds."

"Don't worry, I do. I do have two more questions. Why did Mint let you go if you were such an asset?"

"He didn't. Miserie was very upset that he lied to her for so long. She sang a sad song. Now Mint can't lie any more."

Now that was unsettling. Even with Miserie skirting around the straight truth, Cassandra had a feeling she knew what the mermaid was implying. Still, if the casino owner truly had lied to her, perhaps she was justified in her actions. "Second question: does your singing affect different people differently?"

"Yes, Constance told her before she left. She said she thinks Miserie's singing makes people feel more when they can't control their emotions well. People who do control their emotions well don't feel as much from her singing."

That sealed the deal. Even without her swimming ability, Miserie was already looking to be an extremely useful addition to her crew. There was no telling when Damien would go off next, but if there was one thing to be said about the navigator besides his love for brutality, it was that he never managed his emotions in the slightest. "That sounds good to me. You're welcome aboard my crew, Miserie."

The mermaid's hands flew up in front of her face as she laughed with delight. "However," Cassandra continued. "You're not a full-fledged Black Glove Pirate yet. No offense, but I met you just a minute ago. I don't know anything about you, so you'll be on probationary status for a while. Don't worry; all of the others who wanted to join had the same deal. They still joined without too many problems. Come, let's meet the others."

"Miserie doesn't like people staring at her," the mermaid said instantly. "One person is hard. More is impossible. Miserie gets very unhappy."

"Fair enough. Speaking of unhappiness, see this man here? His name is Damien. He has... anger management issues. Now, one of the main reasons I'm considering letting you join is because I think you can help calm him down if he gets a bit antsy." She ignored his amused smirk and leaned closer to make her point very clear. "If, however, you start making everyone angry like you did at the casino, I will be _very _unhappy. As you just saw, when I get unhappy, people die in slow and painful ways. Do we have an understanding?"

Contrary to her expectations, the mermaid gave a small smile. "Of course!"

"Good. I'm going to explain this to the others. You stay there for a moment." Cassandra shook her head as she walked towards the main deck. Of everything she expected to happen at sea, having a mermaid chase her down and ask to join her crew was not on that list. As she got to the stairs, she found five sets of eyes all staring at her expectantly. She held up her hand to forestall the inevitable onslaught of questions. "Now everyone just wait until I'm done, okay? That means you, Lyn."

"Hey, why me?"

"Now, first of all, Alexander was saved by a mermaid named Miserie, not an angel. That mermaid wants to join our crew, for some reason." She kept her raised finger facing Lyn, who was trying and failing to contain herself. "As she has a rather strange ability that I have verified myself and could seriously help us in the near future, I'm inclined to accept her. However, she doesn't like people looking at her, so keep that in mind." Remembering the mermaid's previous eavesdropping, she leaned in and spoke in a low whisper. "She has done nothing to hurt us, but I don't trust her. Remember that. Now, Alexander, as the rescuee and one to meet her last, go up there and talk to her for a bit. Lyn?"

Lyn started babbling before Cassandra had even finished speaking her name. "A new nakama? Awesome! Who is she? What's she like? Can she swim really fast? What does she eat? Does she have feet? Can she breathe underwater?"

"You're allowing her to join, just like that?" Morgan asked, his voice even despite his obvious anger. "After I was put through all manner of trials and tribulations?"

"She hasn't tried to injure or betray any of us," she reminded him, half-listening to the conversation between Alexander and the new recruit taking place behind her. "That being said, she has unwittingly acted against us, but not in a detrimental way. Do you remember the odd mood swings you experienced inside the casino? Those were caused by her. She can manipulate emotions when she sings. Cain, Jordan, I want you to start carrying earplugs or wax or something. Be ready to use them at a moment's notice. Maybe if you block out most of it, you won't be as affected."

"Come on, Captain, is that really necessary?" Lyn protested.

"I don't know her. I don't know what she'll do. She might turn on us; she might not. Better safe than sorry. Until we learn to trust her," _or until Raven returns_, "I'd rather be cautious than have something happen. Besides, we have safeguards against Damien. Another set shouldn't be too strange."

"What has given you this impression of her?" Morgan asked.

"I always take precautions against allies I don't know. Don't you remember, Avarice? I knew who you were before the sun had set that day we met. I learned Envy was a Reichmann not soon after. Plus, Miserie made it so that casino owner we just went against couldn't lie any longer. Whether that means he's in the hospital or the morgue, I don't know. She's capable and willing to do all manner of things. Remember this, Morgan: kings live longer if they don't fall for every poor woman that shows up with a sob story."

"Especially if they look like this." Jordan gave her most pleading look, and Morgan visibly gulped. Cassandra only sighed. He should be used to random gorgeous men and women showing up around the _Knave_ by now.

"Still, what worries me even more is that she wants to be alone or with one of us. That's suspicious in and of itself. Alexander's up there because she's shown she doesn't want him dead. The same can't be said for the rest of us. I don't want her alone with Damien for any reason. If you start feeling irrationally angry, they need to be separated and she needs to be silenced. Remember that fury that you felt in the casino, then think of what Damien could do. That can't be allowed to happen. Is that understood?" Cain nodded seriously, Jordan following suit after teasing Morgan one last time. "Good. I don't want to abandon some poor woman in the middle of the Line. I'll think this over by the time we get to Rime. Find ear blockers now, both of you. Morgan, Lyn, come say hi to your newest crewmember."

"To be clear, is she actually a crewmember?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Technically not. She doesn't outrank you. That doesn't mean you can order her about."

"But I can!" Lyn exclaimed. "Find out her favorite food and make it!"

The pirate captain her to turn away to hide her laughter. Despite looking like he wanted to throttle Lyn, Morgan calmed himself remarkably quickly. He was evidently getting used to Lyn's random and sudden commands. "Allow me to check our stores first before you inevitably propose a feast despite knowing full well the limits of doing so at sea."

"Whatever, lazy pants." She hastened to the poop deck with Cassandra on her heels, where Alexander was still leaning over the railing and talking.

He looked up as they approached, his smile evident on his face. "She would indeed make quite an interesting addition to her crew. She's a pretty fast swimmer, you know."

"She put you in the crow's nest in the middle of a storm. I think that's a pretty good indication of her physical prowess." She stared through the deck at where she knew the mermaid was. "What I'm wondering is where you're going to sleep. The _Knave_ isn't very big, and we're pretty full. Do you have any sleeping preferences?"

"Miserie likes to be in water."

"Perhaps we could restructure the ballast to accommodate her?" Alexander proposed as Lyn launched into a torrent of questions. "There's plenty of room down there."

"A good idea, but we can't do that while we're out here. You're not putting a hole in your floor, because Damien will just fall in, and the medbay is hard enough to keep clean as it is without someone going in and out dripping seawater everywhere."

"The cargo hold, then."

Cassandra winced. "We're already stretching ourselves thin with one cargo hold after Cain had to gut the first one. You want to get rid of this one too?"

"You put Hothead in it. I don't mean have that as her room. Just put a hole in that wall for her to enter. She can go through the smuggling entrance."

"You want him to just make a hole in the wall. Did you forget that storm we just weathered? Another one of those will blow that right open and sink us."

"Cain!" called the musician. "Do you think you could make an entrance to the cargo hold that will last until Rime?"

"Rime is the next island, right?" Cain rubbed his chin as he thought. "I probably could. I would need your help with the materials, and I think you would have to be prepared to seal the entire thing off if another storm comes."

"Sounds good." Cassandra didn't like it, but it was the best option given the circumstances. "Get started on that. Jordan, he needs a way to hang off the ship. Help him construct it. Don't give me that look; you're trying to make things up to me, remember? Besides, we need to act fast. We don't know how the weather will hold."

"Should be fuckin' fine an' dandy," Damien growled, his eyes fixed on the clear blue sky.

"Only you would be pissed that the weather's good. And we're in the Grand Line. How do you know the weather will hold? Are you some sort of weatherman?"

His grin was full of malice. "If it don', Biggun's gonna 'ave some fuckin' trouble, ain't 'e?"

"You could at least pretend to care about your crewmates. Miserie, why don't you go around to the front of the ship? Cain's going to be working over here to make you a path into the bottom of the ship. It might be a bit cramped, but it's filled with water and nobody will be able to look at you."

There was no response, causing Cassandra to frown slightly. All of a sudden, the mermaid rocketed into the air, easily clearing the entire ship in a single leap as she cheered. Cassandra was more concerned with the collar she had seen around Miserie's neck. She doubted the mermaid had misspoken earlier when she had mentioned being bought by Mint. She didn't know whether Mint had offered to take on some enormous debt of Miserie's or if she was a former slave, but Cassandra still got the sense that Miserie had been at the casino at least partially against her will.

That aside, there was also another factor Cassandra had neglected to consider. She followed her crew to the bow, gently pulling Lyn and Alexander away from the railing so she could talk with the potential crewmember. "Miserie, do you know what size dress you wear?"

Miserie ceased her delighted swimming in circles to ponder the question. "Miserie doesn't know. Constance was the one buying her dresses."

"That explains a lot," she said unhappily. "This is going to be even more interesting than I thought."

Lyn tilted her head. "What do you mean, Captain?"

"If we promise not to stare at you, Miserie, will you come up onto the deck and grab onto Alexander, who will be facing away from you? I need to verify something, and it's very important."

After a short pause, Miserie nodded and retreated slightly into the ocean. Lyn and Cassandra backed away, both averting their eyes from the musician. After she heard the mermaid land, Cassandra placed her hand on Lyn's shoulder to prevent the first mate from looking and checked for herself. She gave a small sigh. Sometimes, it was a real pain being right.

"Is something wrong with Miserie?" she asked, peeking out from behind Alexander's shoulder.

"No, of course not. Nothing's wrong at all." Miserie matched Alexander's height with a good portion of her tail trailing behind her. She was probably about half Cain's height. Cassandra would wait for a proper check-up until Raven's return, if Miserie lasted that long, but the fact remained that Miserie was noticeably larger than the average human. "You can go back in the water, if you want."

The mermaid was overboard in a flash of red and gold. "Miserie likes Libera. She's nice, and doesn't make people stare. Miserie knows she wants to stay with Libera."

"You don't have to use my last name. Cassandra is fine. The others call me Captain, but I really don't know why they insist on doing that."

Lyn was only too happy to explain. "You told me to call you Captain, Alex and Dam-"

"Alexander."

"Alexander and Damien are more into that pirate thing than anyone else, Cain's still a soldier at heart, and Morgan has to call you Captain because that was Raven's condition." Lyn counted on her fingers to make sure she had everybody. "The only one that doesn't call you that is Raven, and that would just be too freaky if she did. So anyway, Miserie! What do you want to call her? You can use anything you want! She won't mind."

"Can Miserie call her Captain too?"

Cassandra gave an exasperated smile. "Of course you can. Why that, out of curiosity?"

The mermaid wriggled backwards into the water. "Miserie wants to be part of the crew. Crew call the leader 'Captain.' Miserie wants to call Cassandra Captain."

"If that's what you want, I'm not stopping you."

"Yeah, yeah," Lyn interrupted, "enough with the boring stuff. I have a more important question now that Morgan's done checking up: what's your favorite food? I want to know so I can tell him to make it."

"Miserie likes shrimp most."

"Shrimp?" Morgan landed lightly on the forecastle deck. "We don't have shrimp. They don't keep very well for interisland trips."

Lyn poked his back. "No, you don't think shrimp stores because you're pickier than anyone else here."

"I am the chef of this crew. I determine the quality of the ingredients, and I refuse to serve subpar food regardless of who consumes it. Do you have any other preferences?"

"If not shrimp, then she likes other kinds of shellfish."

"Fish?" Morgan asked incredulously. "Are you not a mermaid? Isn't that like cannibalism?"

"What is cannibalism?"

"You don't know what cannibalism is?"

"Miserie isn't stupid!" she shouted. "She just doesn't know a lot!"

"Nobody is saying you're stupid," Cassandra assured her. "And never feel bad about asking questions if you don't understand something. We won't judge you, will we?"

Morgan pressed his lips together before responding. "Of course not. Forgive my rudeness, Miserie. Cannibalism is eating your own species, which is considered to be wrong."

"Miserie doesn't eat fish."

"I'd also like to point out Miserie's a mermaid, not a fish," Cassandra said. "What was it you had yesterday? Filet mignon? You're a mammal, right?"

"It's not the same."

"I don't care. She likes shellfish, which we so happen to have. You're making it tonight. Any special recipes planned?"

"We had the Thank-God-we-survived mussels already for lunch, but there are still some this-is-not-a-good-idea crabs from Juhla. Will that be acceptable?"

She gave a mock laugh. "Your objection has been noted. Get started after you finish the laundry. You still have quite a few chores left before you sleep. And no, you can't offload some of them on the newcomer."

"And why not?" he protested. "If she intends to join, she deserves to-"

"Deserves? That's a pretty strong word. What did she do to deserve lightening your load? A load, I might remind you, you earned by hiring assassins to kill me. If you want, I'll lock you for six days in the cargo hold like I did Damien. Well, four or five days, since you've already worked part of it off. It would be over a lot faster than all these chores and monetary penalties."

The prince's freckles stood out prominently on his suddenly pale face. "I think this is a fitting stopping point for this conversation. I have laundry to finish before preparing dinner, after all."

"I thought so." She turned her attention to the mermaid slowly swimming ahead of the ship. "As for you, he is partially right. Nobody stays aboard the _Knave_ without earning their keep, even if that person is a beloved guest who harasses my crew. Even Damien helps out by guaranteeing passage between islands and handling the most difficult opponents we encounter. Yes, you can help out by calming him down or rescuing one of us if we fall overboard, but we're actually missing a crewmember right now who does that as well. That's not to say your presence is redundant; the more backups we have the better. After all, with Cain and Lyn injured and Damien at the helm, we don't have much in the way of fishing one of us Users out."

"Miserie can do that. She's a fast swimmer."

"Yes, I got that part. Mermaids are naturally the fastest swimmers in the sea. They-"

She was abruptly cut off as Lyn yanked her away from the railing. "It's hard talking one at a time! I really like your neck thing! Where did you get it?"

"Miserie got it as a present from Constance and Jeanne. She really likes it."

Cassandra gave a slight frown. She had assumed the collar was around Miserie's neck involuntarily and she hadn't had time to remove it. Hearing that it was a gift complicated her theory on Miserie having been a slave or something similar. Lyn only beamed. "It's pretty! They did a good job picking it out for you! Also, why don't you like people looking at you?"

"There exists a line between inquisitive and intrusive," Alexander snapped at her. "Even for you, crossing it that quickly is absurd. Surely you can be less insensitive than that."

"I-It's okay," the mermaid said quietly. "It's just really hard when people look at her. She doesn't feel good, and she gets upset."

"And we will leave it at that," Cassandra said, pulling Lyn back. "Scaring her away can wait until Raven returns."

"Raven?" Miserie frowned slightly. "Meili didn't tell Miserie about Raven."

"That's because he doesn't know her. Not many people do. She's our doctor, and while her bedside manner could use a little work, she is absurdly good for how new to doctoring she is, considering she didn't know much past basic first aid until recently. She can also stop Damien singlehandedly." She paused as she realized how meaningless that statement was to Miserie. "Damien could destroy that entire casino without too much trouble. Even with a handicap, he has never beaten Raven in a fight."

"And don't mention that in front of him," Lyn added. "He gets pissy whenever we do."

Alexander coughed. "Again, who is we? You are the only one who does that. I'm surprised he doesn't throw you overboard more often."

Lyn prodded him hard enough to send him sprawling. "Hey, I'm not the one who yells at him whenever he wakes up and comes outside without pants."

"It's fine, he just needs reminding. He doesn't get upset about things like that."

"Anyway," Cassandra said, focusing on her prospective crewmember, "is it too much to ask you to sing sometimes, or does that make you uncomfortable?"

"It's okay. If Captain doesn't show Miserie off, she'll sing for her when she wants."

"I won't show you off willy-nilly. If you're worried about people staring at you when we're at port or something, you shouldn't have too many problems if you stay in the ship or go for a swim. If we get you a longer dress, people won't even know you're a mermaid if they do see you and they'll move on."

Miserie sunk almost out of sight, but Cassandra could still make out the tight circles she was swimming. When she rose to the surface again, she had her hands over her face again, failing to cover her blush. "Miserie will sing whenever Captain wants. Does she want her to sing now?"

Cassandra glanced at the argument escalating behind her. "If I had you sing every time those two butted heads, you'd be hoarse in no time. Besides, they don't mean anything by it. It's Damien you have to be concerned about. I won't order you to sing often, but when I do, I need you to act immediately, okay? If I ask you to sing, you can always refuse. If I tell you to sing, it will be to calm everyone down, and you need to sing regardless of what's going on, immediately and without question. Can you do that for me?"

The mermaid nodded vigorously. "Good. If there's anything more I need to know, now would be an excellent time to tell me. Everyone is entitled to their secrets, though if you don't want to share, that's fine too. However, if there's anything that could threaten me or my crew, keeping it a secret won't make me very happy. If you have something to say, say it."

Miserie rubbed the metal ring around her neck as she thought. "Miserie can't think of anything."

"Remember that I'm always willing to listen if you want to talk. I will be more disappointed the longer you keep a dangerous secret, but I won't kick you out of my crew. The only reason I'd do that is if you killed one of us. If at any point you want to leave the crew of your own free will, I won't stop you either. On my crew, freedom to do what you want is second only to loyalty to the crew in terms of importance. I'd prefer it if your choice of freedom didn't threaten the existence of others, but that's not really a requirement. The Black Glove Pirates are many things, but not all of us are good people. To turn away bad people would be hypocrisy on my part. Nobody said I had to play nice to become Queen of the Pirates."

"Queen of the Pirates?"

Cassandra gave a wide smile. "The Black Glove Pirates also tend to be a bit ambitious. Some of us only want to see every inch of the world or make amazing weapons, but others want to be the best fighter or compose a song that will last forever. Me, I'm going to traverse the Grand Line, find One Piece, and become Pirate Queen. Modest, I know, but we all have goals in life. Do you have anything you want to do besides follow me?"

Miserie squirmed and sunk slightly into the water. Cassandra could barely hear her whispered response before the mermaid disappeared completely. She continued to lean on the railing, staring deep into the ocean. Her first and second mates joined her at the figurehead. "What'd she say, Captain?" Lyn chirped.

The leader didn't avert her gaze. "Have either of you heard of a leviathan?"

"What, the sea monster?" Alexander asked.

"They're make believe!" said Lyn. "Like krakens and sea bonzes!"

Alexander practically tackled the first mate, who simply held him at arm's length. "King Luffy had a kraken that followed him about, and you shouldn't speak of or to the other. Sea Kings are monsters too, and you've seen those with your own eyes."

"Yeah, and leviathans? What about those?"

"All legends start from somewhere."

"And I bet you just know all about them, don't you?"

"If you asked me to list all of the Emperors for the last hundred years, I could. If you ask me what a leviathan is besides a sea monster, you're out of luck."

Cassandra stepped between them. "If I don't have time, I want you to do some research when we get to Rime."

"On leviathans?" Alexander's mouth was open. "Seriously? What am I supposed to do, just go into a library and start investigating?"

"Precisely." She chuckled at his look of shock. "I aim to help my crewmembers achieve their dreams, regardless of what they may be. In her case, I think a little research is necessary for me to help her out."

"Why, does she want to see one?" Lyn asked.

"No." Cassandra returned her gaze to the sea. "She wants to wake one."

"Wake one?"

"It's an ambitious goal, but sea monsters tend not to be savory types. The more you find out, the better it'll be for the rest of us if she succeeds."

Alexander took a deep breath. "In finding one, much less waking one. What if they don't exist?"

She gave a small smile as she echoed his words. "All legends start from somewhere."


	39. Never Ever

"This is stupid." Morgan folded his arms as he leaned back in his chair. "I will not participate in such a juvenile activity."

Damien didn't bother covering his burp. "Aye."

"Don't agree with-" The navigator's glare silenced him temporarily. "As he and I are on opposite ends of any spectrum you care to name, I believe we have an opinion validated by completely different perspective."

"Oh really?" Cassandra asked. "And which of you is female and not an asshole? No? Then we're playing Never Have I Ever, and you're going to enjoy it. And before you start bitching, Damien, I'll let you polish off whatever we don't end up finishing."

His grimace instantly evaporated. "Sounds good."

"Honestly." The pirate captain shook her head in exasperation. "Now I'm going to set up some rules. One, no targeted statements. Anyone says 'never have I ever lifted the _Knave_' or somesuch nonsense, I'll throw them overboard. I'll be the judge of those kinds of statements. Two, if asked to elaborate, you can choose to stay silent. Nobody's being pushed into doing anything. Additionally, if at any point you don't want to continue, stop talking and we'll move on. With that in mind, I would prefer it if you be honest with us. We don't judge aboard this ship. You don't feel comfortable taking or not taking a drink, I'm sorry, but I understand.

"Three, no mocking or insults." She held Damien's gaze for a moment. "We all live lives out of the norm. We've had some very strange experiences, together or separately. Four, if nobody drinks, the one whose turn it is drinks. Did I miss anything?"

"Nope!" Lyn said cheerfully. "We're all set! Are you wearing your ring?"

"Of course not," Cassandra grated out. "It would defeat the purpose if I couldn't get past the fifth question."

"Fifth? How would you make it that far?"

The captain swatted the side of Lyn's head. "All right there, Miserie?"

"Miserie is fine." The mermaid was sitting in a sling hanging just out of sight on the main deck. Her cup was clearly visible, allowing the other pirates to see when she took a drink. She occasionally peeked over the edge, but ducked down the instant anyone looked in her direction.

"Good. I'll start."

"Aww, why do you get to start?" Lyn whined.

"I'm the captain; I go first." She paused as she thought of a question. "Never have I ever… actually swum in the ocean." Alexander, Lyn, and Damien hit their glasses together while Cain tilted back his mug.

"How have you never swum in the ocean?" Alexander asked in shock after putting down his cup.

"How have you?" Morgan followed. "I have seen your lack of swimming ability firsthand."

"I didn't always have a Devil Fruit."

"And when I was an assassin, I was more of a city and wilderness hunter. I've never had to infiltrate through a sewer or something. When I was banished, I took a bite of an awful-tasting apple, and I couldn't swim."

"No," Alexander said firmly. "No. I don't believe you happened to find your family's optimal fruit had returned as an apple. That's way too coincidental."

Cassandra only smiled. "Believe what you want. What haven't you done?"

"Never gotten so sick I decided never to drink that kind of alcohol again."

Morgan picked up his glass, and his expression soured when he saw Jordan do the same. "Absinthe."

"Homemade something or other," she shot back. "Cousin thought xe knew what xe was doing, but good god was that shit foul. If it doesn't have a label, I'm not trying it."

The prince raised an eyebrow. "Is that so. Then why the desire to take all manner of narcotics, which I have never done."

Jordan's smile faded slightly. "And that's not targetin- no, that actually isn't. Damn. If I said what I've had, I'd get an earful, so I won't."

"Always a pleasure, Jay. Damien, care to shed any light?"

"Dunno wha' it was."

"And just when was this?" Alexander asked. "I don't remember ever seeing you do anything back home."

"I guess this sheds a little light on what you do when you're not around," Cassandra said. "Did Raven know?"

"Aye."

"She never told me."

He shrugged. "Didn' really matter, did it?"

"Nope!" Lyn exclaimed. "Same with me and ecstasy! Also, I tried glitter once, but I spent the entire night sneezing, so I don't think I'll do it again."

"Next question," Alexander said flatly.

"Fine, killjoy! I've never been in a pillow fight!"

Virtually everyone had their glasses raised by the time they realized the implications of her words. "Bullshit," Alexander managed at last. "You've never had a pillow fight? I don't believe that at all."

"He's right, Lynlyn. I can get Mimi not having one, but you? Please."

"It's true! Did you forget I grew up in an abbey? We had to be proper and honest all the time, and it was so boring!"

"But you ran away tons of times, right?" Alexander pressed. "Surely there-"

"Places where thieves hide and merchants rest tend not to have people immediately willing to have pillow fights!" Lyn said brightly. "Ha, got you all, didn't I? I knew you'd all had at least one!"

Jordan shrugged. "I still don't believe you, but whatever. I've never fallen off a boat."

Her shit-eating grin was quickly wiped from her face when Damien hooked a finger through her collar and yanked hard enough to send her tumbling off the _Howling Knave_. She was deposited back on board an instant later, but the pirates were too busy laughing to pay much attention to Miserie's quick rescue. Even Jordan started laughing as she wrung out her shirt. "Left myself wide open there, didn't I? That was the lot of you, wasn't it? You are some clumsy motherfuckers. What about you, Didi?"

"I ain' got too smashed t' remember what 'appened."

Cassandra, Morgan, and Jordan all glared daggers at him. "I know that's not targeted at us, but you still suck," the captain informed him. "All right, I'm a total lightweight without my Devil Fruit, har har har, can we just move on?"

"We will when it stops being funny!" Lyn giggled.

"So never, is what you're saying."

"It just seems like you're the type of person who would handle her alcohol to some degree," Cain boomed. "One wouldn't think you have a two drink limit."

"I can handle more than two! You know, it's just because it's 'pirate tradition' that you all drink so much. Normal people would call you alcoholics."

"That may be the case, but we are pirates," Alexander said. "It comes with the profession."

She just wanted to change topics. "What's your story, Miserie?"

The mermaid ducked down as a couple pirates instinctively turned to her. "Miserie had never tried alcohol before. Constance said it helps after a long day's work. Miserie didn't feel anything at first, but she found a drink she liked. She didn't realize it was too strong until she couldn't remember any more."

Lyn giggled. "Yeah, that makes sense. What did you like?"

"Moonshine."

No few eyebrows were raised. "That stuff is strong," Alexander agreed. "Finding that exact recipe you like might be difficult, but I'm sure Morgan can rise to the challenge, right?"

"Of course. It is important to have a favored drink to save for special occasions or, in some cases, everyday consumption."

When everyone looked pointedly at Lyn, she just beamed. "Cain, what haven't you done?"

"I've never drank while underage."

His grin widened as every single person took a drink. "Well, aren't you Mr. Rule Follower," Lyn said. "I thought Alex was-"

"Alexander."

"Alexander was bad. No underage drinking? How did that happen?"

Cain just shrugged. "Soldier father, soldier mother, and I wanted to be just like them. Didn't cross my mind to get in any trouble I didn't need to."

"You are boring. I'm gonna find out what you've done by the end of this, mark my words! But it's not my turn. How about it, Miserie?"

"Miserie has never seen the sun before today."

Everyone was too stunned to drink. Only when Damien's mug hit the table were they brought back to reality. They looked at each other, unsure of how to respond to that. "Well, tomorrow morning, you're gonna wish you couldn't see it!" Lyn exclaimed at last. "That's the goal, at least!"

"Not everyone has hangovers like you," Cassandra reminded her, feeling the best way to continue was to act normally. She didn't want Miserie feeling left out. "And if Raven were here, she could almost match that."

"That's true, isn't it? Raerae only came out at night. That's part of the reason she was called Gloomy Ghost at the Academy."

"Which I never graduated from. Any school, that is, not specifically the Academy."

Jordan raised her glass to Cassandra before drinking, but Cain and Morgan paused. "How did you not manage to graduate?" the prince inquired. "You certainly possess the intellect required to score highly, especially in a school for assassination."

"Also, you've mentioned jobs you've completed previously," Cain followed. "Were you given targets while still in school?"

"In reverse order, yes and during the final examination, I voluntarily disqualified myself. I was given an assignment to complete during the exam that I could not fulfill."

"Raven."

Cassandra nodded at the alchemist. "Correct. I was tasked to kill her. I did not. Raven is the ship's doctor, Miserie, in case you forgot. She joined us a while ago. She had to return home for a while to become heir to her family, but she'll be back."

"Why did she leave?"

"It's complicated. I'll explain it later. The point is, I couldn't kill Raven, and I knew I would refuse all further contracts against any of my Moon Sisters. The shitstorm that followed was pretty big, let me tell you. I'm lucky I only got banished."

"We're lucky you got banished too!" Lyn shouted. "Otherwise we wouldn't have the bestest captain in the whoooole world!"

"You're at four," Alexander told her, pulling at his collar. "We've barely started the second round. Keep it together."

"What're you talking about? You know I can outdrink you any day of the week!"

"True, but I've never woken up next to someone I didn't know."

Cassandra was about to call him out for his statement, only to realize Lyn was only beaming at him. Jordan looked around for someone to join her, but once again, her only fellow drinker was Damien. Considering how much the assassin had already consumed, it was unlucky she had chosen to copy Alexander's abilities before the game. "Nice try, Alexander," the captain said. "I thought you knew Lyn better than that."

"It was worth a shot. I didn't expect her to, but I was curious."

"Still, take a penalty drink. Who wants to go next?"

"Me!" Jordan shouted more loudly than necessary.

"Judging by the order, I am next," Morgan interjected.

"Fuck the order! I've slept with more people than I can count!"

The pirate captain rolled her eyes. "Quit bragging and play the game."

"Oh! Uh… Never have I ever not slept with more people than I can count!"

Everyone frowned as they tried to untangle her sentence through their various states of inebriation. "You're going to need to elaborate, Jay," Cassandra said at last. "Some of us have trouble counting past thirteen."

Jordan ticked off on her fingers before smiling at them. "More than ten!"

"Why ten?"

"That's my statement dammit, now drink up, Cici!"

She rolled her eyes, but nevertheless took a drink. "Oh, and say you abstain if you don't want to reveal that information. As I said, no pressure."

"Abstain?"

"Say you're not drinking," Alexander told the mermaid. "And must everything be about sex with you?"

"Ah, you're just mad Momo and Didi beat you out. And I'm calling bullshit, Lynlyn. You spend half the nights off ship when you're not at sea."

"True, but I don't always sleep with them! You said more than ten!"

Jordan looked flabbergasted. "Are you serious?"

"Jay, what did I say about pressing too much?"

Lyn carried on regardless, her cheeks rosy pink. "Brittany, Cameron, Braxton, Abeni, Johan, Flora, that woman we fought with in that rebellion, Woodrow, Tanya, and you! Ten!"

Cassandra pondered this, having had more important things to do than keep track of her first mate's activities on Reichmann Island. Alexander looked similarly lost in thought, though he spoke before her. "Are you talking about that rocker woman… oh, what's her name..."

"Sabbath?" the captain provided.

"Oh, she was such a sweetie, but straight as that bazooka she used. No, that princess-looking one from Summer Isle with the Shield Fruit and the pretty name whose name I only learned after we left and I feel bad for not remembering! Where's Raven when you need her?"

Alexander's jaw dropped, and several others followed suit. "Kotel?"

"Yeah, her!"

"Who cares about who did what with who!" Jordan protested. "You still go out half the time. Do you really expect me to believe you aren't sleeping with all of them?"

"No, you don't need sex to unwind. Sometimes all you need is relaxing and cuddling."

"Are you telling me you just happen to go home with the limpdicks who miraculously don't want to sleep with you?"

Lyn gave her trademark radiant smile. "Yup!"

"Let's move on," Cassandra said.

"Hey, I'm not done yet!" Jordan swung her bottle, nearly knocking Alexander off his chair, before waveringly aiming it at Morgan. "More than ten with your personality? Which was it, whores? Women trying to become princess?" She leaned in mischievously. "Men trying to become prince?"

"I've never slept with men!" he shouted.

After a moment's hesitation, the pirates interpreted that as him taking his turn. Jordan reached over to hit her glass against Lyn's and only succeeded in falling over. Cassandra took a drink, only to freeze in astonishment as Damien took a large swig and Cain tentatively followed suit. Damien was wearing that humorless grin of his that served purely to unnerve others, while Cain was simply staring at his mug in surprise.

"So… anything you two want to say?" she ventured.

"Excuse you?" Lyn threw her arm around her captain. "Don't put this only on them! You're just as much in that category of 'holy shit really?' as they are!"

"What do you mean?"

Morgan gave a slight cough. "Your aggressiveness especially towards the male gender tends to alienate people rather than attract."

"That so? Alexander, do you feel alienated?"

"Not in the slightest."

"Cain?" He shook his head. Morgan was sweating when she turned back to him. "There we go. I have neither the time nor the inclination right now to find others, but I did have a boyfriend or two in the past. There, that's me. What's your story, Damien?"

"You did say you weren't gay," Morgan added. "Were you lying?"

"I don' lie," he snarled.

"Explain yourself, then."

Damien's toothy smile only widened challengingly. After a moment, they decided that Cain would be the safer one to ask. He avoided their gazes, clearly uncomfortable about being put on the spot. Surprisingly, it was Lyn who came to his aid. "Suit yourself! Never have I ever gotten kicked out of a bar!"

"Ten!" Jordan yelled.

"Now you are clearly just lying," Alexander said instantly after he drank. "There is no way on earth you haven't gotten kicked out. I've seen you drunk. Are you telling me you've never been asked to leave?"

"Not by someone who didn't want to leave with me! Although I do leave with other people who get kicked out." Cassandra carefully avoided her gaze. "What about you, Mister Prissy Pants? Why were you kicked out?"

"What do you expect? Overdoing it and being too loud. Hothead and I snuck out and joined Captain Hayred because he was only visiting for one night."

"Before the M-" Cassandra caught herself, not wanting to spoil the moment by igniting their fury. "Before they came, you must have been young. They let you in the bar?"

"Of course. It was a pirate bar."

"It never ceases to amaze me how casually you talk about the most fearsome pirates," Cain said. He was glad to explain when Alexander looked at him in confusion. "I guess it's just a difference in upbringing. Bandits were always told the worst stories about pirates. We wanted 'Demon Ring' Hayred Din as far from Winter Isle as possible. One time he attacked Lord Snegtsal, and the other bandit lords rallied behind him. That only happens once in a blue moon."

"Come oooooon," Lyn interrupted. "History is so boring…"

"Even if Captain Hayred got that nickname because his ring had the Gichi Gichi Fruit that gave him control over other Users?"

The first mate tilted her head. "How could a ring eat a Devil Fruit?"

"Some scientist around the First Great Pirate Age figured out how," Cassandra stated. "But I thought inanimate objects could only 'eat' Zoan Fruits."

"Regardless, people thought his ring made him invincible. Someone chopped off his left arm to try to separate him from it, but he wore it on his right. He got a pretty impressive silver one for his trouble. Eventually, he lost that ring, and that's when he died."

Jordan belched loudly. "Lynlyn's right, this is boring. Who hasn't gone twice? Caicai? Didi?"

"Miserie has never dyed her hair."

"Would you like to?" Lyn said instantly. "I have tons of it because I really like this mood changing stuff. Even though Captain always likes to remind me it's thermowhatever, it's still cool!"

"Hey Hothead, you remember King Day when we were nine, right? We switched things up; you were King Luffy, and I was King Gar. Black and red dye." Damien laughed and hit his mug against Alexander's hard enough to crack them. "And did you dye your hair other than to distinguish yourself from your past, Captain?"

"Matter of fact, yes. I routinely changed hair color during assignments to throw off pursuers, same as Jay."

"Hey, don't group me in with you. I can almost hold your hair color for a day."

The captain narrowed her eyes. "And when you got to Brickwork, you couldn't do that. Why have you been practicing pretending to be me? I'll remind you that's forbidden and extremely stupid."

"Chill out, Cici. You're not the only Negras I'd need to imitate." She leaned backwards as Cassandra's gloves audibly creaked beneath her tightened fists. "Believe me, I won't copy Helhel either. You know I can't."

"Who can't you copy?" Lyn asked curiously. "Do they have a tattoo or something?"

"No, you don't understand. Cici's sis is… hard. And not just because she's Cici's sis, though a more overprotective older sister you never did see."

"Oh come on, Jayjay, how couldn't you become her?"

"We had a game," Morgan reminded them. "All of this useless chatter detracts from it."

Cassandra smirked at the color in his freckled cheeks. "You're at nine. Don't get suicidally cocky now. The point of this game was to get to know each other better, both because of our potential new crewmember and because we're nakama."

"And how does knowing the limitations of her powers fall into either of those categories?"

"Because she, like some of you, have agendas that are not necessarily in my best interests."

"Damien doesn't."

Cassandra lightly hit the musician's arm. "Yes, no detangling schemes, but I count planning how to stop him in the future in that category."

"Miserie said she would help out. She can sing."

"Yes, thank you for that. I don't want to discount your help in any way, but we also have to account for the situation. While it's nice you can help hus at sea, the only place you can help when we're landed is near the shore. But then, I suppose if we let him rampage elsewhere while we stay near the _Knave_, it'll all turn out okay."

Morgan frowned. "At the cost of countless innocent lives."

"I don't know where you get this image of him as some indiscriminate butcher from." Alexander was forced to clarify his statement as the others uttered various noises of incredulity. "What I mean is that you're all aware that he doesn't usually go after civilians. They tend to be more collateral damage than direct targets. Of course, I would rather there be no casualties at all, Hothead."

He only got a shrug as a response. Cassandra heaved a small sigh. "Cain, what have you never done?"

"Never have I ever stolen something." Once again, everyone took a drink.

"Wha' kinda pirate are ya?" Damien scoffed.

"Bandits steal too," Alexander reminded him.

"How about let's focus on the fact that Cain didn't put one toe out of line until he joined us," Cassandra said. "We've corrupted the poor man. I mean, this isn't part of the game, but how old were the rest of you when you first stole something? I was seven."

"Seven," Jordan agreed.

"Miserie doesn't know."

Alexander gestured at Damien and himself. "We were nine."

"Eight! Or maybe ten."

"I was thirteen," Morgan said.

"You? Thirteen?" Cassandra hadn't expected that. "With your penchant for valuables?"

"Of course I coveted the wealth of others," he snapped. "However, I waited until I knew the theft could not be traced back to me. How many of you were caught upon your first attempt?"

His only answer was Miserie's hand rising above the railing. "I guess some of us are sneakier than others," Cassandra said, trying to contain her laughter. "Also, if you're going to be a Black Glove Pirate, Miserie, you're going to need a black glove. Do you have a particular style you want to wear? We'll do our best to find one that can suit your taste and last in water. I'm sure you've seen the different types we all wear. Some prefer form, others function. Morgan, for example, started off with fingerless gloves, but has chosen to adopt full-fingered ones since he lost that one in an unfortunate accident."

"He tried to kill Captain. Meili told Miserie."

"Exactly. His new glove looks very nice, doesn't it? Custom-made, reward for good behavior."

He absentmindedly rubbed the gap with his thumb. "Have you decided what I must to do retrieve my circlet?"

"We're playing a game," she replied. "Shouldn't we keep the idle chatter to a minimum?" She chuckled at his obvious anger. "Relax, I'm just kidding. I haven't decided yet. It's not going to be unreasonable, but it's not going to be easy. I still maintain five days in solitary confinement would clear it all up."

"That is a punishment unfit for animals," he snapped.

Damien gave a wild laugh. "It ain' so bad. Gives ya lots of time t' train without shit'eads botherin' you."

"You were completely immobilized. How on earth could you train?"

"Everythin's trainin' if ya figure out 'ow."

"You would think that."

"I ain' like some bitches 'oo lose to Songbird."

"If I had not been trying to incapacitate him, I would have not have lost."

"What a shitty excuse. Even Sunshine could do tha', righ'?"

Lyn laughed loudly as she glomped onto Damien. "Of course! Without a problem!"

Although his eyes betrayed his anger, Morgan did manage to speak without sounding outright hostile. "Well, might is not absolute. Pure fighting power is pointless without direction and meaning. If that were the case, all social hierarchies would be topped by the strongest. Intelligence and influence are imperative as well, both categories in which I do not fall behind you."

Cassandra raised her eyebrows. She had expected Morgan to take the bait, especially with the drinks he had consumed. She also didn't miss the meaningful look Cain sent in her direction. "Okay, that's enough, you two. Damien, rein it in. If you set fire to the _Knave_ again, I swear I'll make you wear nevermeltice at all times when we're at sea."

"What're you talking abou'? Reign in wha'?"

She stared at him for a moment, but he seemed genuinely confused. "It's not him," Alexander provided. "He's not channeling anything."

"Oh. Huh." She pulled at her shirt in an effort to alleviate the steadily increasing heat. "Well anyway, whose turn was it?" All of the pirates looked at each other, unable to quite remember. "Fine, I'll go again. I've never been skinny dipping."

"You haven't?" Lyn exclaimed. "It's so fun!"

Cassandra grabbed the first mate's collar. "That was not an invitation to do so now."

"What's skinny dipping?"

"Swimming without clothes on. Humans tend to wear swim clothes, though I should warn you now these two don't care all that much." Lyn and Damien laughed, the former tipping over when she hit Damien's mug.

Jordan huffed angrily. "See, why is it that they just get 'oh, it's who they are' and I get 'don't be a dick'?"

"Because most of the time they're not intentionally making people uncomfortable."

Morgan scoffed. "That isn't to say that walking around stark naked can be considered civilized behavior."

"Says th' cunt 'oo sleeps with 'is cock 'angin' out."

The prince's face instantly reddened. "What one wears or doesn't wear when they're sleeping is completely irrelevant. Besides, you have slept without pants countless times."

"Aye, an' I ain' the one pretendin' t' be proper, maggot."

"No, that's just Morgie and Alex."

"Alexander."

Lyn giggled uncontrollably. "Alexander. They're the most fun to make fun of because they think they're so sophisticated and gentlemanly."

"We are right here," the musician reminded her.

She completely ignored him. "Whoever heard of a gentleman pirate anyway? You hear stories of scurvy sea dogs with eyepatches and parrots who say 'arr, matey' and 'shiver me timbers' and are scary and frightening, but none about people where were all nice and kind."

"Most sailors who are nice and kind aren't pirates," Cassandra reasoned. "There's a certain amount of rule-breaking one has to engage in. You two are already accustomed to that, being a pirate and a bandit."

"And that's not entirely true either, that lack of niceness and kindness," Alexander said.

Lyn sighed loudly. "Oh give it a rest. We only know what we're told, unlike some pirate know-it-alls who spent their free time memorizing history books."

"It's not just history books. We heard stories every day from our parents and whoever was stopping by the island, not to mention the pirates themselves. We saw all kinds of pirates, nice and mean, stereotypical and not."

"Fine! Whatever!" She tilted so far back to drink that she tumbled right over.

Cassandra shoved herself backwards fast enough to catch the first mate before her injured leg hit the deck. "Honestly," she reprimanded, "if you don't stop being reckless, it won't heal properly."

"It'll be fine! It barely hurts at all now! I just wish Raven'd get back so she can take this stupid thing off, since a certain lazy bones won't do it!"

"I am the temporary physician, not the actual doctor," Alexander stated. "Raven left me instructions regarding when I should remove your cast if she's gone for longer than expected. You do realize that most bone fractures take several weeks to completely heal, and that they stop hurting long before they do fully heal, right?"

"And you know as well as I do that I've been healing faster than that."

Seeing the beginnings of another argument break out, Cassandra decided against trying to resume the game and instead simply tossed her bottle over to Damien. It had been a long day, and the temperature was only increasing. She was in the mood for a good long rest. "We're done. We'll resume this tomorrow night if people have more things they'd like to declare. Alexander, you're on second watch, Cain, third."

"Seeing as how I'm pretty beat, I'll be cashing in one of my watch slips."

"Bring me the slip. Damien, how's our heading?"

"I'll get it fixed in a sec, brat."

"Fine." She waited until Alexander emerged from the men's quarters with his chore slip in hand. "Lyn, this is yours."

"Wait, really?" The first mate hopped over to check for herself. "Aw, man! I hate second watch! It's so boring and tiring!"

"Which is why it's one of the more valuable slips we wager," Alexander said with a smile that swiftly morphed into a yawn. "Anyway, I'm heading in. Night all."

"If you have any troubles exiting or entering your room, be sure to let me know," Cain said, making sure not to stare directly at the mermaid. "Any hour, don't be afraid to wake me."

"Miserie will."

"Preferably not at any hour," Cassandra told her. "I don't want you taking advantage of the poor man. He works harder without complaining than anyone, and even though I stress that he needs to not tire himself out, he usually won't say if he's being overworked."

He gave a low chuckle. "It's nothing, Captain Libera."

"You're only proving my point. Morgan, if Jordan causes you any trouble, feel free to smack him out of the way. You may be the lowest ranked crewmember, but that's still better than a drunken guest interfering with everything."

"Duly noted."

"I love you too, Cici!"

Cassandra shook her head as she ascended to the women's quarters, still pulling at her shirt. As she stepped of the stairs, Miserie burst out of the water and grabbed onto the railing. Only her fingers could be seen, though a quick peek over the edge revealed the mermaid was looking up at her. "Miserie wants to be part of the crew. She wants to be useful."

"Well, we've already got everything covered for tonight. What exactly did you have in mind?"

"What is second and third watch?"

"In order to ensure our safety, there's always someone keeping a lookout during the day and night. It's not as important during the day since we're all awake anyway, but if something comes up during the night, I'd like to have a little advance warning. We split the night shifts into three parts, though the first is always Morgan's and the second is Raven's if she's here since she never sleeps. As you saw just now, we play cards pretty often to get out of chores we don't want to do."

"Miserie isn't very tired. Can she be third watch?"

The pirate captain raised an eyebrow. "You caught up with us from Juhla through a Grand Line storm, but you're not very tired."

"She got a lot of rest before dinner."

"Fair enough. Hey, Cain! Change of plans. Miserie's taking your watch, and if you protest, I will knock you out right here and now."

At this, he laughed heartily. "Yes ma'am. No arguing, right?"

"Attaboy." She paused as she thought about how to coordinate it. "Well, Miserie, Lyn can use her spirit to wake you up when it's time to switch. We'll come up with some sort of system to alert you in the future. For now, get some rest. Damien, you bastard!" she shouted as the navigator carelessly leapt from behind the wheel, swung around the mizzenmast, and crashed into the deck. "If you break one more goddamn thing, you're swimming to Rime!"

"Fuck off, ya crazy cow. Ship's fine."

"Not the way you treat her!"

He waved his hand dismissively as he drained another bottle before entering the men's quarters. Cassandra sighed as she entered her own room, letting the others do their assigned tasks while she prepared to sleep. She needed a little time to herself to think about the day's events, everything she had learned and the new prospective crewmember. She would get prepared to sleep after she mulled everything over.


	40. The Island of Ice

Cassandra grumbled darkly as she searched around for warmer clothes to wear. The heat from the day after they had left Juhla had grown to a nearly intolerable degree and stayed that way for most of their journey, regardless of what other weather events occurred. Even the winds that had furiously blown the entirety of the fourth day didn't alleviate it in the slightest. Sleeping hadn't been particularly easy, though her sleepwear had been especially light.

Unfortunately, the temperature had absolutely plummeted overnight, causing Cassandra and Lyn to nearly freeze before waking. The first mate was sleepily trying to find any clothes to put on whatsoever, but was having trouble as she had thrown all her clothes about previously in a childish attempt to dispel the heat. She eventually settled for wrapping herself in her blanket and refusing to emerge no matter how much Cassandra coaxed her.

The two women jumped as the door banged open, and Cassandra turned to the intruder with murder in her eyes. "Close the fucking door!"

"Hey you should be thanking me!" Jordan exclaimed, nevertheless kicking the door shut behind him. "I'm here to save you two!"

"And how exactly do you…" Cassandra smiled as the frigidity dissipated in a matter of seconds. "What did you do this time?"

"What? All I did was take-"

"No, what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!" The captain fixed him with a skeptical look. "You know, maybe Lynlyn's right. You're really paranoid."

"Jay…"

"And yes, I might have accidentally scared Mimi a little bit, but we laughed it off!" The assassin didn't bat an eyelash as Cassandra's foot crashed into his face. "You really need to work on your flying kicks. I don't know how Didi thinks you're-"

He was cut off as Cassandra's punch sent him staggering against the door. Cassandra slowly unclenched her fist, ignoring the bones that had broken from the impact. "Even that wouldn't work against Damien. He's always prepared for a strike. You can't be complacent just because he's built to be a fighter. You may have his abilities, but not his mentality."

"Yeah, but it's way more fun to be me than him. He does whatever he wants, but almost all of that is exercise. Waste of power, if you ask me."

"Be sure to bring that up with Raven. I think she holds a similar view."

She leaned to the side as a naked Lyn catapulted herself onto the impersonator and grabbed him in a tight hug. Jordan's grin faded slightly when he remembered Cassandra was there and held his arms open wide. "Hey, not my fault! I didn't do anything! No need to hit me again!"

Cassandra grunted, resuming her search for the winter gear she had bought for Rime. "Well, I guess being a living heater is the most useful thing you've done so far."

"Come on, Cici, you know you love having me around."

"Like a sickness. Lyn, did you move my jacket?"

"Uh-uh! I thought you knew everything, Captain!"

"Then I guess Morgan cleaned it or something."

Jordan chuckled as he shifted Lyn into a more comfortable position. "You know, for a brat who never worked a day in his life before you kicked his ass, he's pretty good at getting shit done. How is that making him a better leader?"

"I don't know," Cassandra said dismissively. "Humility or something."

"Teaching him that trying to kill Captain is a bad idea?"

"That's the one. Well, your jacket's gone too. Morgan had to have forgotten to put them back."

"You know, Lynlyn, for a nun who's never killed someone, you're pretty cavalier about Cici dying."

"Nothing cavalier about it," Lyn responded instantly. "She's not gonna die. Amaranths bloom forever!"

Her grin widened as Cassandra looked sharply at her. Jordan glanced back and forth between them. "What?"

"Don't be so down, Captain! You thought it was cool before!"

"What? What is it?"

"Captain's sulking because Damien was named after a beast made of divine power and hellfire and she was named after a flower."

Jordan couldn't contain himself, joining Lyn in laughing uproariously. "That? You're upset about that? You never let nicknames bother you before!"

"Yeah, plus Alexander already told you that the other Pirate Kings didn't have super badass nicknames either. I mean, you have Gold, Straw Hat, and Upstart. You at least get Insidious along with the flower!"

Cassandra gave a grudging acknowledgement as she pulled on her sweater. "Still, I think just Black Glove would have been better. Yeah, I know my father wouldn't let that happen, but that's how I was introducing myself before. Besides, nobody calls me 'The Insidious Amaranth.' They just say Amaranth."

"Less grandiose than the Traitor Duchess though, isn't it?"

"I like the Traitor Duchess. I know the name will die off soon enough, but I wish I could go back to the Academy and see how they react."

"You want to go back?" Lyn asked.

Cassandra put a hand on her head. "Of course not. I like it here. I couldn't leave you all to your own devices. Anyway, back to business. How did you scare Miserie?"

"Well, she was in the crow's nest, and I suddenly came up behind her."

"How did she react?"

"Smacked me clear off the ship. Girl's got quite an arm, I'll say that."

"And even with her powers, you can't swim, right?"

"Hey, who says I-" He stopped when he saw the look Cassandra was giving him. "Okay, I did try, but no I can't. Seems the curse overrides the blessing."

"Whose power did you have at the time?"

"Didi's, of course. I was freezing my ass off."

The captain sighed. "Well, I should go check to make sure she didn't hurt herself. Did you apologize?"

"Kinda. Sorta- fine! Fine! I'll go."

"No, stay until I have everything!" Lyn protested.

Jordan looked helplessly at both pirates until Cassandra relented. "At some point in the very near future."

She pulled her jacket closer to herself as she stepped outside. It was considerably colder than she liked, but not to a truly uncomfortable degree. Unfortunately, she knew it would only grow colder as they approached Rime. She automatically looked about for her probationary crewmember before remembering Miserie was never on the deck. The mermaid was either in her room, swimming in the vicinity of the _Howling Knave_, or in the crow's nest. Cassandra hadn't been around her long enough to differentiate her scent from the sea's, so she didn't immediately know which one it was.

"Where's Miserie?" she asked the only person on the main deck.

"Good morning, Captain Libera. She's still in the crow's nest, as far as I know."

Cassandra looked up at the distant structure, then back at the enormous pirate. "Isn't it a bit chilly to be out with only a long-sleeved shirt?"

"It's not that cold to me," he said dismissively. "Winters got worse than this back home, and part of our training was to stand outside in a blizzard."

"Temperature's still falling, you know. They had you stand in a blizzard just to toughen you up? Didn't people freeze or die?"

"No, part of it was determining what your limit was and switching off before any lasting damage occurred. It was to toughen us up, but also teach self-preservation."

She nodded as she thought about mountain bandits and their systems for producing people like Cain. She still thought it was slightly strange to see his arms covered by anything other than armor or padding for armor. "Well, keep in mind that self-preservation thing and extend it to overworking yourself. I know you're almost as tireless as that idiot navigator of mine, but that doesn't mean that's all you have to do. But anyway, could you give me a boost?"

"Of course." The ship tilted slightly after he threw her, and she had to grab onto the spar beside the crow's nest.

Miserie was peering at the island they were approaching, but turned and partially ducked below the lip of the crow's nest when Cassandra cleared her throat. "Hello Captain. We should reach Rime soon."

"I know. Lyn apparently taught you what to say when you saw an island, which isn't entirely necessary, but some of us follow selective pirate traditions."

"Did Miserie say it loudly enough?"

Cassandra gave a small smile. "A bit too loudly, but don't worry about it. Did Jay scare you badly?"

"No, and Miserie is very sorry for hitting him. Her. Her?"

"Whichever. Just don't use they, xe, and especially not it."

"She doesn't understand."

"Hasn't Jay gone over this with you?" The mermaid shook her head. "Ask him in a bit. Regardless, you shouldn't feel bad for hitting him. He can be a bit of a brat. Still, he's here doing me a favor. How was yesterday?"

"Good. Miserie still thinks Morgan is a bit scary, but he was nicer yesterday. Lyn said the reason he acts like that is because his rank is lowest and when Miserie becomes a real crewmember, she will outrank him."

"You know, most people think Damien's the scarier one."

Miserie gave a small frown. "He says a lot of mean things, but he doesn't single Miserie out, and he doesn't treat Miserie like she's stupid. Morgan says things he doesn't think she understands, and she sometimes doesn't, but she knows they aren't nice."

"He's a prince, so he's gotten decent at choosing his words carefully enough in his opinion. That doesn't stop him from speaking before thinking sometimes."

"Miserie can tell when he's angry with her. His eyes change."

The captain couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, he can't hide his emotions at all. It's kind of funny, in a tragic sort of way. I'm glad you haven't resorted to singing though. He may be mean and relatively easy to manipulate, but I do think he's trying to improve. I really don't think he'll try to kill me again, but that doesn't mean his personality has completely changed. Still, remember that if he's ever being mean, you can tell him to stop."

"Lyn and Alexander were helpful. They told him when he was being mean, even if Miserie didn't know it."

"They'll do that. They're nice that way."

"Captain's nice too. She asks Miserie how she is every morning and how her day went, even if she doesn't need to. Miserie also noticed she doesn't do it with the others."

"Well, I see the others more or less all the time, but you're not always present. Don't worry; there's nothing odd about it. When we reach Rime, you'll see me asking the others a lot more as they scatter and do their own thing. I even ask Damien when he's done doing whatever it is he does, although I usually don't get more than one or two sentences. Besides, you were worried about fitting in. I just want to make sure everything is okay."

Cassandra was surprised when the mermaid burst out of the crow's nest to give Cassandra a tight hug. The pirate captain returned the embrace, keeping her displeasure for having her clothes soaked from her face. Miserie retreated after releasing her, ducking back down. "Miserie really likes Captain."

"I like you too. I still have to make sure you can actually do what you say you can do, but that should be fine. Back to my earlier point, you hit Jay off the ship."

"And she's very sorry."

The captain waved it aside. "You might as well have hit Damien, and I will tell you from experience, he doesn't move easily. Is your arm hurt? Don't hide it from me if it is."

Miserie hesitantly extended her left arm, which was already beginning to turn slightly purple. "It doesn't hurt much."

Cassandra gently took the injured limb and looked over the injury. None of Miserie's skin was torn, just bruised from the impact. She let her eyes linger on the faint circular scars around Miserie's wrist before letting go. "You should still ask Alexander to put something on that."

"It's fine. She's right-handed. This won't stop her that much."

"I insist. Don't be like some of the others who are too stubborn to accept treatment. I know you don't like people looking at you, but even something like this should be cared for. Besides, when Raven returns, she will have to do a full-body check-up on you."

She shrank away slightly. "Why?"

"Part of what makes her so astoundingly good is that she is very good at determining correct doses for medicine or poison at a mere glance. However, for us, she likes to be exact. She takes doctoring very seriously. She does her job optimally if she knows everything about you physically. Now, you are a mermaid, and your physiology is a bit different from ours, but that's all the more reason for her to do that. Of course, I will tell her to ease up if you start to feel uncomfortable, but you do need to have that check-up."

Miserie still looked unconvinced. "If you're going to be a full-fledged Black Glove Pirate, you need to have Raven do that check-up. Even if you don't go more than ten meters from shore, you will eventually get hurt sailing with us. Raven's gonna have to care for you, maybe even surgery, and it would make things a lot easier if she didn't need to spend valuable time figuring out how different you are. And if you're worried, remember that it's not just you. Damien burns off all sorts of drugs, and his surgeries take a while because his flesh is so tough. Everything in Cain's body is over thirty times larger than the rest of us, so it took a while for Raven to figure out how best to treat him. Alexander and Morgan sometimes use their Devil Fruits without thinking and get rid of her tools. Despite all that, we're all here and alive thanks to her diligence and care."

"Miserie will do it if Captain is there," she said at last.

"Good." As far as reflexive reactions went, if Miserie grew too stressed and started singing, Cassandra was reasonably sure Raven would be able to ignore it. As amazing as it would be to see the doctor express some form of emotion, Cassandra was really counting on her as the main safety measure against Miserie. She did like the mermaid and her earnest endeavor to become a pirate, but having some way of preventing any unwanted singing was important. "Are you sure you're warm enough?"

"The cold doesn't bother Miserie too much." One of the many coats Lyn had purchased on Juhla had been the closest fit for Miserie, although Cassandra thought being constantly wet diminished the usefulness and warmth it provided. Nevertheless, the mermaid had been absolutely thrilled and refused to take it off. "It's warmer in the water, but Miserie has watch. It isn't bad."

"Well, we're about to land, so come down and get patched up. No complaining." She waited until Miserie nodded. "Good. I'll give out instructions and rules as we dock. Nothing to worry about, just safety policies and the like."

She hopped off the yard and landed heavily on the main deck. When she recovered, she quickly changed clothes for warmer and drier ones before heading over to the galley. When she entered, she found that Alexander had already finished reading the newspaper and was idly working on the crossword puzzle. "Brunch will be ready sooner if you do not hassle me, Captain," Morgan said from behind the counter.

She briefly contemplated responding before electing to ignore him. "Miserie hurt her hand hitting Jordan off the ship. Take a look and make sure it's nothing serious. Anything of interest?"

"Civil uprising in Hyaconia," he said absently. "Different path of the Line. Marines have commissioned ten new warships, but only received nine. Price of tangerines from Wave Island have reached a low of 1,500 Beli per kilo."

"Wave's tangerines are truly the best," Morgan offered. "They are one of the ingredients of unquestionably peerless quality, well worth their exorbitant price. I doubt we will find any on Rime, but perhaps on the island after that. Similarly, I do believe we will have difficulty procuring sea silk. Juhla is an island suited to all sorts of clientele, while Rime is significantly more restricted."

"And I'm sure it's not cheap," Alexander continued. "Even accounting for rarity."

Cassandra shrugged. "How expensive could it be?"

"Sea silk clothing can be tens if not hundreds of millions of Beli. It is among the finest of all textiles. I myself have attempted to acquire it on more than one occasion, though in my case availability rather than price was the limiting factor. Suppliers of sea silk also tend to be wary of selling to those of other... persuasions."

"Money isn't everything," said Cassandra. "There are some divides too deeply-entrenched to overcome easily. Isn't that right?"

Morgan chose his words with careful deliberation. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're insinuating."

"I'm not insinuating anything. I'm telling you to cool it with the thinly-veiled remarks when your patience wears thin with Miserie."

"That fiend calls her all sorts of names!"

"He also called me a limp-dicked booze hound, which doesn't make much sense any way you slice it."

The prince opened and closed his mouth a few times as he fought to come up with a clever retort. "If it bothers you, tell Damien to stop," Alexander said, still almost entirely focused on his crossword. "Won't work, but at least you have a reason to ask someone to divert his attention."

"I have asked him to stop!"

"And yet you call him just as many names, albeit not from the same range of vulgarity. Captain, which one did I get wrong?"

"I'm sure you've done fine."

"_Captain_."

"Fourteen down is 'cucumiform.'"

He frowned as he looked back and forth between the clue and the puzzle, then scowled. "Damn. That makes this 'pithy' and this one 'hectare,' I believe."

Cassandra monitored Morgan as stealthily as she could. He didn't seem to notice her, but he nevertheless withheld the comment he obviously wanted to make. After composing himself, he turned back to his captain, but spoke before he did. "Regarding Miserie, I know she's told you herself, but I'm reminding you that she isn't inferior to you."

"My opinion of her has nothing to do with her race, if that's what you're saying," he snapped. "I am many things, but I would hardly consider myself to be racist. Merfolk have countless abilities that are to be lauded, not used as reasons for discrimination. What I am saying is that even Damien has a grasp of vocabulary and concepts beyond those of a prepubescent child, even if he chooses not to make use of it. She has exhibited no such understanding."

"Twenty across is 'shingles,' right?" Cassandra leaned over to check before nodding. "Shouldn't have second-guessed myself. And Miserie's not stupid. I'm reasonably sure this isn't her primary language. She probably knows those words in whatever language she does speak and just needs a rough explanation to give her the definition and allow her to mentally translate."

"Plus, there's that whole 'never seen the sun' business," the captain added. "Her exposure to the outside world has been quite limited. I'm actually surprised she's handled the transition so well."

"She barely left her room for the first two days, and delivering food to the bilge was a task better suited to someone other than a Devil Fruit User who still requires a cane to move effectively."

"Oh come off it," Alexander said. "You don't really need that any longer. You just think it looks more dignified than a slight limp."

"Be that as it may," he gritted out, "I would hardly call that a smooth transition."

"Didn't you spend the first week throwing up if you weren't on the main deck?"

"You know as well as I do that the weather near the Red Line is particularly extraordinary!"

"And who is the only one who can fit inside the crow's nest but doesn't take watch there?"

"I am reasonably certain that being in there technically counts as a punishment."

Alexander shrugged. "It's true it is sometimes used as a punishment. However, I think if Captain wants to punish you, she has far more direct ways of doing so.

The prince's steel eyes narrowed slightly. "I am aware."

When the galley door banged open, Cassandra was pleased to see Morgan jump less than he had previously. Lyn strode in amid a gust of frigid air, swiftly slamming the door behind her. "Wow, it's a lot warmer in here! Are you baking something for breakfast?"

"The meal was formerly breakfast but is now bordering on brunch, and it does not involve baking."

"How does something border on brunch?"

"When certain women take it upon themselves to sleep in."

"Superior officers," Alexander said absently.

"Why are you doing the crossword?" Lyn exclaimed. "So boring! Where are the comic-" The musician was already holding up the section without taking his eyes off the puzzle. "Thanks! Did you do your thing with Miserie, Captain?"

"I did. When she finally decides to come down, Alexander will take a look at her arm."

"Oi, sack suckin' Cap'n! Git up 'ere!"

Cassandra let her shoulders drop as she eyed the food Morgan was preparing. Regrettably, she did need to see what Damien wanted. One of his few good qualities is that when he wanted her attention, it was for something she needed drawn to her attention. Shouldering her way outside, she climbed to the poop deck where the navigator was at his usual post. Even as the temperature continued to drop, his only articles of clothing were his dark pants and black gauntlet. His eyes glowed as he focused on her. "Ain' many fuckin' four masters wit' a missin' main."

Frowning, she looked at the approaching city to see a familiar damaged ship some way down the harbor. The avian figurehead pointed away from them, but she definitely recognized the ship. "How on earth did they beat us here?"

"'S the Line. She don' treat all equal."

"Well, Cain's inside, so I'm guessing he's gathering armor in preparation for a fight and left you to tell me."

He rolled his shoulders in an uninterested shrug. "Tha' cap'n wen' toe-t'-toe with Biggun. Should be fun."

"You're not fighting."

His eyes began leaking flame. "Biggun an' tha' nine-fingered twatblast an' me'll go for some sparrin', then. Tha' don' count as fightin'."

"I know your memory sucks, but surely you remember that your 'spars' with Cain usually wind up with him needing medical attention. He's too good for you to just exercise and avoid attacks like the rest of our friends."

"I ain' 'ad fun in-"

"You nearly killed us all, you mad bastard, and you have the nerve to call that fun? I won't stop you from fighting because I know I can't. That's why it's not up to me. It's up to you. No matter what you do, you can't make me give Raven those thirty seconds. You have to earn them by not breaking your promise." His glare darkened. "I know hostages aren't your thing, but if you threaten the others to make me change my mind, you'll just get the same old fight you always get, and I know that's not what you want."

It took all of her willpower not to react at the clawed hand that sped towards her with lightning speed. Damien halted just before hitting her skin, his fingers straining as he fought to keep himself in check. One of his claws tickled her eyelashes as he slowly closed his fist before her face. Unfortunately, this was not one of the times when her bravery amused him to the point of turning his attention elsewhere. His thirst for blood and combat was too strong at the moment, and she couldn't strictly speaking blame him. She would want to let loose after being inactive for a stay at an island, if being helmsman on the Grand Line could be called inactive.

Despite his obvious rage, he pulled back and grasped the wheel tightly enough for it to creak. He was a tight coil ready to unwind at any second, but she just needed him to keep it together long enough for them to dock. After that, she would either let him roam free or enlist Miserie's help in preventing any catastrophes from befalling the rest of them. Alexander or Lyn might also help calm him down, considering the ease they had with dealing with him.

"Okay, can everyone hear me?" Various noises of acknowledgment came from the Baby Den-Den Mushi on the ship's wheel. "Now as you may have noticed, Rime is a Winter Island. Some of us will feel more at home here; others will not. Jay will be conducting preliminary investigations - no, Lyn, I'm not just being paranoid - and for today, I want you to carry a snail or go about with a partner. As I learn more, I will probably amend the rules. Morgan's right when he says that not many people visit Rime. That is to say, basically only inhabitants and people following the Log Pose will find themselves here. We probably won't find many lawmen here, but there will be pirates aplenty. The ones we fought on the first day after Juhla have already docked. Be prepared to encounter them.

"Aside from that, you know the drill. Morgan go out for supplies, Alexander and Lyn chat up the locals. I'm sure you all remember the specialized tasks I gave you. Hell freezes over on Winter Island nights, so I recommend returning to the ship tonight. If you're not back by midnight, I will come looking for you. After tonight, the rules will change. Behave yourselves and prepare to dock. Morgan and Jay on sails, Alexander on anchor. Don't bother with the flag."

Cassandra watched the harbor as the ship glided into position. She made to move towards the bow, but Lyn was already there talking excitedly with the dockmaster. Knowing the first mate could handle the issue of payment, Cassandra scanned the ships and people nearby. Quite a few ships flew their colors without shame, which made sense to her. While not completely lawless, she didn't imagine it was anyone's top priority to police Rime Island. There wasn't much here that she knew of besides ice and snow, but she would learn more over the next few days. A few large men and women trundled back and forth along the docks, buckets of salt and sand on their shoulders. Some of the people aboard ships were appraising the _Howling Knave_, and she made a mental note of any who held her gaze for more than a fleeting moment.

All in all, despite the festivity that was Juhla, Rime seemed to be a more relaxing place.

Of course, there was still the matter of her impatient man beside her. As the ship fully halted, his job as navigator was officially complete. He released his grip on the wheel, and she wasn't surprised to see the fresh indents in the wood. Flames occasionally slithered along his skin, but he showed an admirable amount of self-restraint. That was one of the problems she had with Damien. She knew perfectly well that he could hold himself back. He just hated doing so.

"Sunshine!" he barked, causing a dockworker to stare curiously up at them. "Le's do this!"

"Hang on," Cassandra said sharply. "You think that because I wouldn't let you spar with Cain and Morgan, Lyn will be okay? That's not happening."

"It's not what you think, Captain!" Cain deposited the first mate next to them as Alexander helped with his armor. The bodyguard had decided against plate mail and was merely going for moderate protection. "He and I worked it out! Remember, you can't interfere!"

"You worked it out."

"Aye." His wide grin caused her gaze to narrow. "She and I 'ad a fuckin' deal, and you can' do shit about it."

"I will be watching," she said. She would refuse to budge on that point.

Much to her surprise, they both laughed. "If you want, Captain! It might get a bit boring."

"Boring? You two? I'm missing something."

"'T ain' a battle wit' bodies, spooge lips. We're fightin' with souls."

She was even more lost than before. "You project yourself from your body, and you channel spirits to create fire. Those don't seem compatible."

"Ain' tha' simple. We gotta fight. Tha's what we agreed on."

"Yup! Now, where should we do this?"

"Blackie's room."

"Raven doesn't have a- oh, the med bay. Yeah, that'll work."

Still confused about what exactly they were doing, she followed the pair down into the white medical ward. Damien slumped down onto his usual bed while Lyn tossed her crutches on the one beside him and worked her broken leg into a comfortable position. After exchanging a set of matching grins, they leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together. As their eyes closed, their smiles faded, leaving only twin expressions of serenity. Considering they were both usual fonts of emotion, seeing them both so calm left Cassandra slightly unnerved.

What puzzled her even more is that they had stopped moving completely. They both took steady breaths as if they were sleeping, yet their position indicated they still had enough control over their muscles to keep from falling over. After a few minutes, it was quite clear that what they were doing was something she wasn't meant to be part of. As the hatch in the ceiling opened and Miserie fell in, Cassandra kept herself from turning around.

"Oh! Miserie thought they had left."

"Ignore them. Alexander, what are they doing?"

"Hmm?" The musician paused as he descended the stairwell. "Oh, them? I have no idea. They were saying something about fighting with spirits, but our spirits and her spirit don't work that way. Still, I'm reasonably sure that whatever it is won't hurt them too badly, and if it'll get Hothead his fight with Lyn, I don't much care. How is your arm?"

"Captain says you need to… look at it."

"I'm sure she said I need to tend to it."

"I said you should ask him to put something on it," she corrected, leaning against the main mast and taking care to face away from them. "Raven is the one doing the looking, and she isn't here."

"How did you get this?"

"Jordan surprised Miserie, so she hit him away. Jordan can copy things, yes? He was copying Damien."

Alexander gave a slight cough. "Well, no wonder it left a bruise. You don't seem to have broken anything, but there's not much I can do besides put more ice on it. It should last for a while, but I can't be sure. I can't give you any painkillers because… well…"

"Miserie's different."

"Yes, essentially. Different races are affected differently. That's why when we met Rockstar…" He paused as he thought about how best to phrase it. "Raven asked her a lot of questions. Rockstar was a lobster fishwoman, by the way. Lovely lady. Wasn't so keen on pirates. Oh, that reminds me. Do either of you know if merfolk have base fish species?"

"It would stand to reason if fishmen do."

"Miserie doesn't know," she said quickly.

The musician didn't look unduly concerned. "Don't worry about it. It's not a matter of great importance, just might give you an edge in explaining some of your abilities and behavior."

"Are there fish that control other fish by singing?"

"I know that mermaids can talk to fish-"

"Yes! Miserie can talk to fish! She talked to lots while she was swimming, but a lot of fish don't like talking if they're busy, and fish are usually busy doing something."

Cassandra waited until she was sure Miserie was done before continuing. "But I'm not sure about your singing. I'm guessing that has nothing to do with you being a mermaid. Anyway, I want you to rest in here for a bit, because I don't want you to have to hold ice underwater, then go off and do whatever you want. I need to go meet with some people and make sure there are no hard feelings, or if there are, to sort them out."

"Peacefully?" Alexander inquired.

"Sure. Why not."

As she turned to go, Miserie sprung around the mast and grabbed Cassandra's shirt. "Miserie has decided what kind of glove she wants. She wants a black one on this hand that goes up past her elbow."

"And why that particular style?" she asked.

The mermaid shrank back slightly. "Miserie likes them."

"Fine by me. I'll be sure to pass it along. Rest, okay?"

Miserie nodded and ducked under the covers of the nearest bed. She was thankfully dry already, as it would be a hassle to change the sheets again. As Cassandra emerged onto the deck, she pulled her jacket closer and shivered slightly. Cain deposited Lyn on the docks, and the pirate captain leaned over the railing. "See if you can find any place to buy sea silk!"

The artist waved as she left with Jordan's arm around her shoulders. Cain adjusted a strap as he knelt beside her. "Sea silk?"

"Yeah, Miserie needs dresses and shirts. And a single black evening glove. That'll be so easy to find."

"Will it?"

She stared at him for a moment. "Are you bringing a weapon? No? Then we're all set. Let's go say hi to our friends from out at sea and hope they don't feel too upset."


	41. Lose to Win

"If Morgan were here, this would be a good lesson for him," Cain mused aloud.

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "Oh? In what sense?"

"Well, in terms of whom you bring to parley."

"Oh, that sense. You're right, of course. I'm sure he knows that, but I suppose it wouldn't be amiss to send him on these fun little trips."

"He might not grasp the completeness of the situation without actually taking Damien or Raven."

"Remember when you rightfully wondered why I keep him around? Everything is about appearances. A stupid man sees me and you and makes choices based on his observation. A smart man makes different choices. I bring Lyn or Alexander if I want to make one kind of statement, and you or Morgan another. Damien and Raven, however, are people who help create very specific statements that can't be ignored."

"Truly I am glad you are our captain, Captain Libera."

She smiled. "And from you, that's not flattery. Don't forget that even with the same person, different statements can be made. Right now, you're dressed in armor and are obviously alert for danger, but what if I told you to wear casual clothes and hunch over a bit more? First impressions are important."

"And you enjoy leading people to the conclusions you want drawn."

"To say I enjoy it would be an understatement. I like getting what I want, and it's a lot easier if I know what people are thinking or what they want to do."

"If not for your ambitions, you would be wasted as being a pirate captain."

"And you being a mere bodyguard for a prince. Don't get me wrong; I know that's about as esteemed a position as you can get. It's not that you have no ambition. You're just satisfied with that job."

His deep chuckles startled a pair of merchants unloading their ship. "I'm not a leader. I take orders, not give them."

"I'm not saying you should be a general or whatever rank you bandits use. That kind of grandeur isn't your style. Of course, you'd need to be high enough up to contest the orders of your superiors. That's what I'm training you to do, after all."

"No ma'am. I may disagree with your orders, but I will not disobey them. Also, you run your crew a certain type of way. Others are more militaristic or believe might makes right."

"And let's find out which one these fine gentlemen are. Ahoy there! Is your captain here?"

Many murmurs spread through the ship, and she maintained her composure despite the various assumptions that Cain was the one here to see them. When the other captain pushed aside the flap of the massive tent that encompassed the deck, however, his eyes only lingered on Cain before going to her. She gave a small smirk. This man was not as foolish as she had hoped. She chalked it up to his own height almost matching Cain's. He probably didn't judge people based on size alone.

"I am Captain Xiphos of the Hoplite Pirates." His voice was loud and authoritative, a fitting match for his large stature. "Who are you?"

"Cassandra Libera, Black Glove Pirates. Pleasure to meet you."

"I cannot say the same. You crippled _Aetos_. Fixing her won't be easy."

"You attacked us first!" she exclaimed. "Yes, we did the broadside, but you're telling me those men on your deck were just armed for drills or practice?"

He held her gaze for a moment, then broke out in a wide grin. His tone turned jovial as he rested on the railing. "I suppose we are both at fault. We lost a few of our number, but the combat was glorious!"

_Outstanding. Another battle-lover_. "We almost did, but had some help at the end from an interesting source. Will you be wanting payback?"

"For skirmishes at sea?" He let out a deep laugh. "Of course not! What happens on the Line stays on the Line. If, however, we meet as foes on land, we will not back down."

"Well, what about a little light sparring?" she said with a grin. "My champion versus yours. Any ill will should be resolved with their fists, don't you?"

Once more, he stared at her before laughing heartily. "Well said! Andres! Where is Andres?"

"He left, Captain," a pirate reminded him, "with the two from last night."

"Retrieve him! He'll remember the man we fought, Mister…" he trailed off, looking at Cain expectantly.

"Alcides, sir, Cain Alcides."

"A good name!" Xiphos declared. "Tell him Cain Alcides will duel over a cask of the finest wine Rime has to offer."

Cain sputtered at this, and he looked down when Cassandra elbowed his leg. "See? You're making all sorts of friends. Go find Andres and win me that wine."

"But Captain Libera-"

"Go. I'll be fine. Stretch your legs and move around a bit. I know how cramped it is for someone like you on a ship like ours."

"Of course." He bowed deeply before turning to the man setting off to find his opponent. "May I join you? I would like to meet Andres as well."

Xiphos continued laughing as the two men departed. "A fine turn of events! Andres will be quite pleased with Cain Alcides as his opponent. Come, fellow captain, let us exchange drinks as well! Juhla was kind to us and provided much luxury!"

Cassandra did think the man was being honest when he said he wouldn't initiate any fighting, but she felt it would be better to appraise his crew nevertheless. Besides, her ring was outside her glove. She could match nearly anybody when it came to drinking with her Devil Fruit, and poison wouldn't have any effect. "I'll take you up on that."

"Splendid! Ida! Bring the wine we won on the third day on Juhla!"

"Right away, Captain." She bowed and swiftly sped out of sight.

As Cassandra walked up the gangplank, she surreptitiously analyzed her surroundings. There were too many heartbeats and too much noise to count accurately. She estimated at least forty people. There were a few pirates attempting to stealthily monitor her as well. She made a mental note of them and their varying degrees of proficiency. Xiphos seated himself on the deck and gestured for her to do the same. Carpets had been rolled out onto the deck that hadn't been present during their encounter at sea. She ran her finger along the fabric, though it was impossible to tell what it was made of through her glove. "These are new."

"You have a good eye! Rime may be cold, but we prefer the open air. They are no strangers to cold floors, these people. Rugs are easy to acquire, even for ships!"

The floor was surprisingly warm even accounting for the braziers periodically placed along the deck. There was obviously some source of immense heat inside the ship, though she didn't know what that would be. Racks everywhere bristled with spears, providing easy access for any type of defense or assault. "I might look into one of those, though our heating situation is a little different."

"Pah! Generators and machinery cannot compare to a hearty fire when it comes to keeping men warm."

"We use a more… supernatural approach."

"Are you referring to the young man who can burst into flame? Has he eaten a Cursed Fruit?"

Probing for information in the guise of casual conversation. She had to respect that. "He has."

"Hoplite Pirates favor purity in body and form! How can a man be called a pirate if he cannot swim?"

"Well, he's not a pirate. He's my sibling staying for an extended period of time."

"And the man who commands water and stone?"

"He is a mountain bandit. Their ways are different from ours."

Xiphos' look of astonishment swiftly turned to amusement. "A mountain bandit on a pirate crew? Now that is an uncommon occurrence if I have ever seen one!"

"Cain was also a bandit."

"Really?" The large captain stared where Cain had left. "He doesn't seem like one."

"He adapted a lot more quickly."

"That is good to hear! Ah, Ida!" The woman bowed as she handed them their glasses and poured. Xiphos took a deep drink and smacked his lips in satisfaction. "Juhla has good wine!"

Knowing that he was watching her, Cassandra took an equally deep gulp. The feeling of lightheadedness only lasted for a moment. "It was. I don't remember seeing you around Valeglen. Where were you on Juhla?"

"We made landfall at Stocar. Festivities abounded, wine was aplenty, and there was much rejoicing! Truly an island fit for Eternal Poses!"

"Mm. We left in kind of a rush, so we didn't get to enjoy too many festivities. Some of us have a talent for causing trouble and making enemies."

"Those are not bad qualities in a pirate, I should think! Even under the loosest law, one cannot have true freedom! That is why pirates exist!"

"Some would say that the ideal freedom would not interfere with law."

The large captain scoffed loudly at this. "Pah! Merriment can be had from good drinks and willing women, but how can a man enjoy testing his strength without a little public disturbance? Slaving away in fields or offices is no life for men."

"Working men probably built your ship."

"And I thank them for it! But that is not how men and women such as ourselves desire to live."

She gave the ghost of a smile. "You and I share that opinion. Some don't care to change their lot in life, but that isn't the way of pirates."

"Precisely! Freedom is paramount!"

"On a slightly more serious yet related note, do you know of any Marine activity here? Some of my crew are a bit tetchy when it comes to the blue gull, and it'd be nice to give them a head's up."

His cheer diminished as he contemplated the question. "A fair inquiry considering our profession and your new arrival. We have been here but for a few days, yet I have seen little of them. Even on Juhla, their presence was minimal. I had heard rumors that a blue-haired woman caused much disturbance on Brickwork, which prompted our haste departure. Might that have been you?"

"There was a skirmish," she admitted.

"And your presence here indicates you were the victor!" His wide grin returned undiminished. "What number were your opponents?"

"Whatever Marine captains command."

"Ah, a mighty force! Did you capture their leader?"

"No," she said slowly. "Why would I have done that?"

"Surely, you cannot be unaware." He gaped in amazement as she shook her head. "Astounding! To travel this far and be ignorant of the value in capturing Marine officers!"

While Cassandra never acknowledged others' claims that she was a genius, she did not like being known as ignorant. "Then please, enlighten me."

"Ida! Bring me the Marines!"

Cassandra watched the woman enter one of the doors on the main deck, presumably the officers' quarters or a study, and emerge carrying a small stack of papers. She frowned as she recognized the papers. "Marines have bounties?"

"In a sense. See here!" He spread the papers on the carpet between them, using heated stones to weigh them down. One large finger moved between them as he explained. "Pirates are not the only wanted men on the seas. Collecting the heads of Marines is significantly less formal. Without a global communication network, one has to bring the Marine to specific locations where the price can be negotiated. Of course, if the price is not to your liking, you may always attempt another place or another island. However-"

"Early officers aren't worth as much," she guessed. "Farther down you go, you might find someone with a vendetta willing to pay more, but more likely they're uninterested in smaller fish."

He looked all too thrilled that she understood. "You have it right, Libera! We have this one," he prodded the poster, "in our brig as we speak! We encountered him on Fyuchrzend. If we cannot find a bidder soon, I fear he will be of no use."

Cassandra was more focused on the posters. "Her. We met Theresa on Brickwork. She put up quite a fight."

"The Bone Reaper? Her value is quite high! It is a shame you could not capture her."

"Complications arose. She got away."

"Such a prize would have sustained you for many islands."

"I'll keep that in mind next time I see her."

Xiphos grinned. "'Rattail' Klaudijs pales in comparison to this woman. I would have liked to face her on the battlefield!"

"You can have her. She was an even match for my best man, and he's pretty damn good. Did Klaudijs put up much of a fight?"

"Sadly not. We encountered a much more enjoyable time with bounty hunters, despite the lack of monetary value for winning."

"Ah yes, the Net. Did you by any chance meet someone named Rockstar? A bit shorter than you, six arms, huge pincers?"

"I daresay I would have remembered encountering such a woman."

"Fishwoman."

"You encountered a fishwoman? Truly, the gods have shone upon you to put such worthy adversaries in your path!"

"Yeah. Worthy adversaries." Her hardest fight so far had been against her own crewmember. "Well, hopefully we can catch a breather here, as long as my goddamned crew don't start anything. Even on Juhla, they still managed to get themselves into trouble."

"Perhaps it is discipline they lack!"

"Oh, some of them are more than a little lacking in discipline. Unfortunately, the disciplined ones can cause me just as many problems as the others. If they can get through just one island without starting some conflict or other, it'll be a miracle."

Xiphos slapped his meaty thighs as he laughed. "Spoken like a true leader of lively men! You must tell me more!"

Cassandra knew an opportunity when she saw one. So long as she was careful about how she phrased her words, she could exchange stories with him and learn a great deal while divulging very little. "Oh, but where to start?"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Alexander smiled as he lowered his trumpet. It was truly nice having accompaniment instead of his usual solo practice. Granted, the acoustics in the medical ward were suboptimal and Miserie insisted on facing away from him when she sang, but he didn't mind too much. The important part was Miserie was having fun learning any pirate ballads he knew. The mermaid seemed to enjoy singing along as much as he enjoyed playing, and as a musician, he couldn't ask for more.

"Miserie wants to learn other songs!" she said enthusiastically, peeking out from behind the bedsheets. "Pirate songs are so happy!"

"Most of the ones I'm teaching you are. Some of them can be sad too depending on how you sing them, like Binks' Sake and Fiddler's Green."

The mermaid nodded as she thought about them. "Yes, some songs are happy and sad. But sad songs don't mean they're bad songs. Miserie didn't think she could sing sad songs without being sad."

Miserie didn't seem to be able to control influencing his emotions when she sung. He had primarily been teaching her cheerful sailor songs, but when attempting Bink's Sake in a minor key, she had managed to still lift his spirits despite the more somber tone. "It all depends on how you sing them, I guess."

"Miserie likes music. Can Alexander get other instruments to play too?"

"We'll see. I have a saxophone and a horn, but not any other kinds. I've been meaning to get a fiddle, but haven't gotten around to it. Ideally, we'd have a piano, but there's not really any place to put one."

"Piano is the big one with the long buttons?"

"Keys," he corrected, "and yes. I think you'd like the sound of it."

"Can Cain build one?"

The musician laughed. "No, it's a little too complicated for him. Given a lot of instructions and time, he could probably do it, but it would be a lot easier to just buy a piano."

"If Captain does, will you play?"

"Of course, I…" He paused as Damien shifted his weight, causing the bed to creak. He and Lyn had been immobile for hours, and he had checked more than once to make sure they were still alive. The navigator's face slowly contorted into a grimace, and the temperature in the room began rising considerably. After a moment, he pushed Lyn away and violently shook his head. When he opened his eyes, he stared around in confusion. Upon spotting Alexander, he gave a bestial growl and shot to his feet. Without any warning, he leapt straight through the ceiling hatch, causing the two doors to bang open and allowing frigid air to rush into the medical ward.

Surprisingly, it was Miserie who reacted the fastest. She sprang after him and single-handedly closed the hatch. As Alexander had trouble with the hatch even with the mechanism Cain had created, he now truly believed that the mermaid had hit Jordan off while the assassin had been copying Damien. She landed back on her bed and pulled the bedsheets tight around herself. "Miserie doesn't like cold air. Being in water is nicer."

"Well, I think you've iced your arm for long enough. Feel free to take a swim."

"You!" Lyn sat bolt upright, her finger pointing directly at Alexander. He gave a slight frown, expecting her to elaborate, but she ignored him in favor of locating her crutches. "Come, now!"

As she made her way up the stairs, Alexander turned to Miserie. "Have a nice swim. I should deal with this."

Miserie nodded and exited the medical ward by the rear door. Sighing, Alexander ascended to the main deck in time to see Lyn enter the women's quarters. He hesitated slightly before following her inside. He tended to avoid the room on principle of it being the women's quarters, though he had entered many times before. As he looked around, he noticed Lyn had not gotten any better at cleaning up after herself. "Sit!" she commanded, pointing at Captain's bed.

Still confused, he nevertheless did as he was told. Lyn was sitting on her own bed, paper and charcoal in her hands. Trusting that she would eventually explain herself, he leaned back beneath the porthole and continued to look around. The mizzenmast obstructed his view of the woman opposite him, but the men's quarters had a similar situation with the foremast. Granted, the men's quarters were significantly larger, but they always seemed more cramped with Cain inside. Lyn's clutter had a similar effect in this room.

"Come here!" she said at last, throwing her charcoal carelessly on the ground. Alexander made his way through the mess and was roughly dragged beside her. "Who are these people?"

It felt as if the world had dropped out from beneath him. He put his hand on the bed for support. It was strangely difficult to breathe. His wide eyes slowly scanned the pictures, lingering over each one. "How…?"

Her words came impatiently fast. "Damien and I worked it out. We'd fight with our spirits. You know how I can share memories? I was trying to do that to him, and he was going to resist. I lost, but I won too. I think I saw inside his head or something. I saw his memories instead of me seeing mine. Not important. Who are they?"

Alexander couldn't fight the tears forming in his eyes. "Friends. Family." The pictures weren't perfect. Parts of their faces were missing or different from what he remembered. The sizes were wrong, some aspects were off, but they were still unmistakable. Even through his tears, he laughed. "I told you. I told you! He's not a mindless monster! He's just as human as you or me!"

"I know that," she said quickly. "_Who_?"

"His parents. Our friends. Captains he looked up to. I knew he remembered!"

"They're inside his head. I wouldn't say he remembers. What is this symbol? I saw it the clearest besides ours."

Alexander smiled as he looked upon the familiar Jolly Roger. It was a simple skull and crossbones with red markings that he knew all too well. "The Natural-Born Pirates," he said. "That was the crew we were going to form before the Marines came."

"The two of you starting a crew?"

"Not just us. Wait here." He hastened to the men's quarters and pried open the chest of drawers he shared with Damien. Hidden inside was a well-worn and slightly faded photograph he carried around whenever he could. Reminiscing for a moment as he stared at it, he swiftly closed the drawer and returned to an expectant Lyn. She snatched the picture when he extended his hand and peered at it intently. "The full crew. It was nine of us."

"These people." She looked back and forth between her sketches and the picture. "Some of them are here. They look different."

"Well, Hothead's memory was never very good. I'm not surprised you saw Amin and Sam the clearest. Amin was going to be our captain, and he never held back when Hothead challenged him. For every win Damien took, Amin had a hundred. Hothead wasn't the same back then, though. He always just laughed off his losses. He was competitive, sure, but not like he is now."

"Wait, this is Damien? He looks so different!"

Alexander smiled, knowing what she was referring to without having to look. Damien had grown a lot from a skinny boy with an afro. "He didn't spend half of his waking hours training and hadn't met Captain Sasha yet."

"Who?"

He tapped a drawing of a dreadlocked woman with angular features. "His idol, Sasha Vermillion, the Empress of Blades. She used double-ended swords to completely overwhelm her opponent. She only visited Summer Isle twice, but Hothead found his way there both times. When she died, he changed his afro to dreadlocks and grappling to daggers."

Lyn nodded. "And the rest of these?"

"Francesca was to be our first mate, and her brother Lorenzo was a bit like you. He always made friends no matter where he went. John's father retired from a shipwright to become a lumberjack, Dizzy could outrun and outswim anyone, Boya was a chemistry and biology genius, and Sam could make a feast out of nothing."

"Sam, she's another clear one."

"Yeah, she was Damien's girlfriend. She-"

"Wait!" Lyn held up her hands to stop him. "Wait. Damien?"

Alexander rolled his eyes. "Yes."

"Our Damien."

"He was different back then."

"That's so _weird_! What was he like? How did he act? Was he-"

"They weren't a very obvious couple. They roughhoused a lot, but most of their affection wasn't public."

Lyn stared at the picture. "And you? Did you change from ladykiller to this after they came too?"

He pressed his lips together in an attempt to restrain his initial comment. "No, I didn't have a girlfriend per se."

"This one looks mighty close to you."

"Boya and I were just good friends."

"Uh-huh. Just good friends. I've heard that before."

"Lyn."

"Okay! Okay! No need to be so fussy about it. What happened to them?"

Alexander's face fell. "The Marines. Sam and Francesca were captured. John was killed during the first attack. Lorenzo, Dizzy, and a few others met up with me and Damien later on, and we harassed the Marines for a while. Third or fourth time we went out, things went south. Half our group including Lorenzo got killed and Dizzy lost a leg. The shamans can do many things, but fixing those was beyond their ability. The others cut their losses and left. After that, it was just me and Damien."

She remained silent for a moment. "Are you mad at them for leaving?"

"No, truthfully, they were the smart ones. Damien couldn't let it go, and I couldn't leave him. We were the ones just young enough not to know better, but old enough to be left to fend for ourselves. That's why I have to be with him. He's my little brother. He would face the entire world if it turned against him, and what kind of brother would I be if I let him do that alone?"

Not unexpectedly, he found himself pulled into a tight embrace. "Silly Alexander! We're nakama now! Soon enough, we will have the world against us! You think Captain's not gonna make trouble wherever she goes? We'll always have enemies, but that's part of being nakama of the Pirate Queen! We all stick together, no matter what. Of course, I can say that because Damien knows I'm awesome that way, but even Raven and Morgan know how useful he is in a fight! When he's not facing them, at least."

He couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Nobody said nakama had to like each other all the time. Even among our crew, he was always picking fights. You should have seen the crater Sam put him in when he didn't stop pestering Dizzy one time. Everyone thought it was an earthquake."

"How did he react?"

"He didn't care. Even back then, he could take a punch like a champ. He thought it was hilarious that John had to skip class to help with the repairs." He paused when he noticed the cheerful expression on Lyn's face. "What?"

"Nothing! You just don't talk about your past much, and Damien never does."

"What are you talking about? I talk about our past more than anyone but you."

"No, you tell stories about things that happened before the Marines. There's a gap between then and when Captain and I met you that you never talk about."

"For a reason."

"Yeah, but we are nakama! We're supposed to help each other deal with painful stuff. And you're supposed to be the easy one! Think of what we have to do with Captain and Raven! And Miserie now, too!"

"I suppose so," he said with a smile. "And what about you?"

She tilted her head to the side. "What about me? My parents died when I was too young to remember. Yeah, it sucks that I don't know them, but I'll see them again eventually!"

"That you will." He leaned back against the mast as he thought. "You know, some people might say your cheer is all an act, that you're covering things up and avoiding the issue."

She gave him a look filled with so much skepticism that he was positive she had learned it from Captain. "Sometimes I think you're really smart, but then you say stuff like that and I remember you're not."

"You wound me. I'm trying to say those people are wrong. You being you helps a lot with dealing with things that need to be dealt with." He glanced at the broken sword hanging from her bedpost. "Even if you occasionally slip up."

"People make mistakes. I just wish Damien would cooperate more." She held up one of the sketches and scrutinized it. "See, how could would it have been to know Damien actually had an idol? And Captain and I already knew you wanted to be pirates, but knowing that you were already going to be pirates-" She stopped mid-sentence and looked down at his photograph. "Wait a minute, what was your position gonna be on the Natural-born Pirates? Musician there too?"

"Well, I was actually working on becoming the spiritual healer to Boya's physical doctoring."

"Oh. Healing field and all that. But yeah, knowing you were sort of part of a crew would have been nice. We would have done something."

"Like what?"

"I dunno. Something."

Alexander shook his head, a small smile on his face. "Well, I did have something I was thinking about asking you. See, crews have Jolly Rogers, but it's not uncommon to have personal ones as well. I was thinking, even though you're not a tattoo artist, if you could design mine. Not actually make it up, but-"

He stopped when he realized she was already sketching. After a moment, she leaned over and rummaged around beneath her bed. The stick of red she found somehow exactly matched the color of the Jolly Roger's markings in the photograph. She was finished a few deft strokes later. "There! That's what you wanted, right?"

Sure enough, the marked skull and crossbones were silhouetted by a large black glove. The lines of red were different from the picture, slightly softer and more rounded, but it was still what he wanted. He was so engrossed with it that he almost missed Lyn clearing her throat expectantly. She was holding up a sketch similar to the one in his hands, though with a few significant changes. The skull's eye sockets were furrowed in anger, its canines longer, its markings more jagged and harsh. His grin, if possible grew even wider. "Amazing."

"It's what I do!" she said with her brightest smile. "Plus, Damien won't be so mad at me if I show him this!"

"Or he'll see if he can break his record for how far he can throw you, busted leg or not."

"Yeah, or that! This was gonna be a tattoo, right? Did you think about where you're gonna get it?"

"I would defer to either you or the tattoo artist for that. How many do you have now, two? Three?"

"Shouldn't you know? Oh, that's right. You stare in the other direction if a lady so much as exposes an ankle."

"Hahaha, funny. Obviously you have your Jolly Roger and your ankle beads, but I wasn't sure if you had one on your other leg."

"Oh." She stared at the thick cast covered in doodles she had made when she was bored. "That makes sense. I have another one, but it's a secret!"

He raised an eyebrow. "A secret? Where could you possibly have a secret tattoo?"

"That's a secret too!" she exclaimed. "Oh, and I have more ideas, but I'm not gonna get one here. It's way too cold!"

"That it is. Have you decided on your next design?"

"Nope! I need to figure it out fast! Unlike you, I need lots more than just one!"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course you do."


	42. Those Born to Change

"Honestly," Alexander scolded, "not half a day, _half a day_, and I'm already taking care of someone. I need to buy Raven a thank-you present when she gets back. She must have the patience of a saint."

Cain didn't so much as wince when the musician forcefully dabbed a cotton swab on his forehead. "My bad."

"Leave him be, Alexander." Cassandra didn't look up from the knife she was sharpening. "He lost me a quarter million."

"I am sorry, Ca-"

The knife embedded itself in the mast beside his head. She picked up another one without skipping a beat and began sharpening it. "Don't worry about it. Lyn made us quite a lot on Juhla, and it was a good fight. Sabers, was it?"

"Not a weapon I'm used to. I should have accepted bare hands."

"Miserie doesn't understand. Does Cain use weapons besides the big axe? She hasn't seen any others."

"I create weapons out of my surroundings. Bandits live off the land, and there's no sense carrying around all sorts of weapons when- not that there's anything wrong with that, Captain Libera."

Cassandra only laughed. "You know, at least I conceal my knives. Before Jen ate her Fruit, she looked like a walking pincushion when she was on assignment, and you should know perfectly well that Raven carries ten times as much stuff on her person as I do."

"Well, Raven's quite frankly capable of things I don't even understand," he said with a chuckle.

"And I didn't know you knew anything about sewing."

"He was just being ridiculous," Lyn chimed in. "Do you know how long it took me to convince him to just buy a new vest instead of lengthening his old one again? That thing was so beat up I think Damien was getting jealous. And you said yourself it wasn't a sentimental thing, just that you'd have to put in new tool pouches."

"Sewing also has benefits for sails if necessary," he added. "I am the shipwright, after all."

"That's not the point! Did you give Morgan all your selfishness? Want things once in a while! Even an XXXXXXXXXXXXXL vest isn't that hard to find or expensive!"

"Hey now, how big do you think I am?"

"Way huge! If you don't make a new ship soon, you're gonna outgrow the _Knave_ and have to sleep outside all the time. I swear, if you say 'it's not a big deal' or 'it's fine' or some BS like that, I'll throw you overboard. Don't think I can't."

"It's not a big deal. It's fine."

Lyn burst out laughing, and Cain grinned down at the androgyne returning from his smoke. "I couldn't have said it better myself."

"Your voice is easy," Jordan said. "Just take it a few octaves down, add a dash of self-deprecation or resolution, and I'm bodyguard to a prince. Raerae's is such a pain in the ass. Do you know how hard it is to maintain the exact same tone with no intonation or stress? _I am Raven, Granddaughter of the Eighth, and I think emoting is for lesser life forms_. It's a nightmare!"

"What was your strategy going to be if you replaced her on Brickwork?" Cassandra asked. "Remain silent?"

"Only speak if necessary. Her family isn't a talkative bunch, and I could just say some shit about leaving what happened with you behind and not deeming it important to talk about."

"That's so cool!" Lyn exclaimed. "Do me! Do me!"

Cassandra did notice the incredible amount of effort he put into not saying what he so badly wanted to say. "Wow, Captain's so amazing and incredible and forgiving! She's the bestest captain ever!" She abruptly switched to Alexander's voice. "Now, Lyn, she may be amazing and incredible, but she's nothing compared to Jordan. She's definitely the best Moon Sister. Don't tell Captain, but I wish she would have been the one kicked out and turned into a pirate." Morgan's. "I agree. With her as Captain, my diabolical schemes would surely work. Oh wait, I forgot how intelligent and cunning she is! She's still a lot nicer and less bossy, so she has my vote." Damien's. "Aye, even insultin' 'er doesn' seem right. She'd be a proper fuckin' cap'n,' she would." Cassandra's. "Well, if that's how you all feel, I'll step down and let Jordan take over. There's nothing he can't do, after all."

By the time he got to Morgan's voice, all of the pirates were beside themselves with laughter. Even the man in question, who was busy bringing dinner out of the galley, couldn't hide his amusement. The wind outside continued to grow in strength and volume, but the shelter Cain had constructed over the deck never seemed in danger of falling apart. With the extra heaters and Jordan still copying Damien, it was a comfortable shelter against the harsh weather.

As they were all being seated, Morgan pulled Cassandra aside. "Before I forget, I should mention that I was approached today while I was shopping."

"Good for you. You haven't spent a night away since Fyuchrzend, I think. Brickwork?"

His freckled cheeks mantled slightly. "I'm glad to see you're even monitoring my nocturnal activities, but that was not what I was meaning to discuss. A man came to me asking for information about you."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him nothing. As was your intention when deciding my punishment, I will never forget what it has cost me to betray you."

"Good. What did they ask you about?"

"Any information I would be willing to provide. The man didn't seem to know anything other than your name. He offered me one million in exchange for complete candidness."

"Why didn't you take it?"

"A paltry million? I should hardly think that worthwhile."

She raised an eyebrow. "And what would?"

"Nothing, of course," he said with a smile. "You are my captain. I cannot be swayed by any amount."

"Hilarious. If, hypothetically, you took bribes, what would you tell them?"

"Is this really the best time to discuss this?"

"Why not? Your memory is freshest right now."

"Won't the others be suspicious?"

"You pulled me aside. They won't get more suspicious if we leave. Miserie is already looking this way." She turned to address her other crewmembers. "I'll help Morgan with the drinks. You all can get started without us."

"What a terrible lie," Morgan muttered as they went belowdecks. "Could you not come up with a better one?"

Cassandra shrugged. "They know that if I wanted them to know, I'd tell them. I'll tell them the important parts during dinner. What would you tell a questioning stranger if they paid the right amount?"

Morgan hesitated before answering. "Is this a test?"

"What do you think?"

"I would tell them you're too smart and too well-versed in psychological warfare to outwit you. While you are also physically quite dangerous, you heavily rely on Raven to protect your crew. Fortunately for you and unfortunately for your enemies, Damien and Raven cannot be reasoned with whatsoever. Finally, you would be at your weakest if anyone but those two were taken hostage, though doing so would incur your deepest wrath. Threatening your crew without a virtually guaranteed escape strategy or assured victory would be unwise."

Cassandra contemplated this. Not unexpectedly, Morgan had very accurately and succinctly summarized her biggest weaknesses. "Very good. You mentioned that one of your conditions when you attempted to have me assassinated, you demanded that the others be spared. Was this because you knew I might survive, or just your desire to have a crew to captain?"

"Both," he said candidly. "No plan is completely foolproof. There are always outside factors that can't be accounted for."

"Exactly. I asked you to tell me because you're a smart bastard with a care for human life, like me. Raven and Damien are useful as hell, but Damien does improvisation instead of plotting, and Raven would kill anyone if she thought they would jeopardize her plan. You, on the other hand, are not completely amoral. After all, you did plan my escape from the casino with as few casualties as possible. With you, I can have more insight into future plans, and help improve not only you but also myself in terms of being a leader."

He looked taken aback. "You want me to help you improve as a leader?"

"Of course. Part of me appearing so smart is that while I don't know everything about everything, I know lots of people who are good in different ways. You offer a different perspective that I can use to plan better. Plus, I take stupidly dangerous risks. It has generally served me well, but my luck can only go so far. You can help by pointing out if I'm taking one. I'll probably ignore you, but it's still helpful."

"I see." He browsed the cargo hold for a choice bottle of alcohol. "That blasted… Miserie has been wreaking havoc on the stores, tracking seawater everywhere, exposing them to the elements. Are you sure it's wise to have her on board?"

"No, but I wasn't ditching a mermaid in the middle of the ocean-"

"Mermaids live in the middle of the ocean!"

She smacked him in the back of the head. "She could be a useful addition. She wants to join."

"How do you know she isn't a threat?"

"I don't. What else would you tell them?"

"Information on the others would cost slightly less per person. I would be at least twice as expensive as you. Damien, I would discuss for free."

"Good. He likes odds stacked against him."

"I told Damien, by the way."

"Told him what?"

"That I tried to have you killed."

She looked him up and down once more. He was completely unharmed. "Well, fuck me."

"I still don't understand why-"

"Leave it." She pounded her fist on the mast. "I thought that'd work."

"Are you trying to get me killed?"

"No, I'm trying to get him to fight. Oh, don't look at me like that. Jordan was with you. You were just fine. A punishment's a punishment. For both of you."

Morgan grunted as they returned to the main deck. Lyn bounced over and threw an arm around Cassandra's shoulders. "What's up?"

"Our little boy's growing up."

The prince laughed sarcastically as he opened the bottle and poured the drinks. It was nice to have options other than fish, although having Miserie go hunting at sea had significantly helped their food stores last longer. The mermaid in question was in the galley with the door open, peeking around the doorframe when she wanted to talk. Lyn was recounting her day in vivid detail while Alexander merely sat with his hand on his face. Cain was eating as if he had been on a month-long fast, easily fending off Jordan's attempts to steal his food. All in all, it was a typical Black Glove Pirate meal.

They were partway through dinner when a knock came from the door. Despite having the largest appetite to satiate, Cain was the one who reached the door first. He simply leaned over and slid aside the panel so he could squint through. "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Cassandra Libera. Is she here?"

"May I ask what this is about?"

"Tell her Cory wants to speak with her."

He glanced over at Cassandra, who had gone as still as stone. She let out a slow, controlled breath, reminding herself that there were other people with that name. "Let him in," she said as calmly as she could. "Close the door behind him."

Cain did as he was bid. A broad-shouldered man ducked through the doorway, bowing respectfully to them all. He pulled back his hood to reveal a face Cassandra knew all too well. She barely realized she had gotten out of her chair and crossed the deck until her glove closed around his jaw. Ignoring his brown eyes widening with shock, she leaned in and inhaled deeply. She knew that combination of smells: gunpowder, dogs, mint shampoo, apples…

As she exhaled, she began paying attention to her surroundings once more. In particular, she listened to Jordan's accelerating heartbeat. Her mind raced as she considered the implications. Before she could say anything, the assassin reacted. He overturned the entire table in an instant, showering the pirates with food. Cain reached for him, but Jordan knocked the enormous man against the mast without any trouble at all. He whirled around Cassandra, snatched the newcomer by the neck, and bashed through the door.

"No," Cassandra said as Cain started after him, "let him go. He'll be back. Are you okay?"

He was already remaking the door to shut out the frigid air. "He went easy. Are you sure you don't want me-"

"Jay may be a cad and a pig, but he would not run away from this."

"He just did," Morgan observed.

"He's dealing with… that man. He will be back, and he will answer to me."

"Who was he?" Lyn asked.

Cassandra sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "He was… he looked like someone I used to know. It's nothing."

She stiffened as the first mate touched her shoulder and repeated herself. "Who was Cory?"

Another deep breath. She briefly contemplated lying about it, but gave a ghost of a smile and shook her head. "Cory was one of my boyfriends from when I was at the Academy."

Unexpectedly, Lyn didn't overreact in any way. She simply placed her hand on Cassandra's shoulder and rubbed her thumb in small circles. "Considering I've seen you react significantly less strongly to Damien eviscerating a man before your eyes," Morgan said cautiously, "I would assume he meant a lot to you."

"He did. I cared a lot about him."

"And your departure caused some problems. Yet Jordan obviously didn't want you to meet. Did you depart on bad terms?"

"You could say that."

"What do you mean?"

She rested her hand on Lyn's as she remembered. "The last time I saw him, I put two bullets in his chest and one in his head. I killed him."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Jordan stormed through the street, fury boiling in her veins. Snow melted around her, and the howling wind seemed to affect her less than her surroundings. Ice pelted towards her, only to dissolve before touching her or the man in her fist. She moved behind a building to hide from the wind and slammed him against the wall. The man winced, but that fucking grin never left his face. "Careful now, Hundred Face. You-"

"You're fucking scum." She borrowed Damien's guttural growl to make her point clear. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"You have erred, ser."

She held back enough to avoid driving her fist completely through the wall. "I've made it perfectly clear: that neutral crap isn't for me."

"A Lovat doesn't have-"

"I know that better than you. I still have a preference."

"You are denying who you are, Jordan."

"Don't think you know me."

"Oh, but I do know you."

"Yeah? Who do you think I am?"

"You are the reason Raven was declared Granddaughter of the Eighth." The fire in Jordan's body lessened somewhat. "You are the person who not only failed their mission, but decided not to own up to their failure and tried to escape. It's a shame you didn't think it through enough to choose a better place to hide. Did you really think we wouldn't check the Negras bitch's ship?"

If not for the fact that she still needed him to answer, she would have broken his jaw. As it was, he didn't need his right fingers to talk. "You talk about her like that again, I will burn your face off. Yeah, I bet Harhar said I wouldn't hurt you or I'd lose my title, right? Some bullshit like that?"

"Are you mad?" he said, trying to comfort his injured fingers.

"More than a little. You think this is a game to me? You think I enjoyed failing that?"

"If I recall, you were the one who insisted you take this mission. You said you would definitely succeed."

Jordan didn't bother questioning him. Part of being a Changeling Assassin was never fully knowing who was around. If they couldn't fool each other, they wouldn't fool people they were trying to kill. "I said I had the best chance. You know Cici and Raerae. There's no fucking way you would have tricked a Negras and a Skri working together. All of your ideas for stopping them were absolutely shit. Overpowering them wouldn't work. Impersonating me is impossible when it comes to the Moon Sisters. I was the _only_ way she wasn't going to go back as Granddaughter!"

"And you failed."

"I am very fucking aware that I failed! You think that went easily for me? I couldn't force Raerae to do anything. I had to make a deal, or didn't you know that? Yeah, Raerae's Granddaughter, but she's not staying with her family. She's coming back to the Black Glove Pirates."

"So you haven't accomplished anything, if that's what you're saying. Your deal changed nothing."

"She owes me a favor! She is going to be Daughter of the Eighth whether you like it or not, but she will owe me. Has Paypay ever gotten a favor from Sarsar? Of course not. I have leverage on the other families you fuckers only dream about, and you're trying to fuck it all up!"

"You shirk your duties to your family and go traipsing about the seas without a care in the world. You care more for your so-called Moon Sisters than you do your own family. You take advantage of your Devil Fruit and adeptness at morphing and-"

"Did Traytray put you up to this? Is xe still mad that I'm Hundred Face and xe's not?"

"You do not have the maturity required to be family head."

"So, what? You show up here, try to drive a wedge between me and Cici, so that I go slinking back home with my tail between my legs?"

"You need to abandon this notion of being connected to her, especially now that she's a pirate."

"Cici is the only person who has looked out for me!" Jordan shouted. "She's the first person to give a fuck about me! My own parents only gave me this fucking Fruit because they wanted to exploit that connection! If you think for a second I would leave that behind-"

"It is her or your family!"

"Funny thing is, I don't have to make that choice. You think it's coincidence that all of the Moon Sisters are the heiresses to their respective families? We were chosen because we're great at what we do, but also because you current heads think we're all going for the long con, gaining trust so we can stab each other in the back. That's not gonna happen. Together, we're going to make our families better than ever before."

"You would turn your back on-"

"Turn my back? As if I were refusing some love or generosity? I'm grateful for everything my family has taught me, believe me. I like being a Changeling. But our family is a bunch of scumbags, and you know it. Our recruiting standards are lower than most of the other families. We pick up any bastard who can hide in plain sight. Awesome because we have the consistently biggest family, not so much because we're all interchangeable."

"You're not." His disguise began to slip as resentment grew on his face. "You're a natural-born Lovat. You get special treatment."

"Natural or not, it's just a title. I worked for it. You have to too."

His smile was bitter. "I am. Or is bringing back the wayward Hundred Face and severing their unhealthy connection to someone who isn't even an assassin not work?"

"Unhealthy? It's unhealthy to want to stay connected with the person who loves me the most? You think this'll drive us apart? Who do you think we are? You think a mere boy could drive us apart?"

The impostor faltered slightly. "You said that Cory was the love of her life. You gave us exact details, and we confirmed them for ourselves."

"Yeah, back when she was a fucking teenager! She got over it, or didn't you notice?"

"I don't know, Hundred Face. You tell me."

"She did. She found someone a million times better. Now you can try infiltrating the crew. To prove my point, I won't even warn her. You'll get uncovered, chewed up, and spat out in an instant. Besides, you had my full cooperation when it came to dealing with Raerae. If you go up against Cici, you won't get my help."

"You're going to interfere with this?"

"No. I'll be watching on the sidelines while you get curbstomped. Her crew is small and has a bunch of people who think they're stronger than they actually are, but with Cici at the head, even a bunch like them is incredibly dangerous. Did you bring any more Changelings, Lovat or not? Or did they think you would be able to handle it?"

"If you are not with us, you are against us."

Jordan grabbed his throat and hoisted him high against the wall. "If you don't start talking, I'll tell her there are swarms of Changelings here on Rime. If there's one thing you need to know about Cici, it's this: she may not want to spill innocent blood, but she would sacrifice every person in the world if that were the only way to keep her nakama safe. Now, let's make this easy on the both of us and you just tell me who's also here. If you don't, all the ice in Rime won't keep it from becoming an inferno. One of the reasons Cici's so dangerous is because she is more than willing to unleash hell."

He stared into her eyes, trying to find any source of a lie. "You're bluffing."

"You know Didi, right? Man who can't be stopped when he's in one of his moods? Well, Cici just got someone who would make him even worse. I may not like you, and I may be angry with my family for pulling a chickenshit stunt like this, but don't think for a second I want you to die needlessly. If every operative on Rime dies, the Changelings may go after her and her crew. I can assure you that even though Cici's been disowned, every heiress would go to her side along with any force they could muster. I don't know who'd win, but I know the Changelings would lose. I can't become Thousand Face of a family of ten."

"You said her crew was filled with people stronger than they think they are. Thousand Face would just enlist the help of a Marine admiral or a Warlord or two. Assassins funded by the World Government wouldn't go unprotected by said government."

He had a good point. Jordan had to think fast to come up with a counterargument. "The Marines would hardly squander their resources over a rookie worth little more than a hundred million when the New World is at war searching for a fifth Emperor. I read the papers." _I know someone who reads the papers_. "All three admirals and four Warlords are fighting to prevent that. The four living Gokou are trying to keep a fifth from rising since the third King died so long ago that his word no longer carries weight. Trust me, the World Government isn't looking to set Rime on fire too. They can always wait until the New World stabilizes."

"You incite world war over one woman?"

"That is your decision, not mine. If you don't tell me, I will tell Cici. If you do, I won't. Those are your two options. Cici's dangerously creative, but she can also be pretty predictable if you make the right choices. Now, if you threaten or go after her crew, I will end you because what I'd do is a million times less painful than what she'd do to you. You try to ambush her in the street, I'll wish you best of luck and send my condolences to whoever's closest to you."

"Do you even realize what you're doing? You're holding our entire family hostage to your whims!"

"I know! Ain't it grand being heir?"

"Thousand Face will hear about this."

"Go ahead; tell them. When Raerae rejoins the Black Glove Pirates, I'll be returning home myself and explaining some things. You want some carbon copy to keep the Lovat line unchanged, but that's not how Lovats are."

"We are carbon copies! That's what we do!"

"Please. Paypay had to bust their ass to become a Lovat, and look where they are now. The Thousand Face before them was a lazy asshole who barely showed xyr face outside of head meetings. Not all the same."

"Thousand Face's goals were to improve the family. Not once did they conspire against it, not matter how you dress it up as. If you care for that… woman so much, why not leave the family behind and join her crew?"

"Because the five of us promised her that we wouldn't leave everything to accompany her, that we would become heads. Or didn't you notice the sudden spike in productivity after she left? Did you think it was just some burden off our shoulders? She had to argue with us for hours to get us to agree, and unlike most promises, that one I intend to keep. I will become Thousand Face, I will lead this family, I will always stand by Cici's side, and nothing you do or say will change that. Now, who are the other operatives?"

He held her gaze for a long moment before relenting. "My group left for Snowmallow when her ship was sighted coming here. One team stationed in Swynston, the port about ten klicks clockwise, and a unit in Whiteshadow-"

"Fifty inland. That one I know. Why's there a unit in Whiteshadow?"

"Can't say. They're on assignment."

"No shit. Nobody spoke of Rime having someone worth targeting. Are we taking on bounties now?"

Now that she wasn't threatening to obliterate the Changeling Assassin family or himself, the impostor looked slightly more comfortable. He adjusted his collar and shifted his features to their preferred neutral state. They still wasn't pleased about their broken fingers, though. "No, nothing like that. Ask the Duchess to find it out, if she's so smart."

Jordan smiled. She knew Cici would get a kick out of still being known best by that title. "I will. However, here's something you can tell me. Who set this up? My money's on Traytray."

"Xe thought xe would be a better heir, yes. However, it was-"

"Harhar then? He's such a prick about this sorta thing. I always tell her to mind his own damn business, but she never listens."

"He's your parent."

"She's more of a twat than I am. I've learned all of that from him. There's a reason Paypay was chosen over her."

They rubbed their face. "He thought it would be better to settle things between you and the Duchess once and for all."

"Tell her that's not happening, if you get back before I do. As it is, he and I are going to have some words when I go home. You want to be rich, start selling tickets. Hundred Face takes on a two-faced douchebag."

"I'll be sure to tell her that." They gave a pained smile. "You get none of the profits."

"You're Lovat material, all right. Scurry back to your hole and get those fingers fixed. What's your name and preferred pronouns?"

"Emory Mare, xe."

"Sorry about the name. I'll keep an eye on you. Seriously though, show up as Coco again, I'll leave you to Cici."

"Tracy's getting a free ticket to the fight."

Jordan shoved xem away. She lit a cigarette and stared at xyr retreating form in the blizzard. It had been a while since she had seen one of her family members, and she had forgotten how dastardly they could be. She, of course, was no exception, but still, to threaten Cici? That was just plain suicidal. Even barring the ridiculous hypothetical war of Changelings versus Moon Sisters, she knew that Raerae, as emotionally dead as she was, knew better than to bring up Coco. She also knew that Raerae would singlehandedly slaughter every Changeling involved in the situation if she found out.

She leaned her head against the wall and exhaled, but her smoke rings dissipated almost instantly. What a life she led.


	43. Killing the Pain

"You killed him?" In a strange way, Cassandra wasn't surprised that of all of them, Miserie was the one that spent no time in shocked silence. "Why? Aren't boyfriends people you love?"

The rest of her crew turned to her, awaiting her response. She sighed and collapsed into her chair, rubbing her temples with one hand. She was immensely grateful that Lyn had moved to stand behind her, her hands still on Cassandra's shoulders. "It was complicated. He was my boyfriend during the later years at the Academy."

"So complicated that you had to shoot him?" Morgan asked.

Even the sight of Alexander swatting Morgan's ear didn't cheer her up. "She's Captain. I trust that when she says it's complicated, it's pretty damn complicated. Sorry, go on."

"It turns out-"

"No," Lyn said gently. "Start at the beginning. Who is Cory?"

"He was a few years older than I was. He was recruited for his climbing and knife-using abilities. He was really good with dogs, so Pythia's family also had their eye on him, but my family pulled him in."

"I'm confused," Morgan cut in again. "Are your families not actual families?"

Lyn shushed him. "After."

"We need context-"

"Shut up. This is about Captain. I will _calmly _have you thrown off the ship if you interrupt one more time."

He didn't miss the emphasis and pressed his lips together. Miserie blushed and ducked back behind the door frame. Cassandra tilted her head back to give her first mate a thankful smile. "He was on the fast track towards joining the Black Glove Assassins. He was almost as smart as me, could go up a flat wall like gravity didn't exist, smile could melt icebergs, had the cutest, most ferocious dogs… and he liked me for me. You have to understand that I wasn't guaranteed to be Crimson Glove. My sister Helen and I had the advantage of being daughters of the current Black Glove, but we weren't the only ones in the running. Even if we were, Helen always had the edge over me.

"You also have to understand that the me at the Academy was not the personable, friendly woman I am now. Almost everyone thought I was eccentric, strange, scheming, and not to be trusted. My nickname was 'Lonely Faintheart.' I thought that making connections was more useful than killing people. Of course, that was perceived as me setting them up to be backstabbed. After all, I appeared to have the six potential heiresses under my control. Helen listened to everything I said. I found more than the dirt we were supposed to find on every Academy teacher, so I appeared to get special treatment.

"When Cory started showing interest in me, I guess I reacted like everybody did when I approached them: I was wary and suspicious. He seemed too good to be true. Naturally, I did as much background research as I could, but I couldn't find any information that would be troubling. Sure, he was a common cutthroat before he was recruited, but who wasn't outside of born assassins? And if he wanted to become heir or husband to the heir, Helen was the better choice."

"Don't say that," Lyn admonished quietly.

"It's true. Helen can actually have anyone she wants, no exaggeration. I don't know how she does it, but when she wants someone to like her, nobody has ever refused. You'd think there would be people who don't like blue hair or women or humans, but everyone goes for her. Cory wasn't the first one interested in me, but he was the first one to be interested in me for me. He didn't appear to have any agendas or plans. It also helped that yes, he was handsome as hell and had a quarter of the Academy wanting him. Don't look at me like that; I'm allowed to brag.

"Anyway, I'm pretty sure my Sisters were taking revenge for all the hassle I gave them with their assorted partners by pestering the hell out of him, but Cory weathered it all without complaining. Jay even tried to steal him from me once, but he didn't fall for it. He was also a damn good knife user, could drop apples from trees by only cutting the stem. He actually taught me more about throwing knives than the teachers ever did. I never did get him into sniper rifles.

"Aside from my family and my Sisters, I spent the most time with him. We went on assignments together, and while we could easily finish them quickly, we usually spent time enjoying ourselves. He showed me how to find good restaurants or how to make a little mischief. On the job, he was my spotter. I didn't really need one, but he helped confirm my calculations. When we needed to get out in a hurry, he'd hold them off while I got a head start. Always meet up afterwards for celebration. He was good to me.

"Then I received an assignment: I had to kill him. I was confused, but not entirely surprised. It took me a while to find out the order came from my father. It wasn't that he had gotten too intimate with me. That was the point all along. He had been hand-picked to become my boyfriend, get me to love him, then show my resolution to my family by following orders. He never even knew he had been set up to die. I was shaken, but I felt I had to do it. So after spending one last time together-"

"_What is it, baby?" Cory asked, rolling over to get a better look at her. "You seem tense."_

_She took a deep breath and rested her head against his chest. The sound of his heart was so soothing. She loved the way his chest rose and fell with his breathing, the gentle thudding of his lifeblood circulating, the twitches of his muscles as he put his arm around her. She smiled as he brushed his fingers through her hair. "I got an assignment."_

"_Really? Awesome. We haven't been on a date in ages. Where is it, West Blue? North Blue?"_

"_It's not that kind of assignment."_

"_Even better. Another trip to Paradise. It's a Winter Island, isn't it. You hate the cold."_

_She gave a sad laugh. "You know me too well."_

"_I wouldn't say too well." He kissed the top of her head. "Just well enough."_

"_You're amazing."_

_He tilted her chin up with a finger and smiled as she kissed him before he could speak. "So are you."_

_As much as she wanted the moment to last forever, she knew she had a job to do. She had given him his farewell. She just needed to follow through. "I'm scared, Cory. I don't know if I can do it."_

"_Baby, you're shaking. I haven't seen you like this in ages. What's the assignment?"_

_She took another deep breath and got up from the bed. The air had felt warm before, but now it felt cold against her bare skin. She walked over to her drawers and pulled out a crimson lacquered box. She opened it, staring at its contents. She could do this. She had to._

"_Remember this?" she asked._

"_Birthday present, sure."_

"_One of the nicest things I've ever gotten. It's beautiful." She lifted the pistol, examining it in the dim light. It was an old revolver, but its bullets flew true as ever and every part of it was repaired and well-maintained. It had a gorgeous red and black handle and a certain professionalism that most of her other pistols didn't. "Sweetest."_

"_Babe?"_

_She loaded three bullets into the cylinder and softly clicked it shut. The blanket slid off of him as he sat up, providing a view she appreciated very much. She hated that his chest was also his target. Heaving one last sigh, she aimed the pistol at him. He sat stock still. He knew how deadly she could was when she was wound up. "Cass…"_

_She would not cry. Not until it was done. "I'm sorry, Cory."_

_Neither of them moved. They simply stared at each other. Sweat trickled down their bodies as the tension continued to build. Cassandra could hear their heart rates rise together as they prepared for what would happen next. She had to kill him. He knew she didn't want to. His brain was racing to figure out a way to stop her. She had already thought about every way she could try to get around it. There was nothing._

"_Voluntas Carnae."_

_Cory threw a knife at her as he dove to the side, but her heightened senses enabled her to dodge the blade by a hair._

_Two shots rang out. _

_The moment had been filled with frenzied action. Now there was only stillness. _

_Letting her adrenaline surge wear off, Cassandra walked around the bed to find him sprawled on the floor. He was still alive, but his wounds would be fatal if untreated. She stood above him and aimed the pistol directly at his head. He looked at her through eyes filled with pain, gasping for breath as his damaged lungs tried to keep him from dying. His hand slowly moved towards her in a plea to stop, to help him._

_She would not cry. "I love you."_

_He had enough breath to formulate a response. She knew that much. However, she knew the response wouldn't be the one she wanted. She knew that look in his eyes. Despair that no help was coming to save him. Fear that everybody else had been right in not involving themselves with her. _

_Hatred that he had been killed by one woman he thought he loved, thought he could trust._

_He opened his mouth to speak. Cassandra fired one last bullet directly into his head._

_It seemed that it couldn't get any worse. Unfortunately for her, he used his death rattle to exhale one last word. "Liar…"_

_The light went from his eyes. She had done it. She had completed her assignment. She had proven herself worthy of being Crimson Glove, heiress of the Black Glove Assassins. This is what she had dreamed of, had wanted for so long. This mission showed that she was a true assassin._

_She fell to her knees and finally let herself cry._

"-I killed him."

She heaved a breath to calm herself. Even after so long, the memory was still as vivid and painful as ever. Lyn leaned over and wrapped her arms around Cassandra. The captain put her hand appreciatively on Lyn's arm. "It's okay, Captain. What happened after?"

"I was on autopilot. I'm very good at autopilot. I tried to do it all on my own. Didn't work. People apparently thought there was something a touch off with me, but everyone thought I only found his body and was upset by his death. I didn't let anybody know. My work never suffered. If anything, it got better. That only made it worse. Like you, it took a touch of fighting to get me."

"Who beat it out of you?" Alexander asked.

"Not entirely like Lyn. I was actually helping Shi calm down. She was hard to deal with when she lost control, but it was still way easier than after she ate her Fruit. You try stopping an ogre the size of a giant. Anyway, when she was making sure I was all right like she always does after we get her to regain her senses, I just… broke down." She gave a small, humorless smile. "You should have seen their faces. They all acted as if they'd never seen a woman cry before."

Cain grinned down at her. "They'd never seen _you _cry before, I'd imagine. It'd make us panic as well."

"I guess so. It felt pretty good explaining everything to them, especially Shi. Not so much when I had to convince them not to attack my family. Jen was already planning how best to do it, and Pythia had already sent out some scouts. That was one of the best moments the Moon Sisters had together, even if a couple of them were missing. I think that's when we really started to open up. I mean, we talked to each other a lot before, but not like we did then. Jay and Yin got their heart-to-hearts afterwards. That situation really brought us all closer."

"You made the best out of it," Lyn murmured, "but that doesn't make the hurt go away. Alexander, sword." He nodded and immediately left the table. "I know that that kind of thing never really leaves you, but you can let it go. We're here to help you, isn't that right? Wait, where are you going?"

"My Jolly Roger," he said with a smile. "We're all sharing, aren't we?"

"No, we aren't," Morgan snapped. "We were only trying to find out why Captain reacted the way she did when some strange man approached us."

"Miserie doesn't like limes or lemons."

Cassandra shook her head. Her nakama never ceased to amaze her. "Are you sure, Morgan? We're all in a very accepting mood."

"We already did many such activities on the way to Rime to help Miserie feel welcome!" he protested.

"C'mon, Morgie! One secret!"

"No, we're finished. Do not order me to reveal them. There has been enough sharing to last until the Red Line. I think we should focus on something else."

"No.

He frowned as if confused by Lyn's refusal. "No?"

"Captain just told us something incredibly personal. You may not want to share, but you should at least respect her doing something so brave."

"Bravery is standing up to Damien."

"Bravery is also revealing something you've guarded and kept to yourself forever. That's not something to dismiss so casually. If you're going to sit there and do that, leave. Now isn't the time."

He looked completely bewildered. "Are you being serious?"

"Lyn, it's all right."

"No, it's not all right!" Lyn shouted, squeezing Cassandra tighter. "You killed the person you loved! I can't even imagine how bad you feel!"

Everyone looked at Alexander, who had attempted to drive Lyn's broken sword into the mast. It had merely rebounded, and he wrung out his hand to soothe it. "That's enough. If I may, Captain?" She nodded, interested in seeing what he had to say. "Miserie is about one more shout away from serenading us. Let's just gather our wits, shall we? Morgan, I respect your decision to not divulge anything, but you don't need to be so tactless about it. Lyn, if Captain says it's all right, it's all right. No buts! I know that looking at oneself isn't easy, but she's shown she can perform admirably regardless of the emotional situation."

"She doesn't entirely divorce herself," Cain said. "She just uses her emotions to her advantage."

"Says the man who puts every feeling into his strikes." She laughed lightly to herself. "Regardless, you can understand why seeing Cory here was a shock. Not just because he's dead. I know he's dead. Him showing up with the right face, the right voice, the right walk, the right smell… It means one thing: Jordan told her family about him and me."

Alexander frowned. "I'm confused. Did the other assassins not know about your relationship?"

"They did, but again, they all assumed I was playing everyone. They didn't know I really cared about them. The Moon Sisters told me they wouldn't tell anyone. Jay evidently did. That's why she took the fake Cory."

"But surely the damage has been done," Morgan said. "You've seen him. She can't just pretend like it never happened."

"No, she can't. Cain, get the door, will you? I do know she's not gonna run away from this. She just wanted to get him away from me before I killed one of them."

Cain pulled away from the eye panel. "There's nobody here, Captain Libera."

"Odd. I'm sure I heard something. Check the door."

They all braced themselves as he pulled the door open. The temperature stopped plummeting when he pulled something out of the wooden boards and shut the door. Cassandra raised an eyebrow when she saw the arrow with a message tied to it. "A little antique, don't you think?"

Lyn prevented her from budging, so she had to wait for Cain to hand her the arrow. After taking away the paper, she tossed the arrow over to Morgan. "And what, exactly, am I supposed to do with this?"

"Figure it out." She gave a noise of derision as she scanned the message.

"'_To Cassandra Libera, we have captured the Infernal. If you want him back, find him on your own in the Frozen Fields._'" Lyn read aloud. "Huh. How would they capture Damien and be able to send this message?"

"They didn't. They're just trying to scare me. Anyone have a pen?" Alexander drew one from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. "Best way to check if they've actually captured him short of sending me a body part. Here, stick it on the door with this." Cain took the knife and paper from her. "Figure it out yet?"

"It's an arrow. People have used them for millennia to attack people from a range. What more do you want?"

She shrugged. "Lyn, could you go see who tries to take the message?"

"Oh," Morgan said sourly. "Cain, could you please examine this and tell me what you make of it?"

"Certainly." It looked like a mere chopstick in his hand. "It's made of aluminum, which expensive and not ideal for amateurs. Feather fletching, but I don't recognize the bird. It's a broadhead, so good for causing internal damage." He lifted it to one eye and peered down the shaft. "This isn't a hunting arrow. This is to hit humans. From the size, I'd say the person is about three meters tall. New head, manufacturing marks, and older shaft means they reuse arrows quite a lot."

"What just happened?" Alexander asked.

"I was teaching Morgan about how knowledge doesn't need to be all stored in one head. Thank you, Cain. So we're looking for a large person used to putting arrows into people. It could be Xiphos, but I think he's more the type to meet in battle instead of having hunters stake us out. Also, Frozen Fields? That's nowhere near here. I don't even know where that is. If I don't know, I'll bet money that we're dealing with some local nutjob."

"Why us?"

"We're not exactly popular, in case you haven't noticed."

"I'll take second watch," Cain boomed. "It's fine for me. Guard duties in the dead of winter? Feels just like home."

"For once, I won't protest. Will you need some rest until then?"

"It wouldn't hurt."

Cassandra nodded approvingly. "Miserie, how's the water?"

"She likes it. It's very fresh! There is something strange about the water. It feels really salty, which Miserie thinks is strange, since there is a lot of snow, which is not salt water, so she thinks it should feel less salty, not more."

"It could be the salt they use to de-ice the docks," Cain said.

"If you like it, you get third watch. You get some rest too."

The mermaid ducked her head a little. "She isn't very tired right now. She'll go for a swim before she goes to bed."

"Perfect. Morgan, clean up. I'll keep out of your way." She adjusted Lyn so she was holding the novice instead of the other way around and sat on the stairs to the forecastle deck. As draining as she expected talking about Cory to be, it wasn't all bad. It probably helped that she was not strictly speaking hiding him from her crew. She had just considered the topic not worth talking about. She wasn't the only one not talking about select parts of their past. It took longer for some people to open up than others. She understood that.

Long after Morgan had finished moving the mess on the deck into the galley, Lyn squirmed around as she returned to her body. "It was a ghost. It came and snatched the paper away. I tried to keep up, but it was pretty fast."

"How tall was this ghost?"

"Iunno, about Damien's height? A few inches taller?"

Cassandra quirked her mouth. Whatever she was dealing with, it was not a solitary operation. "You were gone for quite some time."

"Well, yeah. Jayjay was pacing back and forth. I think he went through an entire pack. He kept moving up the gangplank, then going back down. It was pretty funny at first, but got kinda boring."

"I'll deal with him. Thanks for sticking by me."

Lyn kissed her nose. "You're Captain! Of course I'll stick by you."

Cassandra smiled and got to her feet. She had scarcely set foot on the deck when knocking came from the door. She shook her head, knowing that his knocking was an attempt to show he was on his best behavior. She opened it to find him surprisingly tall, almost at her chin. Since he customarily changed height according to his mood, seeing him taller than a child was a shock.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

She stepped aside, her face carefully blank. He dipped his head and closed the door behind him. He still fidgeted, but seemed more resolute than he had on Juhla. "Do you want Lyn to leave?" Cassandra asked.

"No, she can stay." He wiped his face out of nervousness, wanting to change his appearance and escape but knowing he couldn't. "I'm sorry, Cassandra."

"Cici," she said. "I am still your Sister."

"Fine, Cici. This isn't an excuse. I know I fucked up. I just want to explain why my family knows about Coco. I know I was the last one to trust you. When you killed him, I thought that could happen to us too. I can't speak for the others, but you killing Coco made me doubt your real intentions in befriending us. So I told my family how badly it actually affected you. They already had tons of details about him, boyfriend of a potential Crimson Glove and all, but they kept those records. They thought you would freak out if you saw him again. They just didn't find a situation where having you meet a copy of him would be beneficial. They were going to during the finals, but you quit before then."

"I forgive you."

"And I'm really sorry. I'm not the same as I was then, but I can't take back what I've done. I know you're mad at me, and I get that but-" He stopped as his brain finally processed her words. "You forgive me? Just like that?"

"I'm not mad at you, Jay. You said it yourself: you didn't trust me fully. I told you when I gathered you all for the first time that you were free to try anything to kill me or get in my way." Lyn squeezed her hand tightly. "I never wanted to force you all to change for me. You know how many times one of your shenanigans came back to bite me in the ass? I know that ages of distrust can't simply be overwritten, so I never held it against you. I trusted you just as much then as I do now, just as I trust Damien and Morgan."

"You punched me twice during my apology last island!"

"Yes, because you were harassing my nakama and being generally offensive. You know my policy: attacks on me are fine, my friends not so much."

Lyn spoke up for the first time. "It'd be easier for us if you remembered we share the same feelings. Not about attacking us being okay, but that anything against you is not at all okay."

"She's right, Cici," Jordan said with a chuckle. "That blind trust and overprotectiveness of yours comes back to you more often than not. You have Raerae completely devoted to you, remember."

"And I've moved on. Cory's not a sore topic for me now. I'm not the same as I was then. You weren't the only one shaken by the news that I was the one who killed him. Jen and Yin were also pretty unsure. I completely understand. Nobody ever said convincing six assassins from six different families to be friends was going to be risk-free. I still love you, quirks and all."

He gave a grateful smile and accepted her outstretched arms. She could feel the stress leaving his body. She wondered if this was how Lyn and Shinobu felt all the time. They rocked slowly back and forth for a moment before they drew apart. Jordan couldn't stop his shaky, relieved laughter as he leaned against the wall. "This," he said to Lyn, "this is how she got the six most uncooperative bitches in the world to follow her. Almost all of us have tried to kill her many times, but not once did she get angry about it. We had to get angry for her."

"Same with us!" Lyn chirped. "We have to do all the work!"

"You should have seen the first time someone insulted her in front of Jenjen. She spent the class picking teeth out of her staff. She couldn't even be reprimanded since the Academy only intervened with interfamily conflicts. It only took a few incidents for people to shut up completely. Her family never messed with her either. Nobody alive or dead would want Helhel mad at them."

"120 million isn't enough for you, Captain! You're way more dangerous than that, inspiring lunatics to follow you!"

"Who are you calling a lunatic?" Jordan growled.

"You're both mad," Cassandra said, grabbing their shoulders and shaking them. "I'm just a regular woman with good friends."

"No," they both said instantly.

"There's no fucking way-"

"How can you even-"

"-nothing regular about you-"

"-totally amazing-"

"-completely crazy for thinking-"

"-incrediblest captain ever-"

She got them both of them in headlocks to cut off their protests. "All right, all right, I get it. Enough ego stroking. What are your plans for the night, Jay?"

"I thought you didn't want people leaving tonight."

"You've got Damien's abilities, and you're not a pirate of mine. You can go wherever you want."

He pursed his lips to the side. "How about a night in? Have a girl talk night, get Mimi to join."

"Lyn?"

"Sounds good to me!"

Cassandra pressed their cheeks against hers. "Splendid. Lyn, go find Miserie." The first mate went limp, causing Cassandra to stagger slightly. Jordan came to her rescue, easily lifting Lyn up. After making sure she was alright, Cassandra went over to the door and pushed it open. There wasn't another arrow, so the messenger was still trying to figure out how best to answer her demand. The more they waited, the more she was sure they were only bluffing. After glancing about in an attempt to see anything through the blizzard, she sighed and shut the door.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

The man looked up as his granddaughter landed in the snow, completely out of breath. "Did she accept?"

"No. She left us a message in return. Here, check it out."

He took the paper and read it. It was only two sentences, but he understood it well. With most of the notices of kidnapping, it wasn't unreasonable to ask for proof. He turned to the man slightly behind him. "Would you be willing to part with your glove?"

Damien didn't stop stretching, his hands still on his feet. Despite his head being between his legs, there wasn't any snow near him to muffle his voice. "You can 'ave it from me fuckin' corpse."

The man stared at the pirate. Damien had been cooperative insofar as he had not attacked them when they had approached him. He had only bared his teeth in an imitation smile when they said they had arrived to capture him. His epithet caused them some degree of concern, but he hadn't exhibited any oppositional behavior thus far. The man could take the glove by force, but he could tell Damien was strong, and he didn't know how long it would take to subdue the pirate. "How about letting us have it and examine it in your presence?"

"Same fuckin' answer."

His granddaughter sighed and put her hand on her head. "What're we gonna do?"

"We can't let her get away. We'll have to think of something else."


	44. Captains' Demands

"Captain? Captain?"

Cassandra woke up, looking around for the source of the noise. The weak light meant that it was either very early morning or somewhat later morning and the blizzard was still going strong. When she looked outside, she not only found that the weather had calmed down a bit, but that she was looking into a pair of large eyes the color of burnt gold. "Yes?"

"Captain should check the door. Damien's glove is pinned to it. Miserie is sorry she didn't see who put it there."

"Don't worry about it. They got away when Lyn was watching exactly for them, though she doesn't exactly have a sterling record when it comes to this sort of thing. Thanks for telling me."

Miserie nodded and vanished from view. Cassandra rubbed her forehead as she brought herself into full wakefulness. So they had Damien's glove. That was a significant problem. As far as she could remember, he almost never removed his glove. Alexander had said it was part of his strange way of being part of the crew. The only way to part with it was to beat him in a fight, and that was significantly easier said than done.

Still, there wasn't a dire need to rush to investigate. She had time to get dressed and shower before leaving her room. She yawned as she entered the galley, where Morgan was already working on breakfast. "Good morning, Captain. You're up early."

"I am."

"Sorry I don't have any fresh apples for you. The ones at the market were absolutely dreadful."

She shrugged and grabbed one from the table. "What's for breakfast?"

"Crab quiche and toast with grape preserves."

"How on earth did you find enough crab to feed Cain with the budget I gave you?"

"I didn't. He and I are having true a breakfast from Winter Isle. Forgive me, Captain, but I felt it was an important opportunity to remember our home. Bandit princes do not simply lounge about in luxury. We also participate in military activities, and I know that if I were waking after a second shift in below freezing temperatures, I would want such a meal."

She nodded approvingly. "I like it. See, you have a heart after all."

"I am reminding the two of us that while we are pirates at the moment, we will forever be Winter Isle bandits. When we return, there will be none of this camaraderie we now share. I am his prince. Sentiment has nothing to do with it."

"Nope, still a jerk. No paper yet?"

"One may have been dropped off, but the News Coo evidently couldn't get inside the cabin."

"Gotcha." She sidled out of the galley, munching as she thought. She poked her head outside and saw that Damien's glove had indeed been pinned to the door. She quickly retrieved it, pushing the arrow through the hole it had made. She rotated it this way and that, analyzing it. It looked real all right. It even smelled a bit like him. She yanked one of her gloves off with her teeth and put it on her shoulder. Swiping a finger around the metal gauntlet and sticking it in her mouth told her something very interesting.

"What is Captain doing?" Miserie asked from her shelf up near the ceiling.

"There's not much blood in this glove, but Damien's is permanently infused with the stuff. That means he's… cooperating with them. He didn't surrender his, but he let them copy it, and they couldn't get to the inside."

"Why is he cooperating with them?"

Cassandra winced. "Because of a stupid wager I made him, he won't fight them. At the same time, his stupid pride won't let him won't run away from an enemy either. So either way, I need to go to the Frozen Fields and bring his dumb ass back."

"Alone?"

"Heavens no. Why would I squander good resources? I'm a good fighter, but I'm not stupid. I-"

A vigorous knock came from the wall, and Miserie peered from her window. "It's the big captain from the bird ship."

She raised an eyebrow and opened the panel in the door. Xiphos saw and crouched down to get a better view. "Good morning, Cassandra. I noticed you have marks on your door. Either your carpenter is unskilled, or you have been delivered messages by arrow."

"What did they take of yours?"

He looked taken aback that at her direct question, but didn't ask her how she knew. "My prized spear was taken from my deck. The thief must have been exceedingly fast."

"Do you want to come in?" she offered. "I swear we don't bite."

"You boarded my ship on peaceful terms. I can do the same on yours. I have a companion with me. Will you allow him in?"

"By all means." Even with another person, she had faith in her home field advantage. Plus, the assassin snoring loudly below her would be more than willing to help in combat. Cassandra closed the hatch and stepped back so Miserie could catch her swift signal. She didn't have time to check if the mermaid understood or not. She pulled the lever to disarm the trap on the door and shouted for Xiphos to enter. He easily fit through the door made to accommodate Cain and seated himself on the deck.

Another man, slightly taller than herself, moved cautiously through the massive door. He bowed his head as he touched his forelock. "Captain Seb-astian Gambi, at your serv-ice. Pleasure to make your ac-quaintance."

"Cassandra Libera. If I had to guess, you also had something taken from you."

"My Sea King skull."

"Come again?"

"The head of a Sea King adorns his figurehead," Xiphos boomed. "Adorned, my apologies."

Cassandra raised her eyebrows, looking at the captain with new respect. "That's impressive. Did you see who stole it?"

He looked slightly embarrassed, his bushy moustache quivering. "We par-tied too hard last night. Our sec-urity was rather lacking."

They all turned as the galley door opened slightly and Morgan stuck his head outside. "Will you be joining us for breakfast?"

"We will not be long," Xiphos said. "If our discussion takes longer, we might invite your captain to well-recommended local cafe."

A neutral location. She couldn't fault them for that. "Just carry on. So, we're missing my navigator, your spear, and your skull. All of us were presumably delivered a message by arrow to meet them alone in the Frozen Fields?"

"I was not." Xiphos produced his flattened piece of paper and handed it to her. "I was instructed to bring my champion."

Her eyes flitted over it. It did indeed say to bring his best fighter. That was peculiar. "Sebastian?"

"I too was asked to come alone."

"So why was Xiphos allowed a fighter?"

"Perhaps they seek a glorious combat and require a strong competitor!"

She didn't miss his slight, but chose not to comment on it. "That could be the case, though why don't they want Sebastian or I to bring our strongest. Well, they have my strongest fighter already, but Sebastian?"

"It is a strange puz-zle," he agreed. "I would not like to go alone, but that skull is very pre-cious to me. Also, no offense, Xi-phos, but if we do as you suggest and work toge-ther, it might not be to our advan-tage to have us two without backup and you with."

"That is a fair point. Perhaps that is why I was allowed and you were not: to keep us from collaborating."

Cassandra agreed. "What about the other crews? Do you know if they were stolen from as well?"

"We asked around. Many of them have already had their treasured items stol-en. They are waiting for their captains to return."

She leaned back, mentally cursing the sleeping assassin. Jordan had told her nothing about a group of people taking items of value and demanding captains go retrieve them. Although… "Did you ask any merchants?"

"We did. They reported nothing."

Well, Jordan had only been asked to snoop around the locals, but if whoever was involved only targeted pirates, then perhaps the islanders viewed the occurrences as a good sign. Even still, Jordan should have found out something. Uncovering vital information was supposed to be one of the Changelings' specialties. "So only pirates. This isn't Marine behavior. Someone has a vendetta against us."

"That still doesn't ex-plain Xiphos' difference," Gambi reminded them. "Though I like your idea about preventing coop-eration."

"Nevertheless, I think setting out alone would be ill-advised, even if being alone would mean me travelling with Andres."

"Is this some matchmaking set-up between me and Sebastian?" Cassandra asked.

Both men chuckled. "Safety in num-bers," Gambi assured her. "We all arrived within the past week. We were all targe-ted. It makes sense we should work together."

"I'm okay with it if you are, Xiphos. Yeah, I don't like that you have Andres, but surely we can trust you as an ally."

"You can!" he exclaimed loudly. "We should prepare for our departure. Meet on the docks at noon?"

"I like it. Well, gentlemen, we need to get ready quickly. Do you know where the Frozen Fields are?"

"They begin twenty and a half kilome-ters thataway."

"Then we'll have plenty of time to strategize. Good day. Nice meeting you."

The other captains said their farewells and departed. Cassandra waited until she was sure they had gone before turning to the galley. "Thoughts?"

Morgan showed himself from behind the doorway where he had been eavesdropping. "You're not planning to go alone. I imagine you want my assistance?"

"Tell me, your Fruit does extremely well in rain or snow, right?"

"Of course. In that storms such as those, I reign supreme."

"Good. And I'm guessing Cain doesn't have white armor because that's his favorite color."

"Indeed, he does not. Will you be wanting Jordan to accompany us?"

"I need her for something else."

"May I ask what?"

Cassandra laughed. "You've been talking to Alexander, haven't you. If you must know, she's dealing with the whole Cory impersonator business. She won't be gone long. Depending on when she leaves and how long it takes to deal with her family, she might actually beat us to the Frozen Fields."

She heard a thump from behind her, but had gotten used to not turning around for every sudden noise if she knew the source. "How can Miserie help?"

"The Frozen Fields are much too far inland for you to be of any use."

"Morgan, what did I tell you about being mean? As in, I will gladly have your jaw wired shut if you continue to insult people who don't like being insulted. As for you, Miserie, there actually is something you can do. Did you see the two people who came just now?"

"Of course she did."

"Then I have a job only you can do."

The mermaid was too big for her wiggles to be completely hidden by the mast. "What is it, Captain?"

"I'll show you which ships are Xiphos' and Gambi's. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but I don't want them getting comfortable. I don't want you to stress your voice, but if you could sing to keep their crews on edge, that would make dealing with them easier should they decide to turn on us."

Morgan cleared his throat. "Why on edge? Why not calm them down?"

"Because people on edge do stupid things. Arguments can break out. Outright anger is just causing them to explode. Tension is setting a fuse."

"That makes sense to Miserie. She will try."

"I take it this is you taking safety precautions by being a bastard, respectfully using your own words," Morgan said.

"You got it. I like Xiphos, but I don't trust him, and I definitely don't trust Gambi. We did, after all, damage Xiphos' ship. Plus, a little stress isn't that bad."

"Justifying it as a cautionary measure doesn't eliminate the fact that you are making the first offensive move."

"True. How about just letting them know what it's like being trapped in the same boat as Damien when he's getting angry?"

He mulled this over. "Do you always attack those you ally yourself with?"

"No, I do my best to stand by my word. There's no reason to alienate potentially useful allies. Remember, I was the Lonely Faintheart. If, however, they try to betray me, I like knowing that they don't have the advantage they thought they had. Unfortunately, this plan does stretch us pretty thin. With Cain and you with me retrieving Damien and Jordan doing work, that leaves Miserie, Alexander, and Lyn here alone."

"Don't worry! Miserie will protect them! Plus, Alexander can do strong things with his… trumpet? Yes? And Lyn can still move pretty fast. If we can't fight, we can escape! Miserie can outswim anyone!"

That was an option Cassandra had almost forgotten. While Miserie was primarily useful for retrieving people from the ocean, she could also bring Alexander and Lyn away without trouble. The water was admittedly frigid, but that was preferable to being overwhelmed and killed. "I love it. That covers most of the bases. That's a lot on your plate, Miserie. Think you can handle it?"

"Yes! Miserie won't let you down!"

Satisfied, she turned to Morgan. "As for you, if your Fruit works like I think it does, you will actually shadow Xiphos and Andres if they try to split off. I mean, Gambi could have a Devil Fruit, but…" She trailed off, pieces of the puzzle falling together. She looked above the galley door, where eight likenesses were carved into the wood, two of which had bounties hanging beneath them. She swiftly crossed to the men's quarters and burst through without knocking.

Alexander was slumbering fitfully, his nightcap dangling off of his hammock. Cain still slept as straight as the room would allow and snoring loud enough to shake the walls. She hopped down to the floor and gently roused the sleeping musician. "Mm, Captain. What can I do for you?"

"Where are the bounties you've collected?"

He swayed slightly as he raised his finger. "Top right drawer." Amusingly, he didn't wait to see if she wanted anything else before falling asleep. She stepped over Cain's leg to retrieve the bounties and leapt back up to the main level. Miserie rotated around the mast as she passed, making sure to stay hidden as much as she could. Cassandra spread out the papers on the galley table, and Morgan came over to investigate.

She nodded as she found what she was looking for. "Here we are. 'Leaf Cutter' Xiphos, 59 million. Andres 'the Charger', 24 million. Sebastian 'Seafood' Gambi, 38 million. Whoever is targeting us is after our bounties. That'd be a nice chunk of change to capture us all."

"Well, it's unfortunate that they did not try to redeem Damien's. This entire matter would be resolved without all this trouble."

"And then his bounty increases because he massacred an entire battalion of Marines. That's just postponing the issue." She looked back at the bounties. "Seafood? What the hell does that mean?"

"I have no idea. He spends a lot of time in the ocean?"

She studied his features carefully. "He's not a fishman. He did say he had a Sea King skull mounted on the front of his ship." She turned over the paper to read the reasons for the man's bounty copied from the newspaper at time of acquisition in Alexander's elegant handwriting. "Jailbreak, theft, public disturbance, property damage… all of the usual piracy charges. None of this is helpful."

"In that case, I would suspect he has no Devil Fruit. But then, you have your ring, so it merely means you have to be more cautious around him."

"As if I'm not. Let's form a plan of action, you and I. We can fill Cain in later. We don't have much time, so we can't get much info on Gambi, but we should still cover all the bases." She planted her fists on the table. "Cooperating or not, nobody takes my nakama and gets away unscathed."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Miserie was happy. This was a problem because she was supposed to be making the other pirates slightly angry. Even though Captain had left already, she was still thrilled that she had been entrusted with the safety of the ship and her crewmembers! She knew she had made the right choice in joining the Black Glove Pirates. Captain was the nicest woman ever. She always let Miserie roam free, and she never made anyone look at her. She never yelled at Miserie either. She even let Miserie hide behind things without saying anything bad about it.

And now here Miserie was, protecting the crew. Well, making the enemy crew tense. She didn't quite understand why she was doing it, but Captain and Morgan thought it was a good idea, and they were both really smart. She still didn't really like Morgan, but she did her best around him. She had heard the others telling him to be nicer, but she didn't think he could be nicer any more than she could be a bird. The others were nice though, so that was good.

She stopped her singing when two people hit the water near her. Two more people followed them, and all four went swimming off. She wasn't sure what they were doing, but they were heading towards the other ships. She decided to follow them since her voice needed a break anyway. A few fish swam alongside her, and a baby fish was weaving in and out of her hair. She giggled and picked it out, rubbing it with her nose. It spun around her head a few times before going back to her hair.

The more she watched the swimmers ahead of her, the more she amused she got. Humans looked so strange when they swam. They made such weird movements with their arms and legs. She tried copying them, but it didn't seem to work at all. It was just so slow. She got a little closer and saw that they had some sort of flippers on their feet. She guessed it made them faster, but she knew she could go to the end of the dock and back before they finished going past one ship. They were wearing some sort of mask that made bubbles and something on their back.

It seemed like forever, but they finally reached the _Howling Knave_. Two of them stopped while two others kept swimming. She cocked her head to the side as she watched. She always found it so strange that humans couldn't move quickly underwater. Obviously, they were not sea people, but Miserie could move pretty fast in open air. She knew there were some people who did okay, like Damien and Cain, but most moved so much slower than fish.

The two people were putting small things with blinking lights on the ship. She didn't know what to do, so she just hid near the bottom and stared at them. After another long time, they started swimming in the direction of their own ship. She darted over to the _Howling Knave _and stared at one of the blinking lights. It was small and round with some sticky stuff attaching it to the ship. She peeled it off and tried to figure out what it was, but she didn't even know where to begin. That wasn't a problem. Captain and Morgan were not the only smart crewmembers.

She made sure that nobody was watching, then leapt into the air and landed on her ledge. She pushed open the door and looked over the rim of her indoor ledge. "Alexander?"

"Hold on a moment!" He came from the galley and looked up near her. "What can I help you with?"

Miserie tossed down the blinking thing. He didn't catch it, but it didn't bounce off the deck. "What is this?"

He turned it in his fingers, then went very still. "Where did you find this?"

"On the flat wood thing that makes the ship turn."

"Rudder," he said. "How many of them were there?"

"Five or six. What are they?"

"These are bombs."

Miserie tried to remember. Constance had said something about how when the Black Glove Pirates attacked the casino, she thought they had used bombs to… "Oh. Oh! Bombs! That's bad!"

"It is. Fortunately, they haven't gone off yet, or we'd be in big, big trouble. Did you see who did it?"

"Yes! Miserie saw the pirates from the small captain's ship swim and put them on the rudder."

Alexander continued to look at the bomb, then turned it into water as he closed his hand. Miserie thought it was so cool that he could do that. "Good thing is that they only wanted to keep us from moving. Bad news is that's still an act of aggression. Can you get the others off?"

"Okay! What should I do with them?"

She watched a slow smile grow on his face. "See how they like it. Put a few on their rudder. Were there any going for Xiphos' ship?"

"Yes."

"Take the bombs off their rudder as well."

Miserie frowned and tilted her head to the side. "Why?"

"I don't want Gambi's crew knowing for sure it was us who figured it out. If both the _Knave_ and Xiphos' ship are unhurt, they won't know who to attack."

"Oh! Okay!" That was why she had gone to Alexander. He was smart. She went outside and dove back in the water. She pulled the bombs off the _Howling Knave_'s rudder, then she swam over to Xiphos' ship and did the same. As she darted past the very slow swimmers and put the bombs on Gambi's rudder, Miserie kept thinking about something Alexander had said. It had been an act of aggression. That meant they had attacked the Black Glove Pirates. She remembered what Captain had said about people who did that. She remembered what Captain did to people who did that. She smiled and darted off.

Humans were so slow. The pair hadn't even made it back to their ship yet. They didn't even know what hit them. She streamed above them and grabbed the shiny containers on their back. Large bursts of bubbles came from their mouths, and they were already out in open ocean before they reacted. They were both about the same size as Damien, but they were nowhere near as heavy. She also knew her job wasn't that hard. They had to fight her. She only had to stop them.

When she was far enough away that she thought they wouldn't be seen, she let them go. They tried to find her, but they just turned around so slowly. She circled around and darted between them again, ripping the masks from their faces. Now they realized the problem they were in. One man swung at her, but she was able to block it with her unhurt arm. She was knocked backwards, but flipped around and tackled him in the middle. All of the bubbles flew out of his mouth, and he realized he had precious little time. One hand clapped over his mouth, so he couldn't block Miserie's fist when it hit his face. He punched her in the chest, and she had to take a moment to recover.

Even with her small pause, he didn't stand a chance. He needed to breathe. She wasn't going to let him. She swam up and grabbed him by the ankle. He tried to kick her off, but he missed the first time. He would have hit her fingers if she had not let go. Still, she had free movement in the water. The ocean was hers. She did a quick loop and sped by him, hitting him in the side with her tail. When he curled over, she looped again and hit him from above. She kept her hand on his head and pushed him down until she was sure he couldn't get back to the surface in time.

There was still one person left to deal with. He had reached the surface and regained his breath. She would need something a little different with him. She didn't slow down as she hooked her arms underneath his and shot into the sky. He swung his arms and legs around, but she ignored the hits. They didn't hurt too much. When she reached the top of her jump, she threw him as hard as she could at the water. She managed to turn around and went through the surface without a splash, but she watched him hit with a huge one.

Miserie went over to him, but he was too stunned to move. She grabbed his neck and swam until she caught up with the first man. He was floating lifelessly, which was fine with her. Now came the tricky part. She didn't want them to be found. She remembered what happened to the woman Captain had thrown overboard. She searched them for anything sharp, but they were not carrying knives or anything. She didn't want to get one from the _Howling Knave_, and she definitely couldn't go to any other ships.

There was only one thing she could do. She opened her mouth and bit down on a leg. She immediately turned around and spat blood from her mouth. She felt sick. She absolutely hated the taste. She swam down to the sea floor and looked around for something to clean her mouth. She should have thought to look here for sharp rocks or discarded teeth, but couldn't find any anyway. She eventually found some seaweed to munch on, which made her feel better. She went back to the bodies and floated, waiting.

She sensed the sharks before she saw them. She could have called them, but blood was a much better way of getting their attention. She liked sharks. She thought their teeth were awesome. They came in bigger and bigger numbers, and soon they were ripping the bodies apart with ease. She watched in fascination, idly chewing on her seaweed. One shark came at her, but swam right past when she warned it not to try to bite her. Another much larger one ignored her warning and only left her alone when she grabbed it by the tail and spun it around a few times.

She was about to head back to the ship when she remembered what Alexander had said about Gambi's crew not knowing about who had moved the bombs. That meant she had to get rid of the other pair too. Those pirates hadn't tried to attack the Black Glove Pirates, so she could rely on something else to get them away from the island. She slowly swam up to them, trying to look as nice as possible, and began singing a song. "Lammossa Nauru."

Even around the funny breathing masks, she could see the two men smiling. She swam backwards just out of their reach, and they did their best to keep up. The more they stared, the harder it was for Miserie to concentrate. She tried to fight against it, but her song began growing angrier and angrier. The two pirates stopped swimming and hung there for a moment. They looked confused about what to do next. That moment was all Miserie needed to pull the shark tooth from her jacket pocket and speed by them, ripping holes in their suits. As she returned to the _Howling Knave_, she looked back and smiled as the sharks from before came to see the source of this new blood.

When she got back to the ship, she checked the rudder again to make sure there weren't any more bombs on it. She then went back to her shelf and looked about the main deck. Seeing nobody, she dropped down to the main deck and worked her way over to the galley. She peeked through the window and was happy to find that Lyn and Alexander were still okay.

"What was that?" she asked, pushing the door slightly open.

Lyn's face brightened. "Hi Miserie! Everything shipshape? Okay?"

"Yes! There were bombs on the rudder, but Miserie and Alexander took care of them."

"Good to hear! Alexander and I are working on tattoos! He's being such a stick in the mud!"

"Tattoos last essentially for life," he said. "I want them to mean something."

The first mate scoffed and leaned back in her chair. "Just have fun, I say! I already got ideas for flowers, saints, suns, stars, feathers, hearts, waves-"

"How many tattoos are you going to get?" Alexander asked in surprise.

"Lots and lots! You're going with just one! Captain can't get tattoos, Raven has more than I'll ever have, Damien has too many scars, Miserie would have trouble letting it heal in water, and Morgan's a prince. Even Cain's got one and is planning more! You're a pirate with pirate's blood! Pirates are supposed to have tattoos! What's your excuse?"

"Why must I be inked up to the eyeballs to be a pirate?"

"Uuuuuuuugh!" Lyn threw up her hands in the air, then turned to Miserie. "Although you might be able to get one. You'll have to ask Raven about it. Still, if you had to get one, what and where would you get one?"

Miserie thought about it. It would be pretty cool to have something she chose on her skin. "Miserie doesn't know. Can she think more?"

"Of course!"

"And don't let her bully you into getting one," Alexander told her. "When she gets ideas in her head, she latches on harder than an octopus."

"Oh, thanks, so I'm an octopus now."

Alexander laughed. "No, octopi let go more easily than you do."

She took her crutch and poked him in the stomach. "So whiny. Anyway, Miserie, I think you should get one. You're so gorgeous, I think anything would look great on you!"

Miserie squirmed backwards behind the doorway. She could feel her face burning. She twisted about with her hands on her face because she couldn't stop smiling. She knew that Lyn wasn't saying that because she wanted something. Lyn really thought she was gorgeous, and that meant a lot coming from Lyn. When she managed to get herself somewhat under control, she peeked back around the corner. "Miserie thinks Lyn is very beautiful too."

"Aww, thank you! See, Alex-"

"Alexander."

"Alexander, that's how you treat a lady."

Miserie tilted her head to the side. "Why does Lyn do that?"

"Do what?"

"Call him Alex."

Lyn giggled and, to Miserie's surprise, so did Alexander. "She just does it to bug me," he explained. "Totally immature. She knows I hate it, but she won't let up."

"Oh. Why isn't Alexander angry?"

"She's just being a pest. Besides, what would friends be if they didn't know exactly how to annoy you and keep doing it no matter what you said?"

"Better friends?"

"Nah, that's how bestest friends are made!" Lyn exclaimed. "It's bestest friend privilege, annoying the hell out of them. Like, Damien calls us all sorts of things, but I can tell you for sure we're his favorite people. Cain pokes fun at Morgan even though Morgan's the prince and Cain's the bodyguard. Captain may act all leader-like and upright, but she loves to play pranks. Now, when I say that, I don't mean go around insulting everyone and things like that. You'll see when you get to know us well. It'll come naturally as we spend time together. It'll be fun! You know why? Because we're nakama, and no matter what we do, we always stick together."

Miserie couldn't stop herself. She pushed off the ground and grabbed Lyn in a big hug. Lyn laughed as she hugged her back. "You're a Black Glove Pirate, Miserie! We'll always be with you!"

"You're technically not, but I would be incredibly surprised if Captain didn't let you join," Alexander said. "I mean, if Damien and Morgan managed to stick around this long, you'll have absolutely no problem joining in. No matter how much you break."

She looked at the chairs she had accidentally broken when she had grabbed Lyn. "Miserie is very-"

"Don't worry about it," he assured her. "Not at all. You've seen how much we smash up on a daily basis. Even this one does it."

Lyn stuck her tongue out at him. "Just won't let it go, will you. Cain made another one in like two seconds."

"I liked that chair!" Alexander leaned over and spoke in a low voice that Miserie was pretty sure Lyn could hear. "Don't give her anything that can break. She'll find a way."

"Me? You're the one that'll give a ten-hour talk over the tiniest little thing!"

Miserie watched the argument go back and forth. She thought she understood a little of what Lyn had been talking about. Lyn and Alexander did not seem mad at each other. They just seemed to like to… bicker was the word Captain used. They were never actually mean. She hid behind the mast and watched them. She liked being part of the crew. It was so fun!


	45. Frostbitten

"So how did you get your bounty?" Xiphos asked.

Cassandra turned away from the scenery to look at him. Ever since they had left the town behind, Xiphos and Gambi had been chatting while they worked. It had been hard to hear over the rattling and jolting of the covered sleigh they were using, but nothing they were talking about had been particularly noteworthy. "Me? I got past the Net."

"So did we, ob-viously."

"I fought off a crew of Marines."

Xiphos frowned. "Come now, for 120 million, you must have done more than that. Remember that I captured Klaudijs, who is still a Marine officer."

Those were truthfully the only things she could think of between her first and second bounties. "I aided in the destruction of a Marine base, killed the son of a Shichibukai, escaped the grasps of two kings, participated in a revolution against a third, personally killed that one, then went to his funeral and killed all but one of his family members."

The other captains looked suitably astonished. Exactly why her bounty had gone from 50 million to 120 million for merely slipping through the Net and slaughtering a Marine crew was still beyond her. Still, if they didn't obsessively collect bounty posters and copy down the reasons like Alexander, they wouldn't know that she had gotten her smaller bounty from her seemingly more impressive actions. Damien's was a lot easier to explain, since his extreme violence had drawn attention no matter where he went.

"What about you, Xi-phos?"

"I was a captain of the royal army of Solap, but I grew dissatisfied with the way the general was conducting the army, so I took my unit and left. I was well-known for my swordsmanship."

"Solap, solap…" Cassandra mused. "That's on Adalle, isn't it?"

"Oh! Do you also come from West Blue as well?"

"I did, started out on Alamentia. I don't think Adalle had much trade with us, what with the constant wars and all."

Xiphos' gut shook as he laughed. "Perhaps not in war supplies, but Alamentia is rich in natural wealth. On the condition that the materials are only used for peaceful purposes, Adalle benefits greatly from its lumber and masonry."

"I was more of a street urchin. I don't know much about politics."

"And here you are, an accomplished pirate captain! I'd say you have done quite well considering your meager upbringings! How did you assemble such a crew?"

"A lot of luck, both good and bad. What about you, Sebastian? What's your story?"

"I was held in a prison said to be ines-capable by South Blue stan-dards," he said haltingly. "It was an island just inside the Calm Belt with steep cliffs and clear skies. I mana-ged to show them, and I es-caped. Before my crew could pick me up, I was ea-ten by a Sea King." He stared at the other two captains, daring them to laugh. Xiphos was chuckling heartily while Cassandra let part of her smile come out from behind her hand. "It wasn't funny! I was in its sto-mach for two days before my crew tra-cked it down and got me out."

"Two days?" Xiphos boomed. "How did you survive?"

Gambi gave a sour grimace. "Sea Kings swa-llow a lot of things. I made do with what little came down its throat. It was not an ex-perience I wish to revisit."

"So the skull that was stolen…" Cassandra said leadingly.

"Yes, that's the one that swallowed me." His face beamed with pride. "I killed it myself! It's not my fault some Marine bas-tard saw the whole thing. Seafood. Outrageous."

"Hey, I'm not thrilled with Amaranth either, but I don't think there's a petition to get your epithet changed. Marines and pirates don't exactly listen to each other when it comes to things like that."

"It's about respect," Xiphos said, "respect from those whom you faced and those who are watching. After all, epithets are not given without a reason. 'The Insidious Amaranth', was it? How did that come about?"

She donned her most innocent expression. "I'm a delicate flower. My specialty is planning, not fighting. Amaranths grow like weeds, and I was always popping up where they wanted me the least. Unless you get my whole crew, I'll keep coming back."

Xiphos stared critically at her. She knew, however, that he had only seen her using her rifle while everyone else fought, and their previous conversations had not included much information about her past fights. "Then how did you attract such strong people to you and form a crew?"

"You remember me talking about my first mate, Lyn? She draws people in as naturally as gravity. Since she's the only one I actually recruited, I guess my success is largely because of her. She gets their attention, and I convince them I can be a good leader. I can mostly defend myself in a fight, but you've seen Cain. He can deadlift my ship with everyone on board. Plus, you know they took my navigator. He's been with me since basically the beginning, and he's a right crazy bastard. All of those things I told you about? He was the one razing the Marine base, weakening the Warlord's son, escaping, and dealing with the strongest fighters we've encountered. I'm the brains; he's the brawn."

"This Damien, I saw him on your ship when we met at sea. Why did he not participate in combat? Why, if he was so strong, was he captured?"

She grinned wryly. "He loves the sea just as much as he loves fighting. Put a wheel in his hands, and he'll forget about anything else. As for now, I have no idea. I'm curious myself. It's going to be a right pain to get him out out of their grasp." _Primarily because I'm going to hospitalize him for pulling a stunt like this_. "Anyway, I…"

The sleigh ride had been bumpy, but the sounds of runners scraping on ice could clearly be heard. She looked at her fellow captains and saw they also knew they had arrived at the Frozen Fields. "It is time to show these bounty hunters they should not have messed with pirates!" Xiphos' attempt at a quiet voice failed completely, and Cassandra gave a slight wince. She wasn't unduly worried, as she suspected the blizzard outside did a good enough job to mute his words. She kicked open the hole they had cut in the floor and retrieved their four sets of winter gear. They were freezing cold after having been exposed to the elements the entire time, but that was the idea. Xiphos struggled to put his on, but he still managed quickly enough.

When they were all ready, the large captain held up three fingers and quickly counted down. When he curled the last finger into his fist, Andres dropped through the hole and instantly vanished from sight. He repeated the process for Gambi and Cassandra. She gave one last look at the fire blazing merrily in the brazier, knowing she wouldn't be warm again for some time. Nevertheless, she didn't hesitate to jump onto the slick ground. She curled into a ball as she tumbled and slid, but swiftly regained her bearings and brought herself to a halt. The snow made it nearly impossible to see, hear, or feel anything.

Still, she knew the plan. She began crawling backwards, edging along the patches of snow and ice. Digging her gloves into the grooves the sleigh had left, she worked her way towards Andres and Gambi. It was tough going. Her teeth chattered and her limbs protested her every move, but she persevered. She would not look foolish in front of the others.

She felt rather than heard the destruction of the sleigh. At least she had been right about that. When she reunited with Gambi, she could tell he was feeling the same way. "That could have been us."

"It would have been," she said. "I didn't think the weather would be this terrible, though."

"The weather is not at fault." They both looked at Andres, who hadn't said a word the entire time they were together. His voice was as deep as his captain's, but it was significantly harsher. "The canyons carved by time focus the wind, and the fingers of trees guide it along the river. Naught can grow on the Frozen Fields, for even the smallest plant must first be blessed by the goddess of the earth."

"Right," Cassandra said after a moment. "Well, it's still worse than I thought. By now I'm sure they know we're not in there. Where the hell is- oh, there you are. Good."

"You were correct, Cassandra." Even his whisper was hearty. "It is good we shall meet them in combat rather than hampered by some cowardly attack."

"Then form up and stay alert. Things are going to get very interesting very soon." She had not been able to convince them not to put her in the middle of the three of them without revealing her combat prowess. It rankled her that they thought she needed to be protected, but the situation had its advantages. The wind was much less of a detriment with the two large men blocking it, which helped the cold from going straight through her clothing and freezing her.

It also helped her hear the arrow shooting through the air towards them.

With the snow, it was impossible to tell exactly where it was coming from and where it would hit. She had no time. Its approach had been hidden by the vicious wind, which had also accelerated it far faster than any normal arrow. She twisted to the side as it passed perfectly between Gambi and Xiphos to punch into her right arm. If she hadn't boosted herself and grabbed the shaft, it would have gone completely through her.

"Fffff-" She cut herself off with muted scream of pain. She could still move her arm slightly, but every twitch sent electricity through the right half of her body. The other pirates all ducked around her, forming a makeshift bunker while they examined her.

"Here, let me." Gambi pulled one of the small axes from his belt and cut the shaft pinning her arm to her torso. "Now, about the arrow...

She gave short gasps of pain, very quickly trying to decide whether to remove her ring or not. "I'm left-handed," she exhaled through gritted teeth. "Take the one out of my arm. Freeze it shut."

"Are you su-"

"Do it!" she snapped. "We don't have time for-" She heard another projectile careening through the blizzard. "Incoming!"

She didn't know whether it was sharp reflexes or military training, but Xiphos and Andres reacted almost as soon as she had opened her mouth. Andres tackled her to the ground, and the ground shook from the impact where they had been standing. He shielded her from the shower of ice shards that followed before swiftly getting to his feet. "Xiphos!"

"Those cowards!" the captain bellowed, ripping the hood from his head and revealing his battle helm. "I am Xiphos, leader of the Hoplite Pirates! Show yourselves properly, and let fate determine which of us falls in glorious battle!"

"Sebastian, quick!" She temporarily deadened her senses as he yanked the shaft out of her arm. She used it to clutch her side and staggered to her feet. "They're attacking us from range! Fall back to the trees!"

"Oh, I don't think Gramps'd like that." Cassandra froze. She hadn't even heard the person approach. The four of them were knocked apart in one flurry of motion. She bounced through the snow, her blood crystallizing on the ice. While she could fight through the pain, she did need to have some sort of mobility. She reached along her neck and yanked on the thin silver chain Morgan had so generously donated. Her gloves were thin to allow her to use her pistols, but they couldn't be easily removed. Her ring came from beneath her jacket, and she pulled it away from her skin for a few seconds. It was no substitute for healing completely, but it took care of the worst of her wounds.

She put the ring back and pushed herself up. Xiphos shouted loudly as something exploded on his shield. The pieces of shrapnel were only composed of ice, which was a small blessing. Andres had disappeared completely, but there wasn't any blood he could have left behind. That left Gambi and his opponent. The pirate was not winning. His opponent was unencumbered by thick winter clothing, only wearing a sports bra and shorts. The woman's skin, hair, and clothes were as white as snow, and the chain-sickle in her hand looked like it had been carved from ice. From the way Gambi's swords weren't cutting through, she knew the weapon couldn't possibly be made of ice. Even nevermeltice wasn't tougher than steel.

The woman must have seen Cassandra from the corner of her eye, as she swung the weight around in time to prevent Cassandra from taking her shot. "Oh, you're not dead! I thought for sure Gramps had taken you out."

"Almost. Not quite. Voluntas Carnae!"

The bounty hunter wasn't disheartened by Cassandra's fighting spirit. Her sickle ripped a hole in Cassandra's pants that could easily have been her thigh. The pirate captain hated the bulky clothes necessary to protect her from the cold. Maybe she shouldn't have tried to be tricky and plan it out. She should have just rode in with Jordan and gotten her goddamn navigator back. Unfortunately, that would leave the rest of her crew at the mercy of two strong pirate crews, which was not what she wanted at all. She could probably have told Jordan to deal with his family tomorrow, but she had wanted everything dealt with as soon as possible.

She failed to grab hold of the chain as it sped by, and she was thrown far enough backwards to reach the forest again. The arrow was pushed deeper into her side, and she repressed a scream so she wouldn't give up her location. The bounty hunter, however, was already moving soundlessly towards her, running across the snow without leaving any footprints behind. "120 million?" she shouted. "Who'd you fuck to get that kind of bounty?"

Cassandra's fists clenched. She had two options: either stop acting and eviscerate this woman or play along. The main reason that she decided to postpone her revenge was the arrow. She knew she wasn't being paranoid when she said that arrow had been intended for her. She was the highest priority among the four of them. Her bounty combined with Damien's was no small change. She wanted to meet the person who could make such an accurate shot. Even without her reaction, it wouldn't have killed her. The archer had threaded the arrow between Xiphos and Gambi in the middle of a snowstorm with unpredictable winds. As a sniper, she owed it to herself to meet this person.

Plus, she knew how to respond. She had a pretty good idea what kind of person the bounty hunter was. "Fleet Admiral," she shot back, holding her hands up in surrender, "and your gramps."

She saw the weight coming, but didn't bother to dodge it. She was bowled end over end, eventually crashing into a tree. The bounty hunter snatched her up before the snow she had shaken loose could fall. "You're hilarious, you know that?"

"They thought so too. Wouldn't you know your grandpa was in the middle? He was the one who insisted."

She expected some sort of violent response. What she didn't expect was the sickle being stuffed in her mouth and ripped out through her cheek. She gave a scream of pain, but the chain wrapped around her body prevented her from putting her hand to it. The bounty hunter brought her sickle up again. "Gramps is the best in the world. I'll give you a matching one if you keep flapping your gums."

Cassandra fought through the pain to give a bloody, one-sided grin. This one would be fun to play with.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

"No, Cain."

"Morgan, she-"

"Captain gave us an order," Morgan said. "She can heal that off whenever she wants to. You know that if she wanted our help, she would have fought back."

"We can't just leave her like this!"

"Why not? She does what she wants. She obviously has changed the plan, but until the other captains try to sneak off or she tries to escape, we are to stay put."

Cain grumbled, but he came up with no responses. Morgan was right, after all. He stared at Cassandra as she was dragged away. Satisfaction had radiated through his body when her cheek had been sliced open. Now she knew what it was like to be scarred in such a humiliating way, even if she merely had to separate herself from her ring to get rid of it. The blood staining her coat could be seen for quite some time before the falling snow hid them from view. He would definitely cherish this memory for a long time.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Cassandra staggered after the woman, her face set in a horrific grimace. The left side of her face was filled with cold fire as her blood had frozen the wound shut and her teeth together. It was all she could do to to keep her thoughts from scattering. She needed to stay focused. She had faith in Cain getting her out of any truly terrible situation, and her Devil Fruit would make everything right in the end. Her task now was to learn about the people in front of her.

She hissed as she was thrown onto the icy ground. Gambi was lying nearby, struggling with the handcuffs binding his hands behind his back. Xiphos turned around and barely brought his dented shield around in time to deflect the bounty hunter's scythe. The ghostly woman was no joke. Cassandra might be able to win in an even fight, but she never fought fairly if she could help it. The bounty hunter's chain wrapped around Xiphos' sword, but contrary to her expectations, she was not able to pull it from his hands. His grip was too firm, and he pulled her off-balance. He slammed his shield into her, sending her crashing through the trees.

"Sebastian!" he shouted, swinging his sword in a tight downward swoop. He cut through Gambi's handcuffs and part of his jacket as well. The wiry man whirled around, swiftly retrieving his axes from the ground. His eyes glinted with madness as he focused on the bounty hunter.

"Not gonna work twice! Squalo Martello!"

He was far faster than Cassandra had anticipated, but not as fast as the bounty hunter. She easily pirouetted around his blow, her chain spiraling around her like a dancer's ribbon. The weight cracked Gambi across the jaw, and he went tumbling to the ground in shock. She hopskipped away from Xiphos as he tried to decapitate her, more wary of him now than she had been before. She whirled the weight around in a blurry circle as she stalked around him. Gambi spat out a glob of blood as he tried to find his bearings.

"Have you faced such a weapon before?" Xiphos asked him.

"Never. Tricky fu-cking thing."

Cassandra had, but knew it wasn't any easier when you knew what to look out for. She had the keen eyesight and reflexes to deal with the weapon. It didn't help that the way the bounty hunter handled it made the weapon seem alive. Still, she was not the only opponent they faced. She barely managed to shout through her half-sealed mouth. "Xiphos!"

He turned in time for the arrow to hit his chest, tear through his jacket, and glance off his breastplate. He fell back a pace as he looked around in confusion. "We are surrounded!"

Cassandra locked eyes with the bounty hunter for a brief moment, but that was all she needed. "No! One!"

She twisted aside, and the weight impacted her cheek. Now her entire face was one big mass of icy fire. She endured it. She had to. If she dulled her senses, that archer would turn them all into pincushions. Besides, she had felt worse. As she went further down the Grand Line, she would undoubtedly feel significantly worse. She could only imagine Damien laughing at her now. She couldn't have that.

The first step was getting out of the handcuffs. While she couldn't see hers, Gambi was moving slowly enough for her to get a good look at his. They weren't made of seastone, but they still appeared to be custom-made. However, she was pretty sure that simply meant they were reinforced instead of unpickable. She had plenty of tools hidden in her clothes in case she had been captured, and the handcuffs were open in no time. She finished by sliding little pieces of metal into the cuffs in such a way that she only needed a good twist to get them off her wrists again.

Another arrow came flying along the ground, only narrowly avoiding her. By the time she realized she hadn't been the target, it was too late to shout a warning. Gambi shouted as it pierced clean through his calf, causing his leg to buckle. The bounty hunter deflected his botched swing and brought the weight crashing down on his head. He slammed facefirst into the snow and evidently decided that staying down was the safer choice for the moment.

"There is no glory to be had here!" Xiphos protested angrily.

"I'm sure for 59 million, I'll be able to buy my own glory," the bounty hunter said with a smile. "Bite!"

The weight sped across the snow as if targeting his ankle, but she twitched her wrist at the last second. It hopped up, smashing his right little finger and drawing a howl of rage. "Is that all you can do?"

She pulled it back and resumed spinning it. "Not at all, but for the full amount, I need you in more or less one piece."

"And I shall have you in-"

The ball of ice hit his back, knocking him off-balance. That was all the bounty hunter needed to swing the chain around again, ensnaring his sword. He almost held on, but the weapon tumbled from his fingers. With a cry of victory, she threw the weight directly at him. It ricocheted off his shield with such force that she herself was nearly disarmed. "Throw, Xiphos!" Cassandra half-shouted.

"A man never releases his shield!" He dashed forward as the bounty hunter swung her weapon in a full arc. The chain neatly wrapped around his neck, but he had tilted his head forward enough that it constricted around his helmet instead of his windpipe. Rather than being sent flying again, the bounty hunter let go of her chain sickle and danced out of the way. "See?"

"See what?" the bounty hunter asked. "I don't have a shield."

"I mean-"

She looked like she was just drifting on the wind. Her foot swept around, bashing the side of his helmet and making it ring like a bell. In his temporary disorientation, she pulled her weapon from his head and kicked off, skidding across the snow. The shallow furrows her feet dug were almost instantly erased by the blowing wind and snow. "I know what you meant."

"My thanks, girl," he said, blood trickling from his grin to mingle with his beard. "I needed to clear this snow from my eyes."

"Glad to be of service." She swirled her weapon around, somehow entangling the thrown axe before it reached her. She turned to Gambi, who was swaying on his feet. "Haven't you had enough?"

"Not by a long shot," he snarled. "Not until I see you bleed."

"Just wait a week or so, though I don't think you'll be around that long. Why are you even fighting? Don't you want your stuff back?"

"We are pirates," Xiphos boomed. "We take. We do not bargain."

"Did you really think we would su-rrender without a fight?"

"Of course not. That's why I'm not alone."

An arrow hit Xiphos square in the back, forcing him forward. The weight pulverized his nose, sending a gush of blood into the air. Without looking, the bounty hunter pulled the weight back, causing it to zip by her ear and knock the wind out of Gambi, who had been trying to sneak up behind her. She twirled around once more, knocking them both to the ground. The three captains lay on the snow, bleeding, beaten, and mentally cursing the archer that had incapacitated them so badly. To make matters worse, the single bounty hunter before them was practically unhurt. Some of her paint had been scraped off, revealing similarly pale skin, and light cuts and bruises were evident, but nothing like what the pirates had sustained.

"Now, are we done?" she asked. "Can we go?"

"We are not done," Xiphos growled. "Andres will not fail."

"Right. Hey, Pops! You deal with yours yet?"

A loud crash could be heard nearby. Andres slid to a stop before them, clearly out for the count. A white-painted man as wide as he was tall stumbled into view. He had fared far worse than his daughter. One eye had already swollen shut, and several wounds were still bleeding. He put one hand on a nearby tree to steady himself and the other on his knee. "Whew. I'm not as young as I once was."

"Come off it, Pops. Gramps is still up and fighting, so you can't whine about age. Think you can haul these back?"

"You're not... taking me anywhere," Cassandra rasped. "I'll walk."

The daughter stared at her for a moment before laughing loudly. "Yeah, you're his captain. Any of you fit to walk? We're just going to a sleigh a few hundred meters that way."

"You won't-"

Gambi didn't finish his sentence. The large bounty hunter hit him so hard that he left an imprint in the snow. He crouched over and fished around in the hole, eventually bringing Gambi out. After scrounging around in his pocket for a moment, the bounty hunter clapped the pirate in cuffs. "Anyone else?" he asked, slinging Gambi over his shoulder.

"I will take Andres," Xiphos said evenly.

The daughter shrugged. "Fine with me. Just remember Gramps is out there, and he will shoot you down if you try to escape."

The trek to the sleigh was quiet. Cassandra had to continually fight to keep her mouth from freezing shut entirely, and her chattering teeth were doing their best to help with that endeavor. Andres had regained his senses, but he was in no shape to do anything but lean on Xiphos for support. The female bounty hunter was cheerfully spinning her chain sickle around, the pirates' various discarded weapons in a bag on her back.

The bounty hunters roughly shoved the pirates into the sleigh, not bothering to make sure they didn't hit their head. When the daughter saw Cassandra looking around, she gave a challenging smirk. "Want to make a move?"

"I can't do anything."

"I really am disappointed, you know. Chick like you shows up with 120 million and goes down just like that. Same with the Infernal, come to think of it. Are you two fucking? Is that what'll take you to fight?"

Cassandra laughed so hard that she couldn't enter the sleigh. Even when she was roughly hauled to her feet, she could only gasp madly for air. This made the pain in her face and side a billion times worse, but she couldn't stem the amusement overwhelming her. She sagged onto the bounty hunter as she struggled for oxygen. "Damien? And me? I can't breathe! Fucking ow…" The pain didn't quell another round of laughter.

The ride was just as bumpy and uneven as before, and the bounty hunter's sleigh didn't have any sort of interior heating. Cassandra didn't mind; the hilarity of the daughter's comment kept her from caring about the cold or her pain. She was still keeping track of approximately how fast they were moving and which direction they were going so she could potentially retrace her steps, but the occasional chuckle still slipped through. She used the jolting motion to temporarily free herself from her cuffs and make sure she would not be completely disarmed if she were searched.

In what seemed like no time at all, they were entering some sort of underground lair carved into the ice. They twisted and turned for a bit before entering a large, stone-bricked room big enough to hold three more sleighs. The pirates were shoved onto the frigid floor, where they all slumped against each other to stay upright. The big bounty hunter got out and beckoned for them to follow him. They went in single file down a corridor to a set of enormous cells. Much to Cassandra's surprise, the room was quite warm. The air was humid, the winter plants on the small table near the door were wilted, and water ran from the ceiling and pooled on the paving slabs.

The bounty hunter stripped them of their winter clothes and patted them down to make sure they had no more hidden weapons. All of Cassandra's knives were taken, but she had hidden her ring in her mouth to retain that element of surprise and there were some bits of metal in her black gloves she might use to escape. She was pushed into the cell, maintaining her balance and keeping her injured face and side from hitting the floor. After she exhaled deeply to keep from screaming in pain and the others were put in their own cells, she spat out her ring and slipped it back onto her finger. Her body healed itself for a brief period of time during the transition, severely lessening the agony shooting through her body.

When she turned around to see the occupant of the cell opposite her, Cassandra gave a dark grin. "Are these the lengths you'll go through to make sure I keep my promise?"

Damien had crashed through the bed he had been provided and simply reclined on the wreckage. When he saw her, he gave a wild laugh.. "Yahahar, Cap'n! Didn' think you'd show up! You look like shit, you do!"


	46. Scattered Graupel

Cassandra shook her head. Of all the foolhardy stunts Damien had pulled, this was definitely near the top of the list. Granted, the pools of liquefied and shattered rock indicated he had at least tried to escape, but the fact that he was in the cell to begin with was unacceptable. She also knew he knew she was plotting something. As the second person to figure out her Devil Fruit, he was one of the people who knew best the limits and speed of her healing. "This is all because of you," she snapped as she was locked in her own cell. "You do realize I could have been having fun with the others instead of coming to get your stupid ass, right?"

"Aye, but there're some fuckin' interestin' people 'ere." He bared his teeth. "Let me fight."

"You'll have to break the deal, Damien. I won't be the one to bend it, no matter what the circumstances are."

He put his hands behind his head and leaned back. "Then this'll be a fuckin' blast for you, won't it now?"

"Honestly. I swear you enjoy sucking joy from my life."

"Don' kid yerself," he said good-humoredly. "You like gettin' the shit beaten outta you jus' as much as me."

"Like hell I do. I like winning fights."

"That why you look like someone dragged ya from Wes' Blue to 'ere?"

"I like winning wars, even if it means losing battles."

He laughed. "Fuckin' crazy, y'are. Why're ya with these three cockgobblers?"

"I saw you," Xiphos said, his deep voice hardening. "You only manned the helm."

"Yeah, cuz unlike some bitch-ass dickblisters, I don' need a fuckin' roof."

"The Grand Line is-"

"Seriously, Cap'n, there a reason you couldn'a taken Biggun instead o' this whiny cuntpounder?"

"Mind your tongue," Xiphos growled.

"Yahahar! Or fuckin' wha'?"

Cassandra put a hand on her face, mostly to keep Xiphos from seeing her grin. "Like I told you, the Marines call him Untamed because he'll just run his mouth off without care of who he's talking to, even if it's me."

"Yer a fuckin' 'ore, Cap'n. I almos' feel bad for these motherfuckers. They ain' got a fuckin' clue, just sittin' about with their cuntin' thumbs so far up their asses, they could pick their fuckin' noses. Ain' nobody likes a fuckin' bully."

"Just who are you calling a bully, you hypocrite?"

"Shove off, fatherfucker. They jus' don' know you yet."

"Seriously, I just want to spend one goddamn day on an island without anything happening."

He rolled his eyes. "Aye, cuz tha' las' fuckin' island was so fuckin' 'ard fer you t' deal with. Admit it. Yer 'avin' fun."

"Yeah, coming up with ways to punish you for wasting my time. Maybe I kill two birds with one stone, scrape the barnacles from the ship by keelhauling you."

"Tha'd be a fuckin' blast!"

"If you two are done with your reunion," Xiphos interrupted, "we need to change our plan."

"E'en Copycat'd be better than this-"

"Damien," she said warningly. "We're working together to get out of this. By that I mean the rest of us are working together, and you'll just be somewhere in the mix."

"Cap'n-"

"For Mors' sake, shut up for a moment!" She rubbed her partially-healed face as she willed the pain to subside. "I'm in no shape to move, and since we are working together, we still need to retrieve Gambi's skull and Xiphos' spear."

"And how are we going to do that?" Gambi asked. "We have no weapons, no means of es-cape, and no idea where we are. Your talk of your brains hasn't really panned out, Cassan-dra."

"Would you rather have been in the sleigh they smashed?" she snapped. "They know this place better than I do, and they work in snow better than I thought they would. That's not my fault."

Xiphos gave a loud harrumph. "She is right, Sebastian. While they ultimately captured us, their initial ambush was a failure. The important thing is dealing with the situation we are in now. Andres, how did you fare against your opponent?"

"Before I even found him, his skin was as overripe fruits, and-"

"You lost to someone already half-beaten?" Gambi scoffed. "What is this-"

"You lost to a woman without laying a scratch on her," Xiphos reminded him.

"So did you!"

"Nay! I hurt her, at least."

Cassandra sighed. She could already feel any semblance of teamwork dissolving. While she had achieved her primary objective of locating Damien, she did at least nominally want to help the other two captains. She glared at her navigator, who was watching the argument with interest. She was still annoyed with his easy surrender, but she couldn't strictly speaking fault him. He was who he was.

She frowned as she felt a faint rumbling. She ran her fingers on the ground and walls, trying to figure out what was happening. She knew Rime wasn't prime for earthquakes, and the rumbling was only growing stronger. In a shower of rock and metal shards, the wall of Gambi's cell exploded outwards. A short, plump woman with an oversized digging drill on her head popped out and saluted. "Sorry about the wait, Sebastian! It took us a while to figure out where you were."

"Couldn't have been better timed. Thanks, Auger." He turned and gave a small bow to the other prisoners. "My a-pologies, but it seems this is where our part-nership runs its course."

"Gambi!" Xiphos shouted, pounding his fist on the bars. "We had an agreement!"

"Had," he said with a smile. "Have you found my skull yet?"

"Not yet. We thought getting you out took priority."

Gambi nodded. "Works for me. Good day, gen-tlemen, madam."

They could only watch as he limped into the hole and disappeared. She felt Xiphos' frustration, but let none of it show. Instead, she leaned against her bars and yelled, "There's been an escape! One of us got out!"

Soon enough, the female bounty hunter was dashing into the cells with her chain sickle raised high. Cassandra gave a gruesome smile when she angrily whirled around. "Where did he go?" screamed the bounty hunter. "Where the hell did he go?"

"Don't ask me. I'm just a prisoner."

The bounty hunter paced back and forth, frantically rubbing her head. Her father pounded down the steps, his keys jangling on his belt. "No, don't tell me-"

"I don't know how they found us," she said quickly. "I mean, they drilled right through everything and went right for his cell. I bet they're going to free the others too."

"I wouldn't count on that," Cassandra offered. "He's just going for his skull and going back to his ship."

"This is bad," the father said. "This is really, really bad. We already have someone here ready to pick them up."

"Already?" she asked. "Why? We just shipped off the last bunch the day before yesterday! Besides, we just got these bastards. How did they find out?"

"It seems these two," he pointed at Cassandra and Damien, "have made some enemies."

Cassandra did her best to look astonished. "Us? Enemies? How could that be? We don't hurt anybody, do we, Damien?"

"Proper fuckin' angels, we are."

"Shut up!" the daughter said, banging on the cell bars. "Lucky these two are here, but we promised them Seafood as well."

"The others are still out there," he assured her. "They'll be fine. We need to worry about _her_."

"Well, where is she now?"

"Here." Cassandra's heart skipped a beat. She knew that voice. The woman ducked through the doorway, her white coat sweeping over the floor. Those angular features framed by strawberry blonde hair were unmistakable. Her eyes were bright with tightly-controlled rage. Cassandra knew her situation was going to get a whole lot more interesting.

Xiphos evidently recognized her as well, sitting up straight in amazement. "Cassandra, what did you do to accrue such enmity that the Bone Reaper would chase you down the Line?"

"Oh, you know," Theresa said with a malicious smile. "Slaughtered my crew, ate my commander, then ran with her tail between her legs without so much as a by-your-leave."

Cassandra kept her face perfectly blank. "I didn't eat anybody."

"No, that's that motherfucker right there," Theresa said offhandedly. She focused on Gambi's empty cell. "And what happened here?"

"I don't know, ma'am," the father said quickly. "We were only gone for a-"

"Well find him!" she shouted. "I will not tolerate this. Go retrieve him."

The daughter looked outraged. "You can't just-"

"It's all right," the male bounty hunter cut in. "We have a man on the job."

"Is he a competent man?"

"My father will not fail, I assure you."

"He had better not." Theresa turned back to face Cassandra. "If you would be so kind as to let me have a moment with these two? You got a good start, glad you kept her tongue intact, but they did kill my men. Very brutally. I assure you that I will take note that I found both of them alive, and you will receive it all accordingly. I'll even round it off to two hundred for giving me the first dibs."

The female bounty hunter opened her mouth to protest, but her father caught her arm. "We have matters to take care of. Come, Frostbite. We'll be back."

"She can't do this!"

Theresa grabbed the bounty hunter by the throat and dragged her face to face. "I loved my crew, brat. These monsters tore them apart in front of my eyes. Wilco was _eaten_. Can you imagine that, little girl, seeing the man who was by your side since you enlisted devoured in front of you?" The Marine roughly shoved her away. "Get the fuck out of here before I charge you with obstruction. You, old man, check your chick's attitude. Be thankful I'm still going for the two hundred."

"Of course, ma'am. Come on." Frostbite looked angry enough to chew through diamond, but her father swiftly ushered her away.

Breast still heaving, Theresa glared after them. "Find that last fucker!" She waited until their footsteps died off left before relaxing. "Shit on my dick, Cici, when are you gonna be a big girl and solve problems on your own?"

"Shut up. You said you were helping me, so quit being a bitch and help me."

"I couldn't swipe the keys."

"You don't need the godsdamn keys, Jay, just get us out already."

The Marine lookalike gave a toothy smile. "You just know fucking everything, don't you? How?"

"Damien's not chomping at the bit, and you're bundled up. Just get us out. These bars aren't seastone."

"I have missed something," Xiphos said.

"Yeah. You did." The large captain and Damien had tested their strength against the metal bars and failed. Jordan pulled them apart as if they were made of toffee. "How about it, Didi? Ever thought you'd be needing my help?"

He bared his teeth and pressed his forehead on the bars. "Don' need yer fuckin' 'elp, cumling."

"Fine. Good luck busting out on your own."

"_Jordan_."

"Fine, fine." Her metal-wrapped fingers gripped the bars and pulled them straight out of the wall. "You're an ungrateful ass."

Damien knocked his fist against hers as he walked towards the exit. "And just where the fuck are you going now?"

He half-turned to his captain. "Y' ain' stoppin' me, are ya?"

She was about to, but she stopped when she saw the look in his eyes. She had never understood how Alexander could look into those eyes and not feel a shred of fear. His thirst for battle was way too strong, and he couldn't contain himself any more. He would have a fight. His eyes glowed with malice, and he fairly trembled with anticipation. With all the supposed rest he had been getting, she stood no chance against him. "So long as you understand you won't get your deathmatch with Raven."

He nodded and strode away. Cassandra breathed more easily as he departed. Jordan used her lighter to light her cigarette for once, starting after him as well. "You're outta your mind, Cici."

"I know. Anyway, get Xiphos and Andres out too."

"What? Why?"

"Because we had an agreement. Gambi's no longer my ally, but Xiphos has been nothing but cooperative. Before you say anything, Xiphos, this isn't a favor. Until you betray me, I'll consider us partners."

The large captain smiled. "It is nice to see there is still honor among pirates. After all, we must repay these bounty hunters for the hospitality they have showed. I will meet up with my men while Andres seeks his revenge upon the men who ambushed us."

Cassandra frowned. "Your men?"

"I was not so foolish as to come alone," Xiphos said, "though apparently you were not either. I have a unit who specializes in cold climates waiting outside. I have no doubt they will encounter Gambi when he attempts to flee. We will exchange words, and I will remind him of the danger of breaking promises. Andres, you have some unfinished business." Andres nodded, immediately charging off when Jordan freed him. "I am curious; why not simply pretend to be in her custody until you are safe?"

"They're probably used to full squads of Marines, not single officers," she explained. "It'd be too suspicious."

"A fair point. Until we meet again." Xiphos nodded at them before following Andre up the stairs.

Jordan raised an eyebrow as she handed Cassandra knives and her ancestor's pistols. "They don't have a clue where the armory is, do they?"

"None of us do. That would make things too easy." Cassandra felt significantly less vulnerable when she holstered the weapons. "They'll find it eventually. Xiphos needs his spear, after all."

"Shouldn't we be, I dunno, helping them?"

"Now why would I do that?"

Jordan gave a sour laugh. "Why would you do that indeed. Still need to pretend you can't fight for shit and aren't harboring a devil?"

"And deprive whoever we find of that pleasure? I don't think so." She took a few shaky steps, then rethought her decision. "Maybe a bit."

After allowing her body to heal a little more, she let Jordan to lead her up the stairs, telling her about what had transpired since the assassin had left for Whiteshadow. The simplicity of the base was refreshing, though the temperature lowered every step she took away from the cells. She supposed that was one way of keeping prisoners from escaping. Noticing her shivers, Jordan shrugged off her coat and threw it around Cassandra's shoulders. The captain reflexively checked the pockets for anything Jordan might want to be offloading onto her, but only found more weapons and a few wallets. When she lifted up an expensive watch, Jordan only smiled shamelessly.

They were walking away from the entrance towards the place where weapons were presumably stored when the female bounty hunter appeared around a corner. Her eyes widened, and her chain sickle was in her hands instantly. "What's the meaning of this?"

"I told you, I don't know what you're talking about when you say I make enemies," Cassandra said with an antagonizing smirk. "I have friends in all sorts of places."

"What she's trying to say," Jordan wiped her hand across her features, blackening her hair and paling her skin, "is that it wasn't Damien she was sleeping with."

"I didn't know you wanted me to murder you so badly," Cassandra muttered.

"You always fight better protecting your one true love."

"Right here, right now, is it?"

"I think that one wants a crack first."

Frostbite had reached her limit. With a shriek of rage, she threw the weight at them with blinding speed. Morgan's reflexes wouldn't be enough, so Cassandra shoved Jordan away from her and hit the ground painfully. The weight came around, but Jordan had encased her arm in metal and managed to block it. Frostbite sprinted down the hallway, kicking Cassandra roughly as she passed. All three of them hurtled into the expansive entryway, sliding to a stop with various degrees of proficiency.

"That's it!" Frostbite snarled, a manic expression on her face. "I'm sick and tired of dealing with you! Is that all you can do, Amaranth, talk my ear off? How on earth did..."

She fell silent as Cassandra climbed to her feet. The pirate captain wiped dried blood from her face, revealing her unblemished skin. She pulled the arrow from her side with barely a wince and cast it away. She had been waiting for that look of utter confusion, where everything Frostbite thought she had known about Cassandra was turned onto its head. "I think I haven't properly introduced myself. Cassandra Libera, captain of the Black Glove Pirates and future Pirate Queen. I have earned my bounty for a very good reason. Let me show you why."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Flake was impressed with the people on his tail. It wasn't often his quarry could find him amid the raging blizzard. It was even rarer that they could continue to chase despite the shots he had fired at them. He was positive he had hit one of them multiple times, but the other was curious. They seemed unbound by the laws of gravity, able to move freely through the air. It was also surprising that they were still on his tail, considering the complete lack of vision they had of him and his shallow footprints lasted mere fractions of a second before vanishing completely.

His pursuers were also faster than he was. Flake blamed old age. He slowed to a stop, knowing he was going to have to deal with them sooner or later. His current trajectory would take him to a less dense area of the forest, and he liked to use the trees to his advantage. Just to make sure they weren't relying on luck, he leapt to the branches of a nearby tree to get a better vantage point. He didn't know which pirates were after him, and any information he could glean before they fought would be useful.

He watched as a miniature avalanche crashed against his tree, tilting it slightly off-kilter. Somewhere in that rush of snow was the person he couldn't hit. The second one, larger than Flake's son, lumbered to a halt. The broken shafts of arrows could be seen protruding from their snow white armor, but no blood surrounded them. Curiously, the person was completely unarmed. Flake sighed as he spotted the figure's dark right gauntlet. He mentally thanked Libera for making her crew easy to identify.

Flake had seen this man on Libera's ship. He didn't know much, but he had heard the man's name in passing. As far as he and his family could tell, Cain was the only person that large on her crew. That still didn't help him identify who the other pirate was. All he could say with certainty is that it was not Damien or Libera herself.

Cain looked around, trying to locate him. Flake had no idea how the pirate could see anything through his visor and the snow. Although the armor had stopped his arrows, the bounty hunter still had another weapon ready to use. He drew his sword from its sheath with a sound indistinguishable from the whistling wind. It was one he had ordered himself after the destruction of his previous sword, and he was quite proud of it. It took some time to sharpen it, but it held its edge quite well regardless of what he cut.

He silently fell down upon Cain, bringing the sword down over his head. Already he could see the pirate's arm flying off, blood spraying across the snowy trees. That vision was swiftly replaced by one of him being smothered by snow. He twisted in midair and swung his arm, splitting the mobile avalanche neatly in two. He leaned as the two halves rushed past him and clicked his tongue in annoyance. He had been sure he had hit the pirate, but they were simply too slippery.

"Be careful," Cain warned. "He knew we were coming."

"Careful of some wizened cripple?"

"You saw his archery. His accuracy was outstanding, and to think I misunderstood why the arrows were so large. I had assumed you were taller. I had no idea you were not using an arm."

"You're not as dumb as you look, boy," Flake rasped. Like his family, he wore minimal clothing to cut down on noise and maximize mobility. One consequence of this was that his missing left arm was clearly visible to any pirate who found him. Some thought that made him easier to kill; others knew better. "Before you do anything, how did you find me?"

"We are people who grew up on mountains where winter never truly fades, much like real Winter Islands," the other pirate responded. "If we could not follow an assassin attempting to flee through the woods, what a mockery that would make us."

"Fascinating. I'll give you one chance to leave. I have nothing to gain by fighting you, nor you by fighting me."

Cain shook his head. "Captain Libera is not waiting for the Marines to arrive. As you will not allow her to leave, we have a great deal to gain by not letting you get another shot at her."

"So be it." Flake watched the two pirates carefully. He had no reason to launch the first attack. He wasn't terribly worried about Cain. Unless the Marines had been truly careless, the man was far less important than his two crewmates with bounties on their heads. He was more wary of the man in the snow. It was true he didn't have a price, but he was clearly demonstrating some sort of Devil Fruit. Users were always a pain to deal with.

To his mild amusement, his opponents were equally cautious. Cain was at the ready and didn't move a muscle. He looked like the statue of a man poised to strike. The other pirate slowly circled around Flake, trying to get into an advantageous position. It wouldn't help, but Flake gave him points for trying. The bounty hunter kept his eyes focused on Cain, his sword slowly wavering in the wind.

The man at his back attacked. It was a simple attack, an onrush of snow designed to incapacitate him, but Flake saw it as clear as day. More importantly, Cain's movements were harder to predict. His reaction depended on Flake's movement, but the bounty hunter could still read him. He leapt above the snow and blocked the punch with the flat of his blade, flying off through the trees. He dug his sword into a trunk as he passed and looped quickly around it. He thrust his sword at the second pirate, but Cain got between them, a large tree trunk in his hands. The tip of the sword pierced the wood, and Cain twisted it sharply, spinning Flake around.

"Metel!" The second pirate sent a flurry of snow around his crewmate. Flake yanked his sword from the thick wood and used the snow to put some distance between him and the pirates. Cain chased him by bulling clear through the trees as if they weren't even there, still wielding the trunk like a club. Flake tried to parry the attack, and even though he cut Cain's tree in half, he was still bowled over backwards. Evidently, what Cain lacked in finesse, he more than compensated for with brute strength.

"Vald!" The enormous pirate kept after Flake, a tree always grasped in his hands. Knowing it was futile to flee, Flake simply focused on dodging or deflecting the swipes. They were easy enough to read, but that didn't necessarily make it easier to keep from being crushed. He tried to hide himself by riding Cain's tree out of the pirate's point of view, but Cain didn't fall for it. The fist the crashed through the would nearly took Flake's head off.

It was the other pirate that continued to shake things up. He would course around Cain inside enormous waves of snow, trying to catch Flake off-guard. He cleverly kept Cain between himself and the bounty hunter until the last possible moment, but Flake always knew he was coming. Despite this, he had never actually been able to land a blow on the Devil Fruit User. The only time he had come close, Cain had thrown his arm out and caught the blade on his thick white armor.

"It is time we finish this," the smaller pirate finally snapped. "Firn."

The snow around him compacted into a layer of ice Flake could finally see through. The pirate was suspended inside the clear humanoid, staring pensively at the bounty hunter. "You have a most curious Fruit, boy. What's it called?"

The pirate's face flushed. "I will not be belittled by you, old man, nor will I hold back on account of your age."

Flake smiled. "As opposed to before, when you were giving it your best? I welcome it, boy. You might not have a bounty, but Devil Fruits can always fetch a price. Would you be willing to part with yours?"

The pirate raised his fists defensively. "Take it if you can."

"As you say."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Damien's feet sloshed through water as he walked through the empty fields in search of his opponent. He knew they were out there. He could feel it. Here was an opponent worth fighting. If he managed to find them, he would break the deal. He was sure Captain would make it again in the future, since she already had once. It was only a matter of time.

He frowned and glared around him. He knew they were close, but he could see nothing but white around him. He let loose a huge breath of fire, but it only dissipated in the wind. His body heaved as his anger grew and grew. He couldn't stand going so long without a fight. He would find this opponent no matter what, even if he had to burn this entire island to the ground.

"Most fascinating." He turned to find a small, ancient woman hunched over directly beside him, using his body as cover from the wind. "Who trained you?"

He felt his foot impact her jaw, her bones shatter beneath his kick, and the shock running through her body. He could see the blood and lower jaw flying through the air and hear the sound of everything in this woman's head breaking. That was why he was confused when he found her beside him, completely unharmed and still using him to block the wind. "My, my. So hasty."

Damien was even faster than before. His whole body moved in one fluid attack, and he did not miss. Once again, her face crumpled around his fist, gore spread out in a miniature explosion, and her body went sailing once again. He checked beneath his outstretched arm and, sure enough, saw her staring up at him with milky eyes, her head slightly ducked under his arm. "No, you're failing. You are not focusing," she said, poking her cane into his chest. "You must-"

"Diavolo Toro!" His flurry of attacks was sharp and fast. Blackie might have been able to dodge them all, but almost anyone else would have been hit. He grew more and more frustrated as his onslaught continued. Every single punch, kick, and thrust he threw connected with her body. He could feel it each and every time, see the effects of the impact, her body becoming battered and beaten. Yet between every attack, she seemed to be directly next to where he thought she had been. He finally let up after countless attacks, but he had not touched her once.

Still, he had more than physical attacks at his disposal. With a shouted "Diavolo Coccodrillo!" he unleashed his spirits in every direction, filling the area with fire. Even as the ground evaporated from beneath him, he braced himself and lunged at the woman's retreating form. Surely she could do nothing in the air. His claws trailed fire, incinerating her insides as he ripped her in half, and he knew that smell of cooking flesh.

The next thing he knew, he was pulling himself out of a steaming crater, molten fury coursing through his body. The cane had hurt his chest as much as a sniper rifle fired at point blank range. The old woman stood some distance away, still looking like she hadn't moved at all. "Child, your will is incredibly strong, but it cannot help you if you do not allow it. You must stop blinding yourself by fighting it, and you must truly observe."

The last thing Damien wanted was a lecture. With a roar filled with rage, he threw himself at his opponent.


	47. Fight or Freeze

"What are you?" asked Frostbite.

"A humble pirate captain." Jordan coughed madly as she looked away. "Jay, I swear to Mors I will torture you until you beg me for mercy if you don't change your face."

"What, don't want to fight in front o-" The barrel of the gun in her mouth prevented her from continuing. "O'ay, o'ay."

Cassandra glanced to check and snorted in amusement. It was more than a little strange to see Alexander fighting at her side. "Now you're just being mean."

"That's what we do!" Jordan chirped. "Now, what say we show this girl how two Moon Sisters-"

They leapt apart as the weight ricocheted off the ceiling to catch them at an odd angle. Cassandra grinned as she pulled a knife and a gun from her belt. She disagreed with her navigator on many things, but she couldn't deny the thrill she felt when fighting someone who really wanted her dead. She didn't feel like she was doing what she did best without making lots of dangerous enemies.

Jordan, knowing that being hurt didn't matter so long as he was still conscious enough to copy Cassandra's healing, gave a wild laugh as he wrapped himself in metal. However, he lengthened his fingers into sharp claws and flexed them threateningly. "Uh, Jay…"

The impersonator launched himself forward, only to have his head knocked so far backwards that he toppled right over. Frostbite was warded off by a few shots from Cassandra, the chain absorbing the shock of the bullets. She finished looping the weapon around herself and threw the weight again. Cassandra holstered her knife and grabbed the chain as it passed, the links scraping her glove as they slowed. She was under no delusions that she was a match for Frostbite in terms of strength, but having some way of limiting the chain sickle was vital to her victory.

As she expected, Frostbite saw what she had done. She wrapped the chain around her hand once and yanked Cassandra towards her. "Bite!" The pirate captain flipped her pistol around and used it to catch the sickle swung at her head. Frostbite pushed through, smashing her elbow into the side of Cassandra's head. Cassandra closed one eye as her forehead was sliced open and blood splattered everywhere. The bounty hunter tried to take advantage of the situation by pulling the chain from her hands, but Cassandra used the momentum to slug Frostbite directly in the eye.

"Fucking bitch!" Frostbite yelled as she staggered backwards. Cassandra seized the opportunity to clear the blood from her vision and make sure the cut had healed. Jordan flew over her head and brought his hands down in a cross. The bounty hunter managed to block one arm, but five shallow slashes were still carved into her stomach. Even in the middle of a fight, Cassandra couldn't help but admire the sight of Alexander using Damien's fighting style with Morgan's Devil Fruit. Granted, Morgan was nowhere near as flexible or fast as Damien, but the metal elemental did a passable job of mimicking the berserker's toughness and strength.

Frostbite then made the standard mistake of thinking the humanoid's head corresponded with its User's. The weight crashed right between the elemental's bump of a nose, but Frostbite didn't know that Morgan's Devil Fruit didn't need to match the size of its User. Jordan let the weight punch a hole clear through and reformed the metal head around the chain. Frostbite frowned in confusion and jerked the chain a few times, but it was stuck fast. The elemental's partially-formed lips twisted into a small smile as Jordan wound his arm into the chain to make sure Frostbite had no chance of retrieving it.

What he didn't expect was Frostbite dashing directly at him. Cassandra moved to intervene, but her pistol was knocked aside and the rest of her followed. "Dona Angeroniae!" She rolled onto her back and fired two accurate shots, but Frostbite merely spun around, using the free part of the chain to block the bullets. She completed her aerial spin with a powerful slash of her sickle that took the elemental's head right off. The follow-up cut removed the elemental's wrist and allowed her to pull the chain free. She finished by kicking off the elemental's chest and arcing through the air.

Just as Frostbite reached the peak of her jump, Cassandra's flying axe kick met her chin, accelerating her flip. Even in her disorientation, she managed to avoid the bullets going directly into her eyes. She screamed as they tore through her temple and ear, clapping her forearm to the side of her head. She swung the weight around haphazardly, and Cassandra had to press herself entirely to the ground to avoid it.

"Heads up!" Jordan leapt over her, his spiky fist drawn back. Frostbite spun the chain around her outstretched arms and used the impromptu net to catch the fist before it connected, her arms snapping shut like a trap. She wrapped her legs around the metal arm, but Jordan simply lifted her completely off the ground and slammed her back down hard enough to fracture the floor. His uppercut sent her tumbling down the corridor, and Cassandra smiled darkly.

"Ira Iunonia!" Bullets zipped around like angry hornets, ricocheting of the walls and ceiling. Frostbite managed to retreat around the corner, but not without sustaining a few injuries. Cassandra barely cut her attack short as she realized Jordan had forgotten something. "Damn it, Jay. Where are my fucking mags?"

"What?"

"Do you think I have unlimited ammo in these?" She tested the weight of her pistols as she estimated how many shots she had fired. She couldn't have more than a handful of bullets remaining between the two pistols. "You know the Susurri have special magazines."

"Yeah, well, you were the one who didn't want to leave with the Susurri because you didn't want to lose them."

Cassandra growled under her breath and holstered one of her handguns. "I wanted you to bring these and the bullets."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I'm not as perfect and brilliant as you are."

She swatted the back of his head. "You never change."

"I always do. Ready?"

With a nod, she took off down the hallway. Jordan easily overtook her, careening around the corner. Frostbite had made a strategic withdrawal, but she had considerately left a trail of blood for them to follow. Without even being told, Jordan slowed slightly to match Cassandra's pace. His armor would protect him from any traps or ambushes, and it didn't completely disable him when he was remaking a metal body part.

They slid to a stop as they entered an enormous room filled with all sorts of random items. It looked like a collection owned by an obsessive pirate fan. Everything from Jolly Rogers and countless weapons to monogrammed handkerchiefs and variegated seashells could be seen from the door. Cassandra found her eyes drawn to the hole in the floor still ringed by chunks of stone and ice. A glance around confirmed that Gambi had retrieved his Sea King skull and probably a few other items as well. An ornate spear she was fairly sure she recognized from Xiphos' ship was reclining among a few other spears, which meant she could use it as leverage against him.

As soon as she dealt with Frostbite.

"I know you're in here," she called out. She kept her pistol trained on where the bounty hunter was hiding. "I can smell your fear. It's okay to admit you bit off more than you can chew."

"You realize she's been holding her own, one on two, right?" Jordan whispered.

Cassandra ignored him, slowly circling the shelves. "If I had to guess, I'm one of the largest bounties you've run across. Plus, killing me is pretty damn hard. A lot of people have been trying all of my life, but they obviously haven't succeeded. Yet. No offense, but I don't think you're the one who's gonna do it."

"84 million's fine with me!"

"Saggita Diania!" A decorative urn by Frostbite's exploded into fragments. "You should have been satisfied with the others."

Jordan leaned in again. "Weren't you talking about saving ammo, Ms. Showman?"

It took a lot of restraint not to waste another bullet. "Here's the deal, Frostbite: you leave me and my crew alone, you get your father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and his father before him all off our tails. If you do, this will all be water under the bridge. If you don't, your options are you get out heavily or lethally wounded with us dead, or my Sister and I emerge entirely unscathed and alive and you die. Now, to me, that doesn't seem entirely in your favor. What do you say?"

She smiled as a scream of pure fury echoed throughout the room. "You heard her, Jay. Try not to smash too much. I'm a pirate, after all. I can't pass up all this loot."

"You're fucking dead!" Cassandra barely ducked in time, her tricorne flying across the room. She threw herself on the floor as she realized she had walked into a trap. With all the shelves and corners, Frostbite could use her chain sickle to come from almost any angle. She knew the room better than Cassandra did, and she was willing to fight to the death. "I saw your little crew! Do you know how easy it'd be to clean them up? There're only eight of you!"

"Good luck with that! You still have to deal with me!" She made a scooping gesture with her hand, and Jordan understood instantly. Shedding his metal armor, he wrapped the stone floor around himself and burrowed into it. All Cassandra had to do was stall for a little longer. "Do you think you're the first bounty hunters I've run into?"

"The Net doesn't count! Those small-timers couldn't catch anything in a plague ward!"

"I don't know about that. Damien and I were barely able to take care of the group we faced. Have you tried dealing with a man whose very skin is poison?"

"I don't let them get close to-" Her statement was proven incorrect as the ground swallowed her whole. Cassandra darted out from behind the shelf, only to have her eyes catch on a rack of rifles nearby. Jordan could probably keep Frostbite at bay for a moment. She hurried over to see what trophies the bounty hunters had claimed.

If she wasn't in the middle of a fight, she could have spent ages poring over the collection. There were firearms of all shapes and sizes, both new and old. She smiled as she picked up a large pistol she recognized instantly. She personally favored specialized, custom-made guns, but she couldn't deny that Burley & Armstrong made truly excellent firearms. The weapon in her hand wasn't empty, and the rest probably weren't either. While she couldn't refill her own ammunition, she certainly had no shortage of bullets. Granted, she could only use the most recently-acquired guns, but the varying thickness of the dust and ice coating everything made it easy enough to identify which ones were safe to use.

Jordan flipped around as he crashed into the ceiling, showering her with mortar and rock. Cassandra stepped around the corner, where Frostbite was climbing out of the tunnel Jordan had made. She froze as she saw Cassandra smiling evilly with a carbine in her hands. "Saggita Diania."

The bounty hunter instantly ducked back into the tunnel, the bullet exploding where her head had been a fraction of a second before. Cassandra glanced at the carbine. Frostbite shouldn't be fast enough to dodge the bullet entirely. The trigger was a bit stickier than she had anticipated. She tossed it aside as she ventured over to the hole. "This place is amazing. I feel right at home. You'll never guess what I found in here."

She pulled the pin on the grenade and threw it as hard as she could into the tunnel. She listened to it bounce a few times before walking back behind a few large, sturdy chests. She plugged her ears as it exploded, sending twin bursts of fire and debris into the air. There were still two heartbeats in the room besides hers, which was both comforting and irritating.

Her Sister extracted himself from the ceiling and landed gracelessly on the floor, covered from head to toe in ash. "Little warning would have been nice."

Cassandra ignored her, darting around the corner in time to avoid the weight that nevertheless showered her with bits of pottery. She pulled the pin off another grenade and lobbed it over the shelf. She wasn't entirely surprised to hear it knocked to the side, its detonation sending splinters and coins everywhere. The explosions and gunfire combined with Frostbite's mild scent made it hard to figure out the bounty hunter's position, but Cassandra knew approximately where the bounty hunter was. If she was going to succeed, she needed to get closer.

She threw out two more grenades without activating them. Sure enough, Frostbite picked them expertly out of the air. Even before the first grenade was struck away, Cassandra was using a nearby chest as a foothold to propel herself into the air. She kicked off one shelf and vaulted over another. As her hands left the shelf, she pulled off two other guns she had temporarily commandeered and aimed them directly at the slightly-cooked Frostbite. The bounty hunter's eyes widened as she stared down the barrels of twin submachine guns. She whirled her chain sickle about, but with the explosion and the bleeding slices on her stomach, she couldn't move as quickly as before.

"Iracundia Iunonia!"

"Permafrost!"

Bullets flew from her guns far faster than she could possibly fire with her two pistols alone. Frostbite's chain blocked most of the bullets, but most was not all. Despite her wounds, the bounty hunter didn't give up. She abandoned trying to block the shots and pushed forward, the two ends of her weapon in her hands. Cassandra saw the attack coming, but she couldn't do anything to stop it. She raised her hands and guns reflexively, but they didn't stop Frostbite. The sickle and weight smashed into her ears.

Her vision exploded in lights and darkness. She felt as if she were floating at the bottom of the ocean, and countless stars surrounded her. All sense of time and space disappeared. She knew she wasn't dead. She had seen these stars before. She had no doubt she would see them again. Besides, she would be standing before Mors and judged for her sins if she were dead. She smiled serenely as she saw the sole discernable constellation in her universe. The Sea Devil grinned back, teeth glittering with malice.

"Cici!" The voice came from far off. "Cici! Wake up! Come on, wake up! This isn't fucking funny any more! Wake up!"

She distantly heard a wet cough. "Whore's dead. You lose."

"You're not dead! You can't be! Don't do this to me! I can't lose you! Wake up!"

"It's no use."

"Wake up! You know you've been through worse! Think of everyone who needs you! Think of Lynlyn! She'll never forgive you if you don't come back! Just wake up!"

She blearily opened her eyes to see Jordan's tear-streaked face. Her head felt like Damien was fighting the fleet admiral inside it, and the rest of her body was numb. It took a moment, but she was eventually able to get her face to reflect the agony she was experiencing. Jordan, of course, only paid attention to her slow blink before wrapping her in the tightest hug Morgan could manage. While that did mean that a few bones sounded like they snapped, she didn't see that as more difficult for her Fruit to deal considering her near-fatal wounds.

All she could utter was a faint, "Ow."

"No…" She turned her head in short twitches, eventually looking at the woman lying at the far end of the room. Frostbite's eyes were not fully glazed by death, which puzzled Cassandra slightly. She was sure she had killed the bounty hunter outright. Then again, the bounty hunter was sure she had killed Cassandra. "Impossible…"

It was painstakingly slow trying to speak. She felt as if she were reaching down into a barrel and scrabbling for words just beyond her reach. "Why… Frost… alive?"

Jordan gave a weak laugh. "Not for long. You take priority, you crazy bitch." She rested her forehead on Cassandra's. "It really seemed like you were gone this time. Don't you ever do that again."

"How… long?" Her eyes crossed as fireworks exploded in her head.

"Dunno. A long time. Pretty sure I was slipping in bits of brain."

Cassandra cracked the smallest of smiles. "I'll live."

"What are you?" Frostbite asked, unable to move from her position on the floor. Cassandra realized that Jordan had shorn her arms off. When factoring that in with the bullet holes riddling her body, the bounty hunter was showing a mighty resilience in staying alive.

"She's not a zombie," Jordan said. "Gotta be more complete with your destruction."

"How did you even-"

"Planning is Cici's specialty. Your mistake was to take Didi. He's the one who can handle himself best, so she didn't go rushing off. She had time to scheme. You should have taken one of the others. If you give her time to strategize, you're fucked."

The pirate captain's smile grew as she regained a tiny degree of control of her body. "My pistol, Jay."

Jordan laughed. "Your theatrics are gonna get you killed for real one day."

"Not this day." She waveringly raised one of her Susurri and aimed it at Frostbite's head. "You should have… accepted my offer."

"Fucking monster-"

"Saggita Diania."

Frostbite's body shook as the bullet tore through her nose. It then fell limp as only a corpse could. Satisfied that her opponent had perished, Cassandra let her arm fall to her side and fell unconscious.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Flake's chest was heaving as he reclined on a branch. The tip of his sword was resting against the trunk above him, blood frozen on the blade. His left arm itched and ached as it always did during a tough fight. Years of discipline kept him from instinctively reaching for it, knowing the only way to get unpleasant feeling to stop was to succeed. He knew the smart thing to do was to summon one of his family members, but he'd be damned before he let any of his family interfere with his fight. It had been a while since he had such interesting prey. He drummed his fingers on the grip as he slowed his breathing down. If he was going to win, he would need a plan.

He took the opportunity to mentally triangulate his two adversaries. Cain was searching for him on the ground below, though Flake was pretty sure he wouldn't be found. The pirate was moving more slowly on account of the many slashes and stabs he had endured. His armor was thick and sturdy, and the chainmail and padding underneath only made it more difficult to wound him, but several of Flake's attacks had gotten through. The gleaming white was crusted with blood, and Flake didn't think any amount of smithing could satisfactorily restore the damaged plates.

Cain's companion was somewhat of a mystery. Since condensing his snow into crystalline ice around his person, he had abandoned Cain completely. He had spent his time slowly rising in the distance, though Flake wasn't sure what climbing a tree would do to help. Without any support, Cain had been unable to completely fend off Flake's attacks. He put up an admirable defense all things considered. This combined with his unyielding determination made Flake feel slightly bad about cutting him down before he could acquire a bounty himself.

Nevertheless, Flake did have a job to do. Cain was right; their goals were incompatible. Flake wanted Libera's bounty, and her two crewmembers would do anything to prevent that from happening. He had tried to sneak away through the trees, but even he wasn't entirely comfortable with maneuvering through the forest without disturbing the snow. Cain seemed to be adept at tracking even in a Rime blizzard, which was no mean feat. They had to fight.

All of a sudden, the other Black Glove Pirate stopped ascending and began moving forward. A gigantic crash shook the ground, shedding snow from many of the trees. Flake gripped the branch with his feet, trying to figure out what trick the pirate had pulled from his sleeves. Another crash was accompanied by the loud retorts from splintering trees. Cain had broken a few trees to use as weapons and to keep Flake from hiding, but nothing like what was happening now. He looked around the trunk of his tree to see what was going on and raised his bushy eyebrows in astonishment.

A clear humanoid the size of a giant was pushing its way through the forest. It moved through the trees as if they were merely stiff weeds, carving a path as it went. Its head slowly swiveled around as it searched for him. When it spotted Cain, it nodded and brought its arm back. Flake instantly knew what was coming and leapt from his tree just as the humanoid scythed clear through an entire swath of trees. The backswing finished the job, timber falling and bouncing on the ground.

Flake had seen giants on his island before. They were usually easy to draw to the Frozen Fields on account of their confidence in their size. Unfortunately, they tended to be right. Only his mother could deal with them, and the gap between her skills and his seemed impossible to close. Still, this pirate didn't have the speed that real warrior giants had. He landed on the quaking ground and held his sword in preparation to thrust.

"Fracture." He shot off into the air, aiming straight for the man suspended in the elemental's chest area. Cain made a lunge at him, but he was far too slow to intercept Flake. He drove his sword up to the hilt, but the tip stopped just short of the pirate's eyes. Six great cracks spread through the ice from the impact of his sword, and the entire elemental staggered back a few steps. Flake mildly surprised that he had not punched straight through the ice, and he was very surprised when the rifts began closing seamlessly.

He wrenched his sword free just as two gigantic hands crashed together, showering him with small splinters. He soon faced a much bigger problem as the User swung his arm and a cascade of large icicles bore down upon him. He ducked and wove, using his sword to deflect away the shards he couldn't dodge. The giant elemental swung its arm again, and Flake had to move even faster. When the pirate smashed his fists, the entire area was filled with flying ice.

Flake shook his head as he realized what was about to happen. He ignored the ice and whirled around, barely bringing his sword around to block the stripped down trunk that had been molded into a large morningstar. Instead of shearing through it, he found himself almost buried in the snow. The wood pressed against his skin, keeping him pinned against the ground.

"Not bad," he grunted, "but not good enough."

He swiveled around and let the mace hit the ground. His slash deeply scored the white armor, but almost no flesh. He had learned that Cain was actually left-handed, and his black gauntlet was only a distraction. This had made life very difficult, but Flake had managed. He planted a foot on the mace and kicked off, spinning around to block Cain's fist with the flat of his sword. The blade pressed against his chest, and he went sailing through the air.

The ice giant missed its swipe and lumbered after him. Flake got twisted about by the first few trees he crashed through, but he eventually righted himself and grabbed a treetop to come to a complete halt. As the gigantic elemental lumbered towards him, he reflected that he would need another strategy. His sword might not be able to penetrate the ice, but an arrow might. He sheathed his sword and continued to retreat. He needed a good tree to balance on if he was going to use his bow.

That said, he also needed space. Cain was approaching with large, swift leaps, and the elemental moved with the unstoppability of a glacier. He hopped off and grabbed a branch, causing the entire tree to bend over. He used the rebound and his own strength to fling himself high into the air. He unslung the bow and grasped it with his left toes. His fingers automatically sought an arrow from his quiver and pulled it back. "Deposition."

The arrow was buffeted slightly by the harsh winds, but it was hard to miss the pirate suspended in the ice. Instead of punching through his heart like Flake had intended, the arrow caught him in the arm. Flake noted with interest that although he had technically hit the elemental's chest, it too reacted as if it had been struck in the arm. While the elemental's movement slowed only slightly, what was important was the thick ice could be penetrated.

Just as he was about to fire again, Cain rose up like an avenging angel. a battlecry on his lips and a huge wooden axe in his hands. Flake was descending, but Cain saw his opportunity and took it. With a shout Flake couldn't quite make out, the enormous pirate heaved his axe in a blurry disk that threatened to cleave Flake in two. The bounty hunter knew that firing an arrow at the axe would only result in a shower of deadly pieces of wood hitting him. His only option was firing an arrow to the side and hope it pushed him out of the axe's path.

If he hadn't lost an arm previously, he would have lost it now. The whirling axe handle still clipped his side, knocking the wind out of him. He spun crazily about as he tried to regain his bearings. He kept himself collected enough to secure his bow before he crash landed. The trench he dug in the snow stopped as he smashed into a tree. The tree uprooted partially before the trunk gave way and he tumbled through it. The second trench was shallower, but any impression in the snow at all was disgraceful.

When he cleared his head and pulled out his sword, he felt something drop from his back. He checked the snow to find his quiver jarred free by the impact, bent and broken arrows scattering about. As the tree jolted the earth with its landing, he gnashed his teeth and shook the snow from his body. Cain was caught off guard as Flake bulled into him just before he leapt up again, barely bringing up his new wooden truncheon up to block Flake's sword. His already damaged chestplate got another deep dent that would never be hammered out. Flake could even feel the blade scraping against chainmail.

Despite how much force he used with his swing, Flake could do nothing against Cain's strength. The large man only fell back a step before shoving forward. Flake twisted about to minimize how far back he was thrown and skidded to a stop. His anger at having his arrows damaged motivated him further than before, but there was no reason to be more reckless. He kept track of where the other pirate was as he dipped and darted around Cain. The pirate had a broadsword in one hand and a swordbreaker in the other, and Flake was getting increasingly impressed and annoyed at the variety of weapons Cain could make.

The two fighters wrestled with interlocked swords for a time, and Flake barely kept his wrist from twisting off. He didn't often miss his left arm, but it had provided additional stability in similar situations. Cain's footing was remarkably sure as the shaking of the ground increased, and the bounty hunter couldn't disengage. He was fast, but Cain was young and he relentlessly pursued the older man. It wasn't long before Flake saw the gigantic icy foot burst through the trees and he knew his time had run out.

Still, he had known he would have to deal with them both sooner or later. He dashed between the elemental's legs, keeping in the air as much as possible to avoid contact with the quaking ground. He kicked off back and forth through the damaged trees until he was high enough to stab the elemental's back and hang there for a moment. He hooked one knee around his sword and used the few seconds he had gained to stab some of his more useless arrows into the ice. He quickly flipped around, braced his feet against the footholds he had created, and pulled his sword free.

He had a feeling that Cain would be more hesitant to attack if Flake were so close to the smaller pirate. He was right. Cain was staring up at him, moving rapidly to the side as the elemental continued to rotate. The two pirates evidently couldn't communicate, or the elemental would have stopped turning by now. Flake kept his sword pointed at Cain, promising a very painful counterattack if the armored pirate tried anything.

When Cain grew frustrated and circled to the front so he could try to talk with his crewmate, Flake began hacking away at the elemental's back. The ice kept growing back as he worked, but not fast enough to completely erase his efforts. The User didn't seem aware of Flake's actions, still turning this way and that in an attempt to find him. He didn't even descend to Cain's level so they could speak. He was moving about in the elemental's chest, but Flake knew he would reach the pirate soon.

Flake frowned as Cain retreated some distance and tried to deduce out the pirates' next attack. He couldn't sense any attack coming, but there was evidently some plan in effect. The User began following Cain, each step jolting Flake mightily and causing shards to shake loose around him. Cain abruptly turned around and shot into the air. Unworried, Flake continued to slice away, only vaguely keeping track of the pirate's trajectory. Cain struck the elemental's head, sending vibrations running through the entire ice humanoid. Flake's eyes widened as the elemental began to topple over backwards. That was why he hadn't seen it coming. It hadn't been an attack.

He tried to retreat back the way he had come, but the ice had already reformed over the entry hole. He didn't have enough room around him to swing his sword and definitely not enough room to use his bow. He gave a mighty sigh as he watched the ground rapidly approaching. Intentional or not, the tactic would undoubtedly be effective. He didn't even want to imagine what it would be like to be crushed beneath several tons of ice.

He was surprised when the impact didn't squash him completely flat. Evidently, the pocket he had created was as solid as the rest of the elemental. He still banged around in the tight space, splashing blood on the walls and completely losing all sense of up and down. His vision went hazy as he waited for the tremors to stop. Just when they seemed to fade away, everything turned over one more time. He could feel the ice creeping onto him as he tried to regain his bearings, but his limbs didn't want to move. His head was pounding, his body throbbed, and he grumbled to himself about age and fairness.

After a few loud crashes, a large, white gauntlet broke through the ice and seized the closest limb. It hurt like hell, but he favored being dragged out by the leg than being suffocated in the ice. He hung limply for a moment as Cain finished extracting him, simply staring at the pirate. "Well done, son. That was quite a fight you put up."

"And you." The enormous pirate adjusted Flake so his hands completely encompassed Flake's arm and torso before leaping some distance away. "What is your name?"

He saw no reason to lie. He had been beaten in a fair fight. "Flake. Where did you come from?"

"Winter Isle, West Blue."

"Ah." It all made sense now. "Color me unlucky. So what now?"

Cain stared at him for a moment. "Now, you take us back to your hideout and we arrange an exchange." The pirate took a step, paused, then eased himself against a tree. "In a moment."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Damien growled as he pushed himself up off the ground. His entire body ached. He had fought against all sorts of opponents and hoped to fight against far more, but he hadn't even imagined fighting someone like the old woman sitting nearby. Biggun had several meters and several tons of muscle on the wiry crone, but each of her strikes felt like a hundred of the larger pirate's. She was resting on her cane and breathing in measured breaths, seemingly unconcerned with the fight they had been having.

There were three things that irritated him the most about her. First, her skin was just as wrinkled, spotted, and injury-free as when she had first showed up. Second, she was only defending his attacks despite both of them knowing she was clearly capable of hurting him more than the bruises he had already sustained. Despite this, he couldn't bring out his full rage against her. He suspected this was because of the third reason: he knew he stood absolutely no chance of winning. Damien loved fighting and pushing his limits, but even he understood the limits to his abilities at any given time.

"No, you are still being stubborn. It's good that you've shown such talent so young, but you need to become aware of your will in its entirety. I know you can do it; you found me, after all. Tell me-"

Same thing as always. He seemed to hit her, it turned out he didn't, and he found himself on the ground with another bruise on his skin.

"-can you see how many people are scurrying about like little foxes and mice? Not just where they are, but exactly how many?"

Kick, miss, ringing ear.

"No? Well, I suppose it wouldn't-" He stopped his punch just short of the woman's face. She didn't bat an eyelash, only staring at his fist for a moment before looking up at him. "This is new."

Damien held his position for a moment, then straightened up and howled with laughter. "Yahahahar! Yer a fuckin' odd one, you know tha'! No' many keep loudmouthin' when there's a fun figh' t' be 'ad!"

What little remained of her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Why, that is a peculiar accent you have! West Blue, if I'm not mistaken, I can tell even through your speech impediment. You've traveled quite a ways-"

"No more'n threescore," he cut in, glaring into the impenetrable blizzard. "Bu' mos' of the lice couldn' fight their way from a paper fuckin' bag. Only an 'andful worth figh'in'."

"Yes, yes, we can quibble over who is worth what later. Can you be any more precise than less than sixty?"

"Fuck off. I ain' in th' mood t' fuckin' count pansies. I-" He leaned over to avoid the thrust he was sure had been coming, but the woman merely watched him with milky eyes. "Tricky fuckin' wench too."

"That's it, that's it, good, good. You aren't completely ignoring it. However, you can't pick and choose which aspects to focus on. If you are more interested in the combat side of things, I will show you, but only if you're willing to incorporate the awareness aspect as well."

"Y' ain' showin' me shit, flap slapper. Find some other asswipe t' bother."

He started walking off with no particular aim in mind. He had found his tough opponent. They had fought. It had been a good fight. He saw no need to continue. His thirst for blood was unslaked, but he had gotten his fight. At the moment, that was enough.

To nobody's surprise, the old crone was walking directly next to him, still using him as cover from the wind. "Let's start with a slightly easier exercise. Tell me how many beings both animal and human nearby you consider worth fighting."

"I'll fuckin' kill ya."

"Start counting."


	48. Anything Goes

Lyn slowly ran the brush through Miserie's hair, humming happily along with the mermaid's soft singing. It had been Captain's idea to try to help Miserie feel more comfortable while having any part of her looked at for an extended period of time. Given how nervous Miserie was about the inevitable doctor's appointment in the future, Lyn had figured to start off small and simple. She knew how amazing it felt to have one's hair brushed by someone else, and she was not going to deprive Miserie of that pleasure.

Besides, the mermaid's long, silver hair was absolutely stunning. It was practically a sin to keep that kind of hair to herself. Lyn almost never got to brush anybody else's hair, which was totally unfair. Captain's blue hair was amazing, and Raven must spend ages with her hair every day, but neither of them let her do anything. Captain had been getting better lately, but getting her to simply relax and let Lyn brush her hair had been like pulling teeth. She always yelled at the others for overworking themselves and completely ignored herself.

"Lyn?"

"Hmm?"

"Can Miserie ask Lyn a question?"

"Of course!" she said brightly. "Ask away!"

The mermaid hesitated before speaking. "How can Miserie be more like Lyn?"

Lyn gave a slight frown. "What do you mean?"

Miserie squirmed slightly. "Lyn is never afraid to talk to people. She doesn't care if people look at her. And it is not just the Black Glove Pirates. Miserie saw when Lyn left that she talked to people around her and looked really happy. How can Miserie be like that?"

"Why do you want to be like me? What's wrong with being you? You know that we don't care, right? I mean, Morgan's a jerk, Damien's not all there, and I'm still pretty sure Raven's a robot, but Captain likes them all! Plus, you're nicer than all of them and-"

"Miserie didn't mean that!" she shouted before pressing her hands to her face. "She just wants to be able to talk to people face-to-face, but she can't, and she does not know why. She doesn't like how she has to hide all the time because she knows she might get scared and angry and she'll sing. Miserie absolutely does not want that. If she does that…"

Lyn didn't even want to think about what might happen. "Have you told Captain about this?"

The mermaid unexpectedly whirled around and pinned Lyn to the bed. "No! Lyn can't tell her! She can't! Promise Miserie she will not tell Captain!"

It really was a shame that Miserie always hid away from people. She had the most beautiful dark gold eyes. Lyn giggled and leaned up to kiss the mermaid's forehead. "Of course I won't! I'll never tell anybody anything you won't want me to! What kind of friend to you take me for?"

Miserie leapt off like she had been burned and bounded behind the mast, but not fast enough to hide her astoundingly bright blush. "Miserie is so sorry! Miserie did not mean it like that! Please forgive her, she did not mean-"

"Just come here, silly! I'm not mad." The mermaid slowly came out and slunk back to the bed, her head bent forward so her hair covered her face. Lyn hoisted her back onto the rumpled covers, turned her around, and began brushing her hair again. "Why don't you want me to tell Captain?"

"Because Miserie does not want Captain to think she is useless," came the eventual response.

"Why on earth would she think you're useless? Have you seen Alexander? He just loafs about doing nothing."

"That is not true! He…" She put her hands to her face again. "Is this bestest friend privilege?"

"Mmhmm! So why do you think Captain would think you're useless?"

"Because… she only let Miserie join because Miserie can help stop Damien and she can swim really fast."

"That's right!" Lyn sighed as Miserie tensed up. "She let you join because she thought you might be handy like that. She let Morgan join because she thought it would be funny to have a prince serving her and Raven because Raven took advantage of a loophole in a promise Captain herself had made. And you know what? We're all nakama now. I usually don't understand Captain's reasons for doing what she does, but they mostly work out in the end. There's not always some deep meaning behind it."

"Shouldn't there be?" Miserie asked.

"Nope!" Lyn said cheerfully. "Why should there be? Everything doesn't have to make sense! Alexander once told me how he and Damien met. They only said one thing to each other, less than ten words between them, and now I'm pretty sure the world will end before you get them apart. Jay, Raven, and the other Moon Sisters all hated Captain, absolutely despised her, but you even say something bad about her now and they flip out. Forget that Captain let you join because she thought you were interesting. We have people for much dumber reasons, believe me. Don't worry that Captain will think you're useless. I promise you she won't."

"Miserie is not just afraid Captain will think she is useless, but that she thinks Miserie is dangerous too."

Lyn rolled her eyes. "Have you seen us? Believe me, being dangerous is something Captain likes in a crewmember. Don't worry about it! Maybe you just need practice."

"Practice?"

"Yeah. Like… you and I or you and Alexander have a conversation face-to-face. Really try to push yourself. Oh, this might be better outside, actually, since you can just swim away the moment you feel like singing. And yeah, this might be better if Cain and Damien weren't around, but when we're at an island, that's pretty often. What do you say? Does it seem like it would help, or should we try something else? I'm up for anything."

Miserie's head rocked from side to side as she pondered Lyn's proposal. "It makes sense to Miserie. She isn't sure it will work, but she thinks it is worth a try. But keep it a secret, please?"

"Of course, of course! You ever hear me talking about how-" Miserie glanced back in time to see Lyn draw her fingers theatrically across her sealed lips and swiftly turned away to giggle. "I'm the secret keeper! You can trust me with anything!"

Lyn laughed as she was once again swept up into a fierce hug. It wasn't so much that Miserie didn't know her own strength as she was a touch overenthusiastic. When Lyn was released, she carefully pulled the sheets around the mermaid's face until only her eyes peeked through. "Do you want to try a test version now?"

The mermaid scrunched up her eyes as if preparing to go cliff diving and dipped her head. "Okay."

"Now, you don't have to worry about me being sad or angry or whatever. I'm not exactly a violent angry person. If Captain comes back and you're singing, don't worry about it, okay? This was all me. I am not letting you get punished. She'll understand when I explain it to her. Don't worry about that at all. Just focus on you and me. Just relax. We're just two nakama having a chat."

"Miserie isn't sure about this…"

"That's totally fine! That's okay!" Lyn held her hands out reassuringly. "We don't have to do this now. This is all up to you. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do."

Miserie nodded a few times to herself and began to lower the sheets from her head. Lyn's brow creased slightly when she saw that the mermaid was shaking in a way that had nothing to do with the cold. "Wait, Miserie, you don't have to do this if you don't want-"

"SHE WANTS TO!" The scream made Lyn's heart skip a beat, and for a split-second, she felt all of the mermaid's anger, frustration, fear, shame… "She wants to," Miserie said in a voice barely above a whisper.

The best thing to do, in Lyn's opinion, was to act like the outburst had never happened. "Good! Take your time!"

Miserie breathed out heavily, but just as she was about to fully lower the sheets, a loud banging from the shelter door sent them jumping in the air. Lyn knew Captain wouldn't knock that loudly, so it was probably some troublemaker trying to ruin her day. "Get ready to grab us and get outta here," she said before leaving her body.

As she went through the main deck, she saw Alexander had already emerged from the galley and was making a beeline for the hatch down to her and Miserie. She glided outside to see who exactly was causing such a racket, only to find Jordan and Morgan standing outside carrying a huge sack between them. She immediately returned to her body to find herself slumped over on Miserie's shoulders. She quickly grabbed her crutches and hobbled up the stairs, barely remembering to smack the trap release switch before opening the door.

"What the hell?" she demanded. "Where are the others?"

"Calm down," Jordan said, pushing his way inside. "Look, just don't freak out, okay?"

"Freak out about what?"

As Morgan closed the door behind them and shed his rock armor, Jordan carefully opened the sack. He gently peeled aside the cloth at the top to reveal Captain sleeping in a curled-up ball. Lyn's arm shot out, but Jordan grabbed her wrist first. "Hey, seriously. She's all right, see? She's just tired. We had to keep her warm."

Lyn watched anxiously as Morgan extracted the sleeping pirate. She hated herself for doing it, but she still checked to make sure none of Captain's injuries were caused by claw marks or burns. She sat on a nearby chair and snatched Captain away to do a more thorough check. She knew she was being stupid and that Captain was going to be fine, but that wasn't the same as really _knowing_. "What happened? Why's her hair twice as long?"

"We got into a scuffle, Cici got the worst of it, we got some loot, and we left. Caicai and Didi stayed behind because they wanted to-"

"Lemme get this straight," Lyn cut in. "The four of you set out to get Damien back. Captain's now out for the rest of the day, and you lost Cain too? What the hell, guys?"

"They are not being held against their will," Morgan informed her. "Captain killed one of them, but Jordan managed to get her body and Captain out in time. When the crone returned, all she wanted was voluntary time with Cain and Damien. Seeing as how Damien was willing to stay with them once more and Cain seemed interested, we were not exactly in a position to refuse."

"Wait, why did she let you go?"

Morgan shrugged. "She said she was retired and only interested in amusing herself."

"We know people like that. What about the other captains? What happened to them?"

"Dunno. Moustache bailed before I got there, and I didn't exactly stick around when Cici fell asleep. I grabbed as much loot as I could and scarpered, and Momo caught up after somehow getting his neck out of a bind."

"From what I can gather, Gambi abandoned Captain and Xiphos. He too pilfered quite a lot and disappeared. I presume they made it back to their ship, but we were not going to confront him before returning Captain to safety."

Lyn nodded. "Alexander, do you know if the bombs went off?"

The alchemist looked up from Morgan's injured arm. "Not too long ago. Their captain probably got back, and they wanted to cripple us so we couldn't chase them."

"I'm sorry," Morgan interjected, "bombs? What are you talking about?"

"Miserie saw the small captain's pirates put bombs on our rudder," the mermaid said from the medbay stairwell. "So she took the bombs off and put them on his rudder instead. Now he will not be able to escape."

"What about the other captain, Xiphos?" Lyn asked.

"We haven't seen him yet." Morgan pressed his mouth in a tight line as Alexander dabbed at one of the gashes in his arm. "However, our tenuous alliance still holds. Gambi is the one that needs to be dealt with sooner rather than later. If Jordan had not arrived much earlier than anticipated with full Marine garb, the situation would have been significantly more difficult with Gambi's departure."

Jordan gave a dry laugh. "Everyone held cards back, and we all got pretty fucked for it. Cici's gonna be just fine, but I'm gonna head over and explain that while she loves it when people try to betray her, Cici doesn't actually like those people getting away unpunished. Isn't that right, Niney?"

"What is it with pirates and assassins?" he snapped. "Do none of you have a shred of honor in your bones? Before you say anything, Alexander, you were the ones who turned against the man who hired you on Reichmann Island, regardless of who that man turned out to be, and I have already reflected upon my actions on Brickwork."

"You want honor?" Jordan scoffed. "Join the Hoplite Pirates. Dude's all about honor and glory." He pressed his fingers to Captain's forehead and shrugged as he changed his body to a more feminine form. "Mimi, if you could do me a favor and fish me out if I get wrecked, that'd be much appreciated."

"Jay, wait. I'm going over there." Lyn held up her hand as everyone began talking at once. "I'm the captain right now, and I say we don't do this the smashing way. Besides, Queen wouldn't want that anyway."

"She always spoke about retaliation," Morgan reminded her.

"No, she always wanted them to know what happens when you mess with the Black Glove Pirates. I'm gonna go over there and explain a few things."

"Lyn, that is a terrible idea," he said instantly. "It is foolhardy and unsafe, and she'll murder all of us if something goes wrong."

The acting captain smiled. "Yup! Don't worry about it though! I have an idea! Also, Alexander, could you get rid of this stupid thing? I'm not about to limp over there and yell at them."

He delayed speaking until after he had finished knotting the stitch. "There. And absolutely not. You still have five more days left before Raven's allowed removal date. Yes, she said she might allow it off sooner if she returned, but she hasn't so I will stand by her instructions."

"Alexander, take this off."

"No."

She looked him square in the eyes. "Fine. Morgan, wrap this off. That's an order, and I outrank Alexander so ignore him!" She finished her sentence at a shout to override the second mate's protests.

"Really, Lyn, now you're just being rash! I know it doesn't hurt but-"

"Morgan…"

The prince gave the tiniest smile as he pulled the cast off her leg, fibers creeping up his arm before disappearing. Lyn flexed and shook her leg out, savoring the freedom she now felt. Her leg smelled and itched, but it still felt so much better than with that cast on. She tentatively got to her feet and took a few steps before grinning widely at Alexander. "See? No problem!"

"You are going to get yourself seriously injured by nobody's fault but your own," he said hotly.

"Like that's better than some random crazy person stabbing me in the street. Stop being so bossy! Do you yell at Damien every time he goes off half-healed?"

"Yes, and so do you!"

"Oh yeah. Well, I'm the captain right now, so you can't tell me what to do!" She laughed at his baffled expression. "Just deal with it, Alexander. I'm gonna put her to bed, then Jay, Miserie, and I will head over to Gambi's ship. All we're going to do is talk. If things start to get out of hand, Miserie can sing or just get us out of there. If they don't attack us, we'll leave it up to Queen to figure out what to do."

"And if they do?"

"That's why I'm taking Jay and Miserie."

"Why must you do this now? Captain will be awake in the next day or so, and Gambi isn't going anywhere."

"C'mon, Alexander, where's your crew spirit? He can't just break the rules and get away with it."

"I'm not saying he has to, but why do you, Lyn, have to rush off right this second?"

"Do you think Captain would have waited?"

"No, because she's Captain. You're Lyn."

"Yeah, and look what happened to her!" Lyn clutched the captain protectively against her chest. "She wouldn't let this go, and I won't either. The difference between us is that I'm not going to beat them up if they look at me funny."

"Then what are you going to do?" he asked heatedly. "I know you like to wing it, but just going over to say 'you shouldn't have done that' doesn't make any sense."

She thought for a moment, then gave a big smile. "I know what I'm gonna tell them! Don't worry!"

"That only makes me worry more," he grumbled. "Fine, since you've obviously made up your mind and don't look to be changing it, would you mind cluing us in?"

Lyn beamed.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Sebastian Gambi's hand axe clipped his first mate's ear, but the woman didn't so much as bat an eyelash. Sonia rubbed her ear as if she had merely been swatted, idly checking her fingers for blood. "Ex-plain to me exactly how the fuck this ha-ppened!"

"We don't know, Sebastian. Scuba team didn't come back, but we didn't want to do anything without your approval. Clashing with crews like theirs isn't something to be done lightly."

The captain grudgingly acknowledged the logic behind her decision. "Well, I'm back, and evi-dently at least one of them is on-to us. We're stuck here with a bus-ted rudder and lots of people who probably want revenge."

"Can't be so bad," Auger chimed in, still slowly spinning on her chair. "I still think I could go sink them."

"Too risky. Even with Cassan-dra and Xiphos gone, their crews are on alert. If they somehow intercep-ted and repositioned our bombs, then they're ob-viously being cautious. You saw the meatheads on Xi-phos' crew. Bara'd fit right in, ex-cept he has more brains than the lot of them put to-gether."

The bosun didn't look up from his embroidery. "Cheers, Sebby. I'm with Auger."

"I'm not," Sonia said flatly. "Sebastian's right. We clearly don't know enough about them to make any sudden moves. Xiphos is a runaway general with a small army at his back, and Libera is either a lot stronger than she says she is or exceptionally good at pissing off the right people."

"Both, I sus-pect. It could be that her crew's actions have all become her res-ponsibility, with the exception of her naviga-tor's. And Xiphos is not to be underes-timated. Had the battleground not been tilted so heavily against him, we might not even have been cap-tured. Between the four of us, we should be able to take him and his first mate on, but with _Little Melon_ cri-ppled, the likelihood that we will have to meet them on their terms is quite high."

"Perhaps we could strike a deal?" Auger proposed.

Sonia shook her head. "Wouldn't work. The Hoplites are all about glory and honor. They'll want to know why Sebastian's back and Xiphos isn't. We might be able to trick Libera's bunch into thinking she wanted us to go ahead and that she'll catch up, but that'll only last for so long."

"Captain!" A crewmember burst inside, quickly slamming the door behind him. "Some woman's here to see you! She says she's first mate of the Black Glove Pirates!"

Sebastian gave a slight frown. There was no way she would have learned about Libera so quickly. "Give us a moment, then let her in."

"What are you doing?" Sonia spat angrily. "She'll know you're here and Libera's not."

"Libera didn't include the first mate in her list of physical assets. It should be easy to take her hostage if necessary."

Delshad peeled himself from the shadows and departed without a word, undoubtedly arming himself in preparation for any fighting. The cook moved like a wraith, which made him invaluable in situations like this. Sebastian seated himself behind his desk and steepled his fingers. When his crewmember returned amid the freezing wind, the person in his wake caused Sebastian's frown to deepen. The rival first mate pulled her hood off to reveal an eerily pale face and bright blue eyes. She gave a wide smile as she waved at everyone. "Hi! I'm Lyn! Nice to meet you!"

He studied her carefully, trying to figure out that magnetic quality Libera had mentioned. "Se-bastian Gambi, at your service. Please, sit down. How may I be as assis-tance?"

"How's Captain doing? Is she on her way? Xiphos is back too, but our second mate is talking to him."

He looked over to Sonia, who shrugged slightly. The men monitoring Xiphos' ship hadn't reported back with such news, but their most recent check-in meant they were still alive, at least. "Cassan-dra said she had to spend time convincing Damien to re-turn and that we should go on without her."

"Well, that is Damien," she said happily. "He's pretty stubborn. Still, didn't she say anything about telling us?"

"She did. I only just returned. I needed to se-ttle things with my own crew. I'm sure you unders-tand."

"Yeah, definitely! We've just been really worried about her. We don't like her being on her own, especially against Damien."

"She told me to tell you that you just have to trust her," Sebastian said. "She has a plan to bring him back safe and sound."

"It's not him I'm worried about. Oh well! Thanks for telling me!" She looked down at her hand and slowly mouthed something. "Right! What was the secret code?"

Sebastian didn't bat an eyelash. "Se-cret code?"

"Mmhmm! Captain said that if she was going to be late, she'd tell you and Xiphos the secret code!"

At first, he considered this a trap for him to admit he had abandoned her. Then he remembered how meticulous Libera had been with her plan to assault the bounty hunters. It was entirely feasible for her to have created some safety measure for her crew. "Regre-ttably, she didn't have time to tell us the code. We left in a migh-ty hurry. We had to deal with the bounty hun-ters while she dealt with your crewmember."

"Wait, so she told you that I'd have to trust you without telling you the secret code? I don't get it. She wouldn't do that."

_Damn_. He pushed his chair back as he stood up. Lyn glanced about when she heard various weapons being drawn. Sebastian rested his knuckles on his desk and glowered at her. "It's true; she wouldn't. She's probably stuck back in her cell and wishing she had been just a little bit smarter."

"Hm. Why didn't you help her?"

"And why should I have done that?"

"You were working together."

"Were. No longer. After we were captured, our a-lliance was pointless."

Lyn nodded understandingly. "I can see that. But did you know she doesn't like being betrayed like that? You shouldn't have done it. Anyway, that's the reason I'm here: to get you to say sorry."

"Ex-cuse me?"

"Are you being serious?" Sonia asked. "An apology?"

The strange pirate smiled. "Yup! That's all I want!"

"O-kay…" Sebastian said slowly. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" she prompted.

"For breaking our alliance, I su-ppose."

"Cool! Thanks!" She spun on her heel, only to find that Bara was blocking the door. "Sorry, could you step aside?"

The large man stared down at her. "Exactly why did you think you were permitted to leave?"

"Oh," she half-turned back to show Sebastian her mischievous smile, "that was a mistake."

Four thick columns of ice punched through the ceiling, jolting _Little Melon_ mightily. They dragged backwards, allowing frigid air to pour into the room. They all scrambled to keep their bearings as the ship began to tilt backwards. Sebastian took cover behind his desk, loose papers and clothes flying everywhere. He peeked over the edge to see Lyn with one hand on the door handle and the other pulling up her hood. The ship abruptly began tilting forwards again, though he could feel the stern rising up to become level with the bow instead of the other way around. He chanced a peek outside to find his windows completely obscured by more ice.

"What the devil did you do?" he yelled above the groaning of the ship and shrieking of the wind.

The four columns retracted from the ceiling, but the Gambi Pirates were complete unprepared for when the roof was completely shorn off. They all shielded themselves from the spray of splinters and looked back to see a colossal icy figure towering over them. They tumbled to the side as its hand returned to firmly grasp the side of his ship. Sebastian buried an axe into the floor to stabilize himself and glared at Lyn. "The fuck did you do?"

She looked at her hand again, then back at him. "Oh, I said this in the wrong order. I think now I was supposed to ask you about the apology-"

"Sebastian! Look!"

He followed Auger's finger up to see the cracks continually forming and reforming in the ice. Clearly the strain of grasping the ship was too much for it, but it seemed to be repairing itself. "Find out what's going on and bring it down!"

"Look, I don't wanna tell you your business," Lyn cut in, "but I think you should look over the edge first."

He warily backed up to the remains of his windows and chanced a look behind him. He pressed his lips together as he saw how far he was above the water. He turned back to Lyn, only to have his attention drawn by something he hadn't seen the first time. Another humanoid shape in front of _Little Melon_ could be discerned in the snow storm. He peeked through the windows again to confirm that they were moving forwards, albeit slowly. "If you don't put us down-"

"You'll kill me?" she chirped. "You can try. I don't think it'd work, and you'll just have your ship smashed."

"Then we'll glad-ly take yours," he grated out through clenched teeth.

"You can try that too! How many people do you have that can take on ice giants?" She leaned in. "How many of you will survive the explosions from the rest of your bombs?"

His eyes widened. "It was you!"

"Well, not me personally, but one of us found your little surprise. Oh, and since Xiphos didn't ditch us like some people I could care to mention, his ship is just fine. Well, that and we kinda did enough by knocking off their main mast, but that's not the point! We've got an explosives genius who figured out how to switch the detonation thingy to one she created. She hasn't set them off yet, but how many of your crew will evacuate before they do?"

"You're bluffing."

She cocked her head to the side and grinned widely. "Then do whatever you want! That's what Captain always says. Come, take us on! It'll be two on one. I'm sure Xiphos'll be thrilled to hear aaaaaaaall about how you tried to cripple his ship. More than it already was, I mean."

Sebastian's glare intensified. He knew he shouldn't have gotten involved with them. Schemers couldn't be trusted. He knew that best of all. That was why it was either enjoyable or vexing to meet another schemer. However, he still had one card left to play. It was low even for him, but he was rather out of options. "I think you'll find that it would be two on two. A cer-tain group of people have shown interest in the elimination of Cap-tain Libera." He knew he had scored when he saw her face somehow whiten even more. "Oh yes, they seemed most focused on the i-dea. That is why I evacuated so qui-ckly. They said one of their own might be fighting against them and taking on all manner of disguises. My safety was not guaran-teed had I stayed lon-ger."

When she finally spoke, her voice was full of fury. "You did _what?_"

"I did what was best for me. Isn't that what you did as well? It would appear that we are at an im-passe."

"There's no impasse!" she shouted. "You've crossed the line!"

"This is the Grand Line! Anything goes!"

His ship was suddenly flying through the air, sending everyone scrabbling to maintain their footing. Sebastian swung at Lyn, only to miss as the wall behind him burst inwards. For a split second, all he could see was the face of a terrible, horrifying demon. Something firm and unyielding struck him in the side, and he was sent sailing from the ship. He was stunned as he bounced off the ice humanoid and would have likely been severely injured had Sonia not caught him before he hit the ground. He rubbed his head as she set him on his feet, but the pain and dizziness were swiftly ignored as he saw his beloved ship crash heavily into the ground. She slid for quite some distance, gouging a deep scar in the snow and earth. The sound of wood snapping and breaking could be heard even amidst the blizzard, and his fists tightened with rage.

"You bas-tards!" he screamed. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!"

"Sebastian!" Sonia grabbed him roughly by the collar and pulled him backwards in time to avoid being crushed by an enormous foot. Their strategic retreat was cut off as the elemental bent over and slammed its hand in their path. The other hand was lowered to the ground, Lyn's form more or less visible through the thick fingers.

"You made a really bad decision," she said angrily. "All I wanted was an apology! I wasn't gonna hurt you or your crew or your ship! You're an idiot!"

He threw his hand axe, but it barely penetrated the ice. "You bitch! I'll have your head for this! Fuck you!"

"Fuck _you_!" He was taken aback by the rage in her shout. "You just made everything worse! I can't believe you teamed up with them! Morgan, tell Jordan we're leaving!" She turned her glare back to him. "If you ever come near us again, you'll be sorry!"

"You're the dead ones!" he yelled as she was lifted back into the air. "You're fu-cking dead!"

"Sebastian!" Sonia said loudly, her hand clamped firmly on his shoulder. "I understand your feelings, but we have to check on the others first."

He shook her hand off and grated his teeth, but he knew she was right. As he watched the other ice giant pass by on the way back to Libera's ship, the fire in his gut raged even more. They had gotten the drop on him this time, but he would get his revenge. "Sort out the wounded from those a-ble to fight."

"Seb-"

"We're not moving yet," he snapped. "I just want to know how strong we are. Get Delshad to find those fu-cking cowards who said they'd back us up and get them here. This isn't over. Not by a long shot."


	49. The Cost of Appearances

"Miserie still does not understand."

"Okay, let me back up. My family specializes in disguises, right?"

"Yes."

"So being able to look like someone completely different is good."

"Yes."

"So if you're a man and can quickly change to look like a woman, but you still walk, talk, and think like a man, that disguise isn't as effective."

"Yes."

Cassandra sleepily rubbed her head as she sat up. She checked the length of her hair, mildly annoyed at how long it had grown. She didn't think she had taken that much damage from Frostbite. Sure, she had her head bashed in, and the bounty hunter had been tougher than she had any right to be, but that still didn't mean it had been that taxing.

"Now I'm not saying that men can't act like anything other than men, women other than women, et cetera. I can assure you that is not definitely true. You should see what my family can do. However, I'm lucky enough to be genderfluid, born into the Changeling Assassins, and have the desire to be a Changeling Assassin. I have all the natural advantages I can get. Coincidences like that don't pop up often. That means it's a lot easier for me than most people, right?"

"Okay…"

"So I'm basically really awesome, right? I mean, I'm the perfect assassin for my family."

"That makes sense to Miserie."

Cassandra looked down to see Lyn resting with her head near Cassandra's side. The first mate was snoring softly, which meant she hadn't simply left her body, and was still fully clothed. Cassandra smiled and rested her hand on the sleeping woman's head. Everything had worked out all right in the end.

"Now, for some reason, there are a lot of people who don't want me to become head of the family, even though I'm obviously the best choice."

"Why not?"

The captain returned to reality, knowing it was her duty to prevent her Sister from twisting the facts for the impressionable mermaid. She briefly pressed her forehead to Lyn's, then wormed her way out of her bed as carefully as she could so as not to disturb the sleeping woman. Lyn must have been truly exhausted to pass out like this.

"Well, obviously some of them are jealous of how I have all of those advantages. They think I didn't work my ass off to become heir and just had it basically given to me. Most of them are pissed that I won't backstab the Moon Sisters.

"And of course," Cassandra interjected, resting her elbows on the railing, "it might be because he's immature, lazy, arrogant, and totally useless when it comes to actually doing work instead of goofing off."

Jordan shot her a good-humored glare. "Hey now, don't be butting in on my explanation."

"Captain's awake!" Miserie exclaimed, peeking around the mast. "Her hair is longer!"

"Yeah, that'll happen if I've overworked my Devil Fruit." A thunderous rumble echoed through the cabin, causing Jordan to fall to the deck in laughter. Cassandra's face didn't change in the slightest. "That'll happen too."

"Oh! Miserie didn't believe Morgan when he said Captain was going to eat everything he had made. She thought that Damien and Cain were coming back now."

"Nope, that's all for me." She hopped the railing to the galley and slammed the door open. "Smells good!"

"Good morning to you, Captain," he said with a smile. "While not unexpected, it is good to see you fully recovered."

Cassandra paused, then edged back out to the main deck. "This is our Morgan Zematsal, right?" she murmured out of the corner of her mouth.

"Fruit and all," Jordan assured her. "He's been walking on sunshine ever since our talk with that twat Gamgam. Not sure why." The pirate captain stood stock still, hunger momentarily forgotten. "Oh, don't get your panties in a twist. Lynlyn was amazing, and of course she didn't go alone. Momo and I were the muscle, and Mimi was watching her. If anything, we were worried about you being all alone with Alal. My family teamed up with Gamgam, so we thought they might try something, but we bet they didn't know you were back yet."

"Lyn got Gambi to apologize!" Miserie provided. "Then Gambi said something that made Lyn angry. Miserie told Morgan, and he and Jordan lifted the ship. Then Gambi and Lyn got really, really angry. So Miserie told Morgan, and he and Jordan threw the ship. Miserie went in and stopped Gambi from hurting Lyn!"

"What about you? Are you hurt?"

The mermaid shook her head. "Miserie is fine. Morgan caught her before she fell."

Cassandra grunted, staring through the wall at where Gambi's ship had been docked. "Well, I suppose you're all okay. I'm not surprised you all went after him; I would have were I in your position. Where are Damien and Cain at this hour?" Everyone suddenly endeavored to find something else to look at. Her voice turned hard and flat. "Where are they?"

"Momo, over to you!" Jordan said lightly in an attempt to quell her growing anger.

He exited the galley with a platter laden with food. "I recommend eating. It should reduce your irritability. Don't give me that look, Captain, I mean no offense. You just woke up from regenerating most of your head, and anything at all regarding that hellion can be taxing regardless of timing."

Her glare lingered on him for a while, then she grudgingly kicked a chair back from the table on the deck and seated herself. Morgan watched her carefully as she snatched up her cutlery. "Cain and I managed to subdue our opponent, and he directed us back to their base of operations. By that point, Jordan had taken you and... Frostbite, was it? Frostbite's body. He had also helped himself to a not insignificant amount of the assorted items of the room in which you fought. The rest of us had no knowledge of this, which enabled our negotiations."

"Negotiations."

"It seemed that the retired matriarch and Damien had come to some sort of understanding. So-"

She paused with her fork halfway up to her mouth. "Damien."

"Yes."

"Damien, the Untamed Infernal."

"Captain, please."

"Big guy, lots of scars and dreadlocks, often on fire? Are you sure-"

"Take my word for it that it was the man we know and some of you irrationally love," Morgan said testily. "Returning to the point, the two of them as well as Cain and the man he and I fought began discussing something about magical colors. It seemed to me that my presence was no longer required. Cain would undoubtedly be able to escape, should it be necessary. He is a Winter Isle bandit, after all. Regardless, he said that they should be back sometime today."

"That so?" She chewed leisurely as she thought about it. The situation wasn't nearly as bad as before. Now that Damien had no reason to avoid fighting, he should no longer be captured so easily. Additionally, if Cain had managed to subdue one of the bounty hunters with Morgan's aid, she could only imagine the havoc he and Damien would wreak if the latter were detained once more. Something niggled at the back of her mind, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. As much as it irritated her not to immediately pinpoint the source, she did enjoy untangling puzzles.

"Good, now that that's over with," Jordan blurted out, "what are we gonna do about my family?"

"Hmm? Oh, them. I have no idea."

Everyone present stared at her in surprise. "You have no idea?" Morgan repeated incredulously. "You?"

"I know, I don't have all the answers." She grinned widely. "Shocking, right?"

Jordan just looked confused. "How can you have no ideas?"

"You know the answer as well as I do. What the hell am I supposed to do against them? If they don't want to be found, there's no way we'll be able to find them. That's the entire point of the Changeling Assassins. Then again, they can't do anything against us. That's what it is to be an assassin, after all. We can't just go knocking people off willy-nilly. It has to be a job." She didn't miss how Morgan's knuckles whitened slightly. "They obviously haven't been tasked with killing any of us or they would have done so by now."

"See, that's why I think they're working with Gamgam. He doesn't have anything against us. Well, he didn't before. They probably just offered him money or something if he cooperated."

"And why would he accept the help of some random shape-shifting vagabond who appears at his step one day?" Morgan asked.

"Sometimes it takes less than a quarter billion to incentivize people," she said as if thinking aloud to herself.

His jaw clenched. "When will you all stop reminding me of my past mistakes?"

"When the reason you're sorry isn't because you failed," she told him. "Now, Jay, what you're saying is you think we should go after Gambi? Didn't you do enough to him already?"

"No, that was for breaking your alliance and because Lynlyn was in danger. If we go after him, though, we might be able to flush my family out for a moment. I'm not saying we'll be able to get the real masterminds behind this, but it might make it easier until the Log Pose sets."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "If you think we're waiting here for nearly four months, you're completely mistaken."

"Four months? I thought it was four days. What're you gonna do then?"

"Haven't figured that part out yet. I-"

The pirate captain was moving the instant the first few bullets punched through the wall. Most of the shots were way too high, but some still came dangerously close to them. Adrenaline flooding through her body, she pulled Miserie around the mast and shoved Morgan into the galley. Jordan's reaction was only a fraction of a second behind hers, helping by shielding the large mermaid until she was completely behind the mast. The two assassins ducked and rolled apart, taking shelter behind the stairwells at either end of the deck.

Cassandra was already breathing hard, having barely eaten anything to recover her energy. She was mildly surprised when Morgan crouched by her side, a breakfast roll in one hand. "Most fortunate that you had awoken, Captain."

There was a lull in the gunfire, allowing Cassandra to take stock of the situation. Jordan had already shrugged off her wounds, and Miserie was only covered in sauce. She had a hunch Gambi was attacking, as there hadn't been the faintest whiff of gunpowder aboard Xiphos' ship, which meant they were heavily outnumbered. She gritted her teeth as she realized the only solution given the time restraints. "Get Xiphos here now! Go! Miserie, sing!"

"Come," Morgan said as he wrapped himself in stone armor, "make sure there are no more bombs."

"No more _what_?" Cassandra shouted as the two pirates leapt up to the door near the roof.

"They had a few adventures when we were gone!" Jordan yelled back.

Lyn landed lightly beside her, eyes still half-filled with sleep. "Wha's going on?"

Cassandra saw that the first mate had gotten her guns, but she wasn't the optimal person to wield them at the moment. She flung the pistols across the deck, and Jordan deftly snatched them up. "How many?"

The novice collapsed onto her captain for a moment. "Like twenty of them with guns, lots more nearby."

"Nothing quite like being outnumbered!" Jordan said cheerfully.

"Stay calm," Cassandra reminded her. "That's all you'll be in a moment."

Sure enough, a soft song permeated the air. Cassandra felt her body calming down, heard Lyn breathe easier, saw Jordan's muscles slacken. The impersonator's smile faded, replaced by a look that caused Lyn's fingers to tighten slightly on Cassandra's arm. The pirate captain nodded approvingly. Jordan was no doubt a scamp and a lecher, someone who couldn't be trusted at all, but she was, above all else, an assassin.

Jordan stood up, rolling her shoulders and cracking her neck. She walked over to the the door, eyeing it contemplatively. "What's that prayer you say, Cici? Oh, that's right. Voluntas Carnae."

She kicked the door open with enough force to send it completely off its hinges. She hopped up and used the claw that swung down to propel herself into the group of enemies. Gunfire immediately erupted, but Cassandra knew the sounds of her own pistols. She hated how empty she felt, but there was no way around it. She had overexerted herself, and now she was paying the price. She had slept off most of the exhaustion, but she needed sustenance to replenish her energy and time to digest it. As much as she knew she had crewmembers she could depend on, she had always counted herself as one of the main combat assets. Not being able to contribute…

"Lyn, do me a favor and stick anyone who comes in." She ran up the stairs and into her room. She quickly located her ring and slipped it on before replacing her glove. "No matter what happens," she said as she ran back past Lyn, "don't overreact."

She descended into the medical bay, not knowing how much time she had left. Her fingers curled around a scalpel, and she took a few quick breaths. Scrunching her eyes shut, she put it in her mouth and neatly sliced open her cheek. Fighting through the pain, she stabbed through her arm and into her side. Her breath caught and she staggered against the counter, but she had to keep it together. She pulled off her ring for a second to give her wounds a day's worth of healing before putting it back on. After wiping away the worst of the blood, she rifled through the cabinets to find the bandages. It took a while to singlehandedly wrap them around her face, arm, and side, but she managed.

Grabbing one of Lyn's spare crutches, she limped up the stairs and gave a warning wave. Lyn was surprisingly quick on the uptake, running swiftly over to her captain and helping her to a chair. "You're an idiot, Captain."

For once, Cassandra couldn't disagree. She hated that the most she could do was sit still and be injured, but staying frustrated was completely impossible. It was like trying to hold fire with a net. She was even more sure that Damien wouldn't stand a chance. Now all she had to do was wait. When Lyn went to get a jacket for herself and her captain to combat the cold air pouring into the shelter, Alexander finally poked his head out of the men's quarters.

"Captain! Why are you-" He cut himself off as he took in her injuries. "Oh. Can't Xiphos and Gambi come back some other time? Those with second watch need sleep, you know."

All she could do was roll her eyes. The musician had his trumpet with him, but he merely went to the galley to get some food. The fighting was petering out, but it had by no means fully stopped. It would be unusual for Gambi's crew to be entirely free with their emotions. Four shapes abruptly crashed through the wall, six more streaming in through the doorway. Cassandra frowned as she found herself starting at a pair of Damiens, Lyns, Alexanders, Morgans, and two copies of herself. She was the only one who could act. It took every bit of energy she had left to fight through the song long enough to shout, "Miserie, to me!"

The Changelings leapt at the pirates present. Lyn allowed herself to be forced to her knees and her hands twisted behind her back, and Alexander only resisted for a moment. Cassandra had a gun at each temple, and she was very careful not to budge at all. Even when a rock-encased Morgan landed heavily on the deck via Miserie's door, all he did was stare at the two Damiens and Cassandras suddenly in front of him. "Xiphos is on his way, Captain."

"Any mention of when?" Alexander asked.

"On his way."

"Fantastic." The musician looked around. "Obviously a few kinks to work out with the whole singing thing."

"Isn't that what Raven's for?" Lyn asked.

"It's still important to be able to change the song to adapt to the situation," Morgan said. "As the situation seems to have changed for the worst, it seems some personal risk is necessary. I expect another raise for this."

The four assassins lunged at him, each in different places in an attempt to find his true body. Cassandra had to give them credit for knowing their target. What they didn't count on was him expelling himself backwards, showering them all with rock pellets. He crashed through the wall with two assassins hanging off of him and hit the water with an audible splash. When the soothing song cut off, it felt like being doused awake by icy water, though that probably had more to do with the holes in the shelter. The sounds of battle picked up outside, and she was glad that Alexander and Lyn had more sense than trying to break free.

They both jumped, however, when Morgan crashed to the deck. Even the most miniscule smirk on Cassandra's part sent pain reverberating through her face. Judging by the absence of the two assassins that had gone down with him, Miserie had her uses in combat besides singing. The remaining copies of herself and Damien secured him against the deck, one of the Lyns guarding Alexander coming over to putting a knife to his throat. "That was a bad move."

"You won't kill me," he shot back. "You assassins may not have honor, but surely you cannot wantonly kill off royalty without some repercussions."

He lifted his chin off the ground slightly as the knife drew a drop of blood. "You're not a prince any more, Zematsal. You're a pirate."

"If there is one thing Captain has taught me, it is that I did not stop being anything when I joined this crew."

"That's it?" Lyn asked incredulously. "That's the only thing you've learned?"

"Lyn, now is not the time-"

"Forward!" Xiphos' distinctive bass warcry was accompanied by a responding shout from his men. Judging from the slight pressure on her temple, one of Cassandra's guards had turned to take a look at what was going on.

Jordan staggered up the gangplank and leaned heavily on the trap claw, one eye trying to decide whether it was going to swell or not. She gave a bloody smile as she stared at the gathered assassins. "Brothers, sisters, assorted siblings! How's it hangin'?"

"Hundred Face," came Cassandra's own voice from slightly behind her. "I'm sure you have a whole host of excuses ready for-"

"Weren't there ten of you? I see one Cici and one Didi."

"This one," the Morgan standing above the original twisted their boot, "threw them in the water."

"Yeah, that'll do it."

The copy behind Cassandra continued on as if they hadn't been interrupted. "You are to return to Thousand Face immediately to receive punishment for your actions. If necessary, Negras and her crew will be detained until the arrival of the Marines."

"Good luck with that," Jordan said casually. "You do know that they busted out of those bounty hunter's cells yesterday, right?"

"There are other jails and other bounty hunters."

"You think that will stop them? That you'll stop me?"

"We have orders that supercede any that you could give, and judging by the fact that you've almost fully recovered from your fight with Gambi's crew, you have taken Negras' Fruit instead of Damien's abilities."

"What, still worried that Didi's infected? Heard that he ripped an Eighth apart and walked home afterwards?"

Cassandra didn't miss the sharp glance Alexander sent her way. "The point is that you have-"

"See, you've missed something here." Jordan's smile had vanished. "Didn't Emem tell you what a stupid idea this was? No? Not surprised. Would it also surprise you that this exact situation happened on Brickwork? Seems to be a recurring theme, us Moon Sisters stopping by and finding our families aren't thrilled. I bet Jenjen's thrilled she didn't put one toe on board and get her ear talked off for a month. _Do not interrupt me!_ We lost two to these guys so far trying to bring me back. The Eighth lost four by Raerae's own hand on top of the one Didi killed. She tortured them to death herself."

Lyn's eyes went wide at this, and Alexander paled slightly. "She is going back to her family to be named Granddaughter of the Eighth. Yes, that means I technically failed my mission. On the other hand, she has given her word that she will return to the Black Glove Pirates, and if you think for a second that she'll break it, then you haven't been paying attention. On top of that, she owes me a favor. Do none of you understand that? We're Moon Sisters, and I can ask her to do a lot, and she might even do some of them. But I have one guaranteed action that she'll do even when she does become Daughter of the Eighth. I do not intend to relinquish my title, and I'll be damned before I let anyone take it from me. When, in the history of our families, has Thousand Face ever been able to ask a favor from the Daughter?"

The gathered assassins were lost for words. Even Cassandra was grudgingly impressed. "Fucking never, in case you were still thinking. Now you may all whine and point fingers at Harhar or Traytray, but I am the named heir. I was named heir for a reason. If Paypay tries to revoke it, then there will be one hell of an argument about it. I won't settle for anything less, and if you want to give the Changeling's Fruit to someone else, you are damn well welcome to try to pry it from my cold, dead hands. I won't run. I will go down fighting, and you'd be surprised how many people will come with me. Paypay may have given you orders, but don't even fucking think about disobeying these. Stand. Down. Now."

"Is this how you convinced Emory to leave?"

"Nah, I threatened him with global apocalypse. I've said my piece. Put your weapons down."

"Or what?"

"Can you believe this guy?" Jordan asked Cassandra. "'Or what?' Does this look like a fucking negotiation? There's no 'or what.' I'm not making a threat. I'm telling you: put them down."

They all stared at each other, none of them moving. Jordan was still glaring when Xiphos marched up the ramp, blood splashed on his torn coat. He paused in the doorway, staring around in confusion. "What is going on."

Jordan's voice was sugar sweet. "My friends like playing pranks with terrible timing. They were just leaving. In fact, I was about to go with them and have a talk, right guys?"

The fake Cassandra held her glare for a moment. "Right. Merely an ill-timed prank."

Xiphos held out his spear across the doorway to block Jordan's path. "Forgive me if I do not share your sense of humor, but rarely do I find weapons pointed at my head amusing."

"It's all right," Lyn said. "We know them. They like playing dress-up and trying to catch us with our guards down. We haven't seen them for a while, but that's what a four month Log Pose will do, right? Always be prepared, they always say. Isn't that right, Captain?"

Xiphos turned to the Cassandra he recognized, the injured woman sitting in her chair. She nodded and made a shooing motion with her hand. The large captain slowly raised his spear, allowing the Changeling Assassins to depart. He pushed aside the trap claw and stood proudly before her. "Gambi and his crew have fled, for the moment. Are you sure you were not under duress when you let them go?"

"Trust me, we know them." Xiphos looked back and forth between Lyn and Cassandra. "Captain's dealing with her mouth growing twice its size and lots and lots of painkillers. I'm Lyn, the first mate."

"Good to meet you, Lyn," he boomed. "I came as soon as I heard you were under attack. Gambi had done something to our stores, but I mustered a large enough force that he could do nothing but flee like the coward he is. I notice Cain Alcides and Damien are not present."

Alexander finished dusting himself off as he spoke. "They're still dealing with the bounty hunters. Second mate Alexander-"

"They are still dealing with the bounty hunters?" Xiphos repeated. "We faced several of them and were not met with much resistance."

"Not all crews are as strong as yours. Forgive my first mate's rudeness. Thank you very much for your expediency, even though our alliance had ended."

"What? I was _gonna_ thank him!" she protested.

Xiphos gave a low chuckle. "Our alliance may have just been for the retrieval from the bounty hunters, but when it comes to Gambi, it has not quite run its course. How goes the recovery?" Cassandra shrugged, then gave a very real wince of pain. "That is one fault with smaller crews: any injury or absence drastically reduces your fighting power."

"Don't we know it," Alexander said. "With half our crew out for the count, not much we could have done. How can we repay you?"

"A fine meal and a good spar," he replied with a grin. "What else could I ask for?"

The musician smiled back. "A serenade beyond your wildest dreams."

"My dreams are mighty, Alexander. Take care in making promises beyond your reach."

"That's what we do!" Lyn chirped. "Nothing is out of our reach!"

He gave a great belly laugh as he shouldered his spear. "A fine crew you have, Cassandra! They certainly do not lack ambition. However, words mean little without the drive to fulfil them, and I can see that is certainly not the case! I look forward to this serenade when you have recovered further. It would not do if we were able to enjoy ourselves while you suffered in silence! Come, Hoplites! Let us return!" He bowed deeply. "If Gambi troubles you further, be sure to contact us."

Cassandra bowed her head as he exited. She painfully got to her feet and made her way over to the galley, her crew in tow. The instant the door closed behind them, she ripped her ring off and slammed it on the table. She peeled the bandages from her face, ignoring the blood sticking them to her cheek. "Damn, damn, damn! Fucking Gambi!"

"I know, right?" Lyn exclaimed. "He-" She paused as Morgan put a hand on her shoulder. "What?"

"Captain wanted Xiphos to be in debt to her, however small the debt was," explained the prince. "With this, the situation has reversed."

"Yeah, I'm not thrilled that Gambi tried to attack us and the Changelings backed him up, but I had Xiphos in a great position. Now I owe him big time, and he fucking knows it. Shit!"

Lyn glomped onto the simmering pirate. "Aww, it's not so bad, Captain! It's only dinner, a rumble, and a song!"

"There's no way that's all he'll ask."

"But Xiphos likes us!"

"I wouldn't be so sure, and it'd be a lot better if Damien and Cain were back." She tried to run her hands through her hair, but Lyn had her arms pinned against her side. "Whatever. Morgan, if you wouldn't mind dredging some information on how to fix shelters from whatever military training you had, get started on that before making more food. You wanted a raise? Your raise is being able to use your godsdamned Fruit for your chores. Lyn, tell Miserie that she did great, then help Morgan make sure we don't freeze. I'm going to take a shower, then we'll see." She waited for a moment, but neither of them moved. "Go!"

Nobody had missed the one missing orders, and Lyn and Morgan wisely decided not to press the issue. As they exited to figure out how to deal with the damage outside, Alexander opened his mouth. Cassandra beat him to it. "Bloodrage Assassins all have one thing in common: they're infected by a pathogen that turns them into unstoppable killing machines at the merest spilling of blood. I thought Damien was infected at first as well, but it turns out he wasn't. It's blood-borne, and I asked Raven to ask Shi about it. You'll know if he gets infected, because he'll rip us all apart. If you want more information, wait until Raven's back."

"Don't you know more?"

"You know as well as I do that there's only one person in the world right now who can tell you about Damien's body, and she's not here right now. He's not normal. Even Raven probably won't know how it affects him, but she'll give you the clearest answer. Until then, drop it. Anything else?"

"Did she really torture them? I thought you were just being vindictive."

She frowned. "Why would I not follow through with that? They tried to kill me. I wanted them dead. She's the one who wanted to torture them, and I was in no way going to argue."

"That's sick, Captain. They're her family!"

"They happen to share genetic similarities. _We _are her family."

Alexander looked taken aback. "Did you ever tell her that?"

"No. It's not my place to tell her what family means."

"You can express what you believe! Lyn does it all the time!"

"That's a lie, and you know it. My word might as well be divine writ to her. It's not right, and it's not healthy, but that's how it is at the moment. If I had told her that, what are the odds that she would have chosen to leave?"

He managed a mumbled, "Not good."

"Not good. I wanted her to make her own decision, and she did. Yes, Jordan interfered, but it was still Raven's decision, more or less. That's why I rely on you and Lyn so much when it comes to her. I don't want to force her to be anything. I want her to be herself. She listens to you, she listens to Lyn, but she obeys me. There's a difference, and you better fucking believe I wish that weren't the case. She's my precious nakama, and until I become her nakama, I can only do so much. Do you get it?"

"I do. Do you want me to ask Miserie to calm you down? You seem on edge."

Cassandra seriously considered it for a moment. She was about to punch a hole in the table. She wasn't sure why she didn't. "No, give her a rest. Just help out the others."

She waited until he had left before grabbing a chair and slamming it against the mast. Everything was slipping from her control, and nothing was what she expected it to be. Looking around at the mess, she thought not asking Miserie for a song might not have been her greatest decision. However, that's why she had a choreboy. With the lifting of the ban on using his Devil Fruit, this should be no problem to clean up. Still, she should not have let her temper go like that. She needed Raven back. She needed that reliability.

She looked up as the ship rocked slightly and a knock came from outside. "I'm back, Captain Libera," Cain said, crouching by the doorway.

Her bare feet hitting his chest laid him right on his ass.


	50. Heat Thaws Ice

Lyn sighed as Cassandra pulled a knife carefully out of her sheath, still staring out of the sleigh window. "Do you still have to do that? They're nowhere nearby."

"Still pretty sure we're being followed," the captain said faintly. "Xiphos came and checked on us when the fucking Changelings blabbed about my Fruit."

"Yeah, but he believed us!"

"Once the seed is planted, it'll never get out," Morgan told her. "He already knows Captain can make good plans. He just doesn't think we have the muscle to back it up."

"We don't have the muscle to back it up," Cassandra said.

"Excuse me, that is several tons of Winter Isle soldier pulling this sleigh."

Cassandra clicked her tongue. "Several tons that has spent the majority of the past week hanging out with geriatrics and can't talk about it."

"So order him."

"I'm not you. I won't demand something so frivolous. If he needed to tell me, he'd tell me."

"And Damien won't talk about it," Lyn chimed in. "You ever try prying something outta him? He just grins like it's a big joke."

"It is." Cassandra continued to watch their surroundings. "Unbelievable. How do you live with this? Humans weren't meant for temperatures like these."

"More comforting than temperatures where you need to drown yourself in water to stay hydrated."

"I'll point out you said comforting instead of comfortable."

"And I'll point out that I do not share your predisposition against cold climates."

"True. I guess I'll just have to enjoy torturing you on islands where I'm not in danger of my nipples tearing holes in my bra."

"Ever the classy one, Captain."

She kicked his shin, causing him to double over. "You're a prince; I get that. But when will you just let your hair down? You don't need to be so hard-assed all the time. Live a little! Damien's been away for days; couldn't you enjoy that at least?"

"I think I saw a smile on him yesterday," Lyn provided. "Might have been a trick of the light, though."

Morgan folded his arms across his chest. "Do you enjoy poking fun at the others, or am I just special?"

"Oh, you're special, all right," Cassandra said. "I'm half a mind to give you a pat on the head. You're right, Lyn. I did it before, but this is way better."

"See? I told you! You should listen to me more."

Cassandra snorted. "If I did that, I'd have a dragon tattoo stretching neck to thigh. This is better."

"Now I know you're deliberately leaving me out of the conversation, and I'm letting you know, it is not upsetting me in the least."

"Aww, come on, Morgie!" Lyn crossed the sleigh to wind herself against him. "We're not upsetting you in the least?"

He almost managed to contain his blush completely, but he couldn't hide the brightening of his eyes. "Don't look at me like that, Captain. You know as well as I do that I did find some degree of enjoyment two days ago."

"That's right, you got laid! I saw her, cute as all hell and those lips! Oh, I was soooo tempted to make her switch teams for a night!"

"And you didn't even have to pay for her," praised Cassandra. "I'm impressed."

"You two are hilarious, truly. As for you, Captain, you've had no such experiences that I've seen. Might I suggest being less abrasive? If not, simply remaining silent will attract some night's entertainment."

She merely shook her head. "Why would I want to sleep with someone with all of their brains in their dicks? That's not for me."

"Yeah, but they are soooo much fun in bed!" Lyn accentuated her point by stretching across Morgan, and he had to cough a few times to regain his composure.

"Yes, well, now you've broken ten, is that right?"

"You've been keeping track!" she said, running a finger playfully along his face. "Naughty boy!"

By now, his face had turned completely red. "You forced me to play that stupid game, but I was not so intoxicated that I could not remember what happened."

"You can hold your drink, we know. And yes, I had a lovely time with Bruce, Maeva, and Jun. Amazing, all of them."

He sputtered. "All three at once?"

"No, silly!" she said with a laugh. "Only Maeva and Jun. But I also spent a lot of time with Valerie and Bernard and Octavio and Oswald and Mari and-"

"How on earth? You've only had five nights out!"

"Oh?" Lyn asked, pulling back. "Now who's keeping track of who?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he was only watching out for the safety of his crewmembers. This hasn't exactly been our best island, wouldn't you agree?"

"What ever do you mean-" Morgan stopped as the sleigh slid to a halt. "It seems we have arrived."

"Thanks for the update." Cassandra rubbed her hands one last time before the three pirates pulled on their thick winter coats. Cain had released the heavy ropes he had used to haul the sleigh and stood at attention. The reason for the stop was clearly visible despite the heavy snow. Damien's eyes were ablaze, his mad grin as unnerving as ever. Cassandra was surprised to see him flanked by a short, ancient woman, a one-armed man, and a tall, rail-thin woman. She recognized two from second-hand information, but she didn't know the third.

"Well, well, well," the navigator said as he sauntered forward. "If it ain' a bunch o' fuckin' onanists in th' middle o' fuckin' nowhere."

"Fuck you too," Cassandra shot back good-humoredly. "Who are your friends?"

"I was called Snowdrift," said the old woman. "This is Flake and Brinicle."

"Cute names. You have a nice vacation?"

He howled with laughter. "Aye, o' course I did! I'da been back earlier if I fuckin' hadn'."

Cassandra nodded as she eyed the bruises and half-closed breaks in his dark skin. "Yes, I can see you did. Well, why exactly are you all here?"

"You mentioned your desire to meet Flake," Cain explained. "He was the archer who incapacitated you."

"Evidently not well enough," the bounty hunter said gruffly. "You're still walking around."

Brinicle's voice was thin and reedy. "I was interested in the woman Damien calls Captain."

"I'm not handing over my bounty so easily."

The woman's laugh was just as unsettling. "I am retired, dear child. I have caught my share of bounties. I leave it to the younglings now. Isn't that right, nephew?"

"Cain, Zematsal." Flake bowed his head to them both. "What brings you both here?"

Morgan raised his chin. "I have come to challenge Damien to a duel."

Cassandra put her hand to her face as the rest of them stared in surprise. She had been the only one he had told about his true reason for coming out to retrieve Damien, and it had taken him a considerable amount of time to convince her that he wasn't simply being suicidal. She could understand the basic reasons behind his choice to fight here of all places – the everpresent blizzard provided his elemental with limitless ice – but the simple fact remained that fighting Damien was always a risky gamble. Yes, Morgan hated how Damien's sheer power earned him privileges the prince did not possess, and this was one of the best chances Morgan would ever have of beating Damien in an actual fight. None of this excused the sheer lunacy of daring to challenge the berserker in the first place, but Morgan had made up his mind, and Cassandra had decided to humor him just this once.

"Lyn, Cain, shush," she said hastily. "I've already approved it."

"A fuckin' duel?" Damien said in amazement. "You an' me? Yahahahahar! Y' ain' fuckin' normal, jute! Mos' people's balls shrink in th' cold!"

That was already a good sign. She had really been banking on his amusement instead of bored irritation, as the latter would probably have Morgan hospitalized inside a minute. The prince's storm-grey gaze had gone cold as ice. "It is high time somebody stood up to your antics and showed you that might is not everything."

The captain leveled a glare at him, but remained silent. Damien didn't miss the remark either, his burning eyes lingering on her for a moment. "Aye, grew a mite too big. Ain' surprised a chode like you's so cocky. Well come on, whoreson. Lessee watcha got."

Snow began to accumulate, ice spreading across the prince's body. Cain leaned towards Cassandra, but Brinicle appeared between them in a swirl of wind and snow. Her spidery fingers curled around the pirate's face, causing her to lean away ever so slightly. "Such youth and fervor, little girl. Will that bounty on your head crush the sprout or nourish your roots?"

"Don't touch me," she said firmly. "And if you think age intimidates me, think again."

"Tch, tch, tch." Fingertips brushed as close as possible across her cheek without touching it. "I am not trying to intimidate you. I only want to learn more about those put in Flake's cells. Did you know that Boistrous Boyka could be one of the great poets of the ages? Yanick the Big created some of the finest filigree I have ever seen. What do you have to dazzle me?"

"I don't have to dazzle you. I've got people for that."

"Captain Libera, are you really sure about this?" Cain interrupted. "He's still a bit irritable."

"And we don't have Raven around if he goes overboard," Lyn added. "Miserie's not here either."

She stared at the growing elemental, having never seen its sheer size. "If Morgan wants to fight Damien, he'll fight Damien. He knows the risks, and he made his decision."

"You're supposed to keep him from making stupid decisions," Cain said.

"But why miss out on a show like this? It'll be fine." _Probably_.

Morgan knelt to better talk to his opponent, his knee shaking snow from the trees when it landed. "The first to admit defeat or be pinned loses."

"What 'appened to 'im?" Damien asked her, completely ignoring the elementalist. "You suck 'im off or somethin'?"

An ice fist the size of a room smashed him into the ground. When it finally lifted, Damien lay in the impact crater, staring upwards in surprise. He abruptly sat up and shook his head. "No' bad, Princess. Can' go fuckin' easy on ya. Two arms an' summonin'. That'll do."

"Underestimate me at your own risk. Lednik!"

Cassandra hung onto Cain for balance, smiling as Damien easily avoided the second punch. While he had stayed true to his word and not used his legs, every Black Glove Pirate was used to seeing his vertical pushups. He tucked his knees against his chest, his hands planted firmly on the ground. "Pre'y sure you're overestimatin' yerself."

"See?" the captain asked as Damien pushed off. "Barely any swearing. He's having fun."

"Yes, thank God for that," Cain said hotly. "Imagine if he hadn't been in as good a mood."

"Then we have two lovely ladies who might lend a hand if we begged."

"One," Brinicle said, leaning in. "I have no interest in touching little boys. Men like Flake, yes, but not children. Unlike Snowdrift, I would never do something so base. Little girls are so much more pristine and pure. The comparison-"

Cain's hand slammed between them like a guillotine, the spindly woman dodging it as if carried by the wind. "Forgive me, Ms. Brinicle, but Captain Libera has been under a considerable amount of stress lately, and while she is a peerless leader with many redeemable qualities, she has been known to start fights without much provocation."

Her creepy grin widened. "Does she now?"

"She does!" Lyn gushed. "But right now she's under strict orders not to fight, so we'll have to pass today. Seriously, though, isn't this cool enough? Morgan's like super huge, and Damien's taking him on with only his hands and fire!"

If it weren't for the continuous earthquake Morgan was creating as he rotated about, it would be comical watching the relatively tiny navigator work his way up the ice elemental, hand over hand. The prince was thrashing about trying to find his opponent, but Damien's fiery claws easily found purchase and kept the navigator moving. Damien wasn't even using his legs to swing himself along, keeping them securely tucked beneath him. It was always impressive to see the navigator in combat, especially when she wasn't the one he was trying to pulverize.

Brinicle, however, was completely apathetic. Her attention had shifted once more. "As for you, little one, what tricks do you know? Can't let the boys have all the fun."

"My thing's not fighting!" Lyn informed her. "I'm more the drink-them-under-the-table kinda person! Too bad you missed our best fighter. She's taking care of family business at the moment, but she hasn't lost to Damien once."

The skinny woman hunched over to better stare into Lyn's eyes. "Without proof, it is just a story, and you don't need to try that hard to impress me."

"She's right," Cassandra said. "Don't impress her. I just want Morgan to get his ass handed to him as quickly as possible so we can finally gather the crew together and I can sleep soundly."

"Don't you realize that you are free by our mercy?" she asked. "We could restrain you with ease."

"I would just love to-"

"Captain!" Lyn threw herself onto the blue-haired pirate to cut her off. "You said you were gonna play nice!"

"No, I said I wouldn't pump Damien with enough bullets to substantially increase his body weight. I even left two of my pistols behind, didn't I?"

"Yeah, only after like an hour of arguing!"

"A few minutes, tops. Oh, and I did also say Cain and I wouldn't be participating. I think that's being pretty nice."

Lyn sighed theatrically. "C'mon, Captain, you've been in a funk for days! What'll it get for you to cheer up?"

"Raven to get back, Jordan to get her family troubles away from us, Damien to cooperate, Xiphos to forget we owe him, Gambi to be launched into the sun, and Rime to become a Summer Island. Can you do all that for me?"

"I'm not all-powerful, silly! How about this?" Lyn hoisted her into the air from behind, causing Cassandra to shout in surprise.

"Put me down this instant!"

"Not until you lighten up!"

"Lyn!"

"No!"

Cassandra tried to pry off Lyn's arms, but it was impossible to free herself without injuring the first mate. She brought her knees to her face, then thrust her feet out, hoping to flip them both around. Unfortunately, Lyn knew exactly what she was doing and jumped as well. Cassandra landed face-first in the snow with Lyn sitting on top of her. The swordswoman grinned cheerfully up at Brinicle, who was covering her mouth to hide her smile. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

The crone shook her head. "That I should not have gotten my hopes up."

Lyn yelped as she was violently thrown off, but was fast enough to restrain the pistolier again. "Seriously, Captain, what's wrong? This isn't like you. You're still doing your whole abstinence thing, and I'm pretty sure your period's not late yet, so you have some immaculate conception kind of deal-"

"_Lyn_."

"Well, what is it? If you're hiding something from us that's bothering you this much, you have to tell me. I'm being serious, now. Alexander would say the same thing. You should know by now that we're all here for you. Let me help."

The pirate captain glanced up at Brinicle. "Not now."

"Yes, now," Lyn insisted. "Don't make me have to be Captain and order you."

Cassandra continued to hold the spindly woman's gaze before sighing. "Fine. You win. I'm worried."

"You don't say. About what?"

"Can I please have a moment alone with my first mate?" she snapped at Brinicle.

A mirthless smile spread across lips cracked with age. "How impertinent you are. If I say no?"

"Then I can't stop you. Please, Brinicle, give us a moment."

The smile grew. "Bowing your head, are you? Not so prideful after all. Very well, little girl. You may have 'a moment.'"

The captain knew the words would sound stupid coming from her mouth, but there wasn't any other way of explaining herself. She waited until the retired bounty hunter had departed before starting. "I'm worried that I'm failing you all as a captain."

Lyn didn't even look confused. Her stare was completely and utterly blank. "Look, you all rely on me to take care of you by being ten steps ahead of every threat that we encounter, to make instant quick decisions with maximum probability of success, and to always be in some degree of control over the situation. This is the first time since I've come to consider you all as nakama instead of just crewmembers that the situation has gotten so catastrophically out of my control. I'm worried that you won't… I don't know… trust me as much. Believe in me. I know I'm not like most captains, the strongest and most powerful person on the crew. I can't even control all of my crewmembers. You all trust me to keep you safe, and if I can't do that, then I'm not-"

Lyn cut her off by tackling her into the snow. Cassandra tried to extract herself from the embrace, but to no avail. "Captain, we should be the ones angry with you for thinking that you'll always be able to be in control of everything. You'll worry yourself to death before we go five islands if you keep doing that. Everybody is stronger as we go along, so it's stupid to think we'll always be better. You always knew that. What changed this time?"

"I've barely been able to do anything here. I always choose my battles so I can win. I haven't won at all. The crew's been split up since we've been here, even accounting for Damien's usual self-isolation. I'm at the mercy of three different crews and organizations that hate my guts, but they don't want to or can't attack me. Fuck, if these old people had chosen to lift a finger against us, there'd be nothing we could do to stop them. We are entirely alive by their grace, and there are no angles to work. I had cards to play on every island, even Winter Isle, but what can I do here?"

"Like we care about that! Honestly, what is it with you people? Is it the weather? First Miserie's all mopey, then Alexander's sad, then Cain has questions, now you're worried too. What am I, made of pep talks? I'm tired of it! Why can't you get drunk and whine about it to each other like normal people?"

"Thanks, Lyn. That's really helpful."

Lyn laughed and kissed her cheek. "I'm kidding, Captain, relax! You know you're the bestest Captain in the whole world! We all think so. How could you even think you're not? You don't need to be in control of _everything_. You're not allowed to. What do you think I sometimes become captain for? Shits and giggles?"

Cassandra shook her head as she climbed to her feet. "Sometimes. Most captains don't have to be relieved."

"Most captains aren't crazy enough to have people like Damien and Morgan on their crew. Look, we all love you so much, and you'll never let us down no matter what you do or don't do. Do you think we wouldn't trust Raven any more if she lost her legs and couldn't use her techniques anymore?"

"Well, Damien would kill her, wheelchair or not, so…"

Lyn poked her forehead. "We'd still love her. Besides, wasn't it you who was saying you always like to take risks? Sometimes risks don't pay off! I mean, we're all alive right now, and as soon as these two morons are done, we'll have everyone back! We've gone through islands with a lot worse, remember? Yeah, basically everyone wants to kill us, but we're the Black Glove Pirates! Isn't that what we do?"

"I guess so," Cassandra grumbled. "Any chance I can get you all to stop claiming I'm a genius now?"

"Yeah, not happening."

"It was worth a try."

Lyn gave her most radiant smile and a giant hug. "Feeling better now?"

"A bit," the captain admitted.

"How touching," drawled Brinicle, "but don't think me dazzled."

Cassandra pressed her lips together, but kept herself in check. "Lyn, could you please give her the briefest glimpse of our dear doctor before I try to knock her teeth down her throat and wind up losing mine?"

Just before Lyn fell limp, their surroundings began to darken. Cassandra was the fastest on the uptake, her gaze flying up to the elemental's chest. Damien had burrowed his way inside of the elemental and was gathering spirits to unleash a massive explosion. Morgan, however, had never seen the attack before and appeared to be trying to pile as much ice around Damien as he could. He was hovering in the elemental's head, which Cassandra believed to be a bad move. She would want to distance herself from Damien as many as possible.

When the summoner released his hold, blinding light caused them all to turn away. Most of the shockwave was absorbed by the elemental, which lost almost its entire torso. Shards of ice flew around like bullets, and the arms smashed through trees on either side. The legs toppled towards them, but Cain pushed it aside before it got anywhere near them. The head bounced a few times before being grabbed from midair by Damien. He plunged his steaming hand inside and ripped it apart. He slid to a stop on one hand, the other closed around Morgan's throat.

"Yield!" the elementalist squeaked as he fought to breathe. "I yield!"

"Good! Now that that's over," Cassandra said quickly, "Damien, don't kill him."

The navigator glared at her for a moment, and she tensed in preparation for whatever his retaliation might be. She exhaled when he gave a wide grin and released his grip, hopping back onto his feet. "Two arms 'n' summoning, snotsucker. I'm always ready fer a fight, but y' can' beat me, an' you should fuckin' know it. Sure, the fuckin' ice was a fancy little trick, but tricks don' work 'less you know 'ow t' fuckin' use 'em. Ain' that right, Cap'n?"

"Speaking of, if I ever see you being captured like that again, I won't bother to come get you."

He laughed and threw his arm around her neck in a loose headlock. "You do tha', I'll fuckin' come after ya and use your guts fer riggin'."

"Isn't it guts for garters?" He laughed and made to remove his arm, but she kept it in place. "Lyn's right; you are warm. See, why can't you be useful like this?"

He grabbed the unconscious novice by the scruff of her coat and easily hoisted her up. "Wha's Sunshine doin' anyhow?"

"Amazing your friends. Care to tell me why you spent so much time with them?"

"'Avin' fun, trainin' fightin'. Spent a few days sortin' shit out with my spiri's, tha' was an adventure."

"I'm sure it was." She made a mental note to ask Alexander about it later. As Lyn began to show signs of life again, Cassandra freed her from Damien's grasp and set the first mate on her feet. "Well?"

"I did what I could," said Lyn with a shrug. "Don't worry; I don't think she got Raerae's name or background or anything."

"Good. Let's find out what our sentence is."

Brinicle opened her pale eyes and focused on the three pirates, studying them carefully. "And where is this girl of yours?"

"Not here," Cassandra said shortly. "Have you been sufficiently dazzled?" The retiree continued to watch them, and Cassandra was thankful Damien seemed to have gotten fighting out of his system. She didn't need to spend more time out in the middle of frozen nowhere. She finally turned away without a word and returned to Snowdrift in a twist of snow. Cassandra smirked and adjusted Damien's arm. "I'll take that as a yes. Thanks, Lyn."

"Anytime!" she gushed. "Now, can we please go? I'm freezing over here!" She attached herself to Damien's side, snaking her arm between his torso and Cassandra. "Much better!"

"Oi, oi," he growled, prying them both off of him. "I'm no fuckin' bonfire for you crack'eads t' crowd around."

"Do crackheads gather around bonfires?" Lyn wondered aloud. "I always thought-"

"As fascinated as I am with your extensive life experience with crackheads," Cassandra cut in, "I like the idea of leaving."

Damien rolled his eyes. "Buncha pussies."

"We have them, yes."

"And he likes us!" Lyn chirped. "I know for a fact! No matter how much he-"

He pushed her facefirst into the snow. "Fine. What abou' those rat-eaters?"

Cassandra smiled. "Cain, Morgan! Let's pack it in! We're going!"

The enormous pirate scooped Morgan up and hopped over to them. The three elders were beside them before he landed, Snowdrift hunched over against the wind. "Are you sure you want to leave so soon? After meeting with Cain and Damien, it would be a shame to not get to know each other better."

"Look, I do want to talk. Truly. Anyone that can deal with this knucklehead for a week is someone worthy to talk with. Flake too, I want to trade sniping tips with you. Threading the needle like that in gale-force winds was incredible. Still, we need to have a whole crew meeting kind of deal, figure out what punishment he gets, that kind of thing. You know, crew business. Tell you what, we'll come back in a couple days and have a long, friendly chat. After everything we've done to each other, I think we all deserve that."

Snowdrift gave her a brittle smile. "Sounds good to me. You have three days. After that, we shall be the ones doing the visiting."

"Sounds fun." She gave them a parting smile as they disappeared into the snow. When she was sure they had left, she gave an angry click of her tongue. "Fuck. See, this is the kind of shit I hate. They'll be doing the visiting, are you fucking kidding me? Damien, you're the best judge, how strong are these guys?"

"No chance. You'd all be fucked."

"'You'?" Morgan asked. "You would pass up a chance to crush them?"

"Good enough for me," Cassandra said. "Now, let's just leave. That's an order. Captain's, if need be."

Cain gave a wide smile. "You heard Captain Libera. Let's move. Damien, can you run faster than I can hauling a load of cargo? Three punches to the winner, no hard feelings?"

He laughed when Damien gave him a high five and raced towards the sleigh. Cassandra shook her head as the enormous pirate lumbered after him. "So, you got your ass handed to you, just like anyone with half a brain could have told you. When're you gonna try again?"

Morgan shook her hand off and stormed into the sleigh. Lyn grabbed Cassandra by the shoulder and followed him, grinning all the way.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Alexander shouted with joy as Damien kicked the doorway in and shattered the trap with a punch. "Mate, you're back! Are you okay? Did Lyn have a chance to show you your Jolly Roger?" The berserker scoffed and waved him away. "Fine, what about this: Madaxe retired."

"Fuck, seriously? Retired?"

"Yeah. Here, check it out." Damien snatched the newspaper from his hand and glowered at it.

"What's the big deal, anyway?" Morgan asked. "I saw you obsessing over it earlier. Don't you hate the Shichibukai?"

The second mate was only too happy to explain. "So _fucking_ much. Scum like him who willingly forsake their identity as pirates for the Marines, they're the lowest of the low. I may not believe in killing the fleet admiral - and I don't, Hothead, not until we've gotten to talk to him - but I wouldn't mind seen the Warlords wiped from this earth."

"First thing on my list as Pirate Queen, I promise."

"Thanks, Captain. So what'd you think?" he asked as Damien burned the newspaper in his fist. "Retired through and through. It says he's heading to the Line; think that's for us?"

"Fuckin' bring it. Cap'n stole my kill, so I get this fucker, a'ight?"

Cassandra raised her hands when he pointed a flaming claw at her. "All yours."

"Excuse me," Morgan said, "is nobody else amazed by the fact that he can read?"

Damien grabbed the prince's face without looking at him. "So you shit'eads have fun without me or wha'?"

"Tons, thanks for asking," Cassandra said. "How'd things go with Xiphos?"

Alexander exhaled loudly as he straightened his tie. "He's getting restless. He wants that banquet. He thinks we're going to cheat him."

"That's because we are," the captain reminded him. "Still working out exactly how."

"You know, what's the harm in actually doing something nice for once?" Lyn asked. "How does that sound?

Cassandra stared at her incredulously for a moment. "Or… instead of doing something for Xiphos that he won't accept as a full repayment, so he keeps asking for favors until I snap and kill him, I could figure something out."

"So stop pussyfooting around and just go kill th' fuckers now. I'll do it meself if you don' wanna dirty yer fuckin' 'ands, murd'ress. Could use some actual fightin'."

Morgan finally succeeded in wresting himself from Damien's grasp, a red handprint remaining on his face. "And this is why you are not on Captain's advisory council, as it were. Even if you didn't spend so much time away from the crew, you would know that we have a lot of enemies right now, and the main reason we're all alive is because they're all pitted against each other. But no, all you do is waste your time without doing anything helpful."

Damien held out his hand towards Morgan in bewilderment. "He got laid," Lyn explained.

"Is that something that really needs to be announced as some sort of accomplishment?" he snapped. "So I had sex. We all... most of us..." They patiently waited for him to finish his train of thought. "Coitus is not some mystical, miraculous activity worth all this attention!"

The artist beamed at him. "For us normal people, no. For you, of course it is. You getting 'coitus'," she exaggerated with air quotes, "is something to celebrate!"

"'Specially when it makes your cuntin' balls turn from beans to boulders," Damien added. "You want another ass-whoopin'? Cuz don' think gettin' some pussy means you a big fuckin' man, cumdump. We go with that, Sunshine beats you by fuckin' leagues, don' she?"

"Damn straight!" Lyn hopped onto his shoulders and folded her arms on top of his head. "I'm the manliest of you all!"

"I'm sorry what?" Cain asked as he inched through the door, a load of lumber over his shoulder. "You're the manliest, little miss?"

"Of course! Who else would that be, you?"

Alexander frowned and approached the huge pirate. "What happened to your eye? And your lip? Let me take a look at that." He waited until Cain put down the wood and knelt. "How did this happen? It almost looks like…" he trailed off, looking over at Damien. "Really?"

"We traded two punches each," Cain explained. "No hard feelings, right?"

"Yahahahar! 'S all the same t' me, insect!"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. While Damien had been off doing whatever it was he did, Cain had evidently been doing some training of his own. He had hit Damien with a one-two punch with almost no time between the hits. He had had to warm up for a moment and wring his arms out afterwards, but his speed had been incredible. Of course, when Damien careened back with mad laughter on his lips, his two punches had been even faster. When Cain had regained consciousness after a few seconds, however, he too was all smiles. As thankful as she was for the mountain bandit's toughness, she was more thankful that he could withstand all of those blows and greet Damien afterwards as a friend.

That said, she had given him a few choice words while he had been deconstructing the sleigh. When he saw her nod in Morgan's direction, he gave a barely audible sigh. "Morgan, could you please get started on dinner?"

"That sounds like a good idea."

Cassandra waited until the chef entered the galley before smacking Cain's arm. "That's not what I told you to do. Don't be such a baby. You outrank him; give him orders."

"I'm sorry, Captain Libera, it's just-"

"C'mon, that wasn't bad!" Lyn exclaimed. "It's a slow process, Captain. Give him a break."

"You've been on this crew for nearly two months," Cassandra said. "There's slow, and then there's emptying a lake with a measuring cup. Step up your game, Cain, or you'll be joining him as permanently second-lowest ranked crewmember. I'm sure Miserie will be thrilled to hear that."

He rubbed the back of his neck as he picked the broken trap off the ground. "As you say, Captain Libera. I'll do my best."

"Good. Now Damien, I know it's gonna be hard, but please try to pay attention. I know you don't care, but just so you know why random people might be trying to kill you for the next four months aside from your usual charming personality. If you could only slaughter the people attacking you, that'd be fantastic."

"Fuckin' 'ell, cockcheese. Blackie's gonna flip if she finds you can't 'andle yerself for a fuckin' week."

She met his challenging grin with a cold glare. "I can too handle myself. How about you sitting your ass down and pretending you're a goddamn pirate of mine."

He pulled Lyn from his shoulders, but the first mate flipped over his head and landed in front of him. He grabbed the side of her face to move her away, and Lyn just mirrored his actions. "Just listen, please?"

Damien shoved her aside and loomed over his captain. "Yer the cap'n, shitwaffle. It ain' my problem."

"You are a Black Glove Pirate, whether you act like it or not. Your problems are always ours, and in this case along with many others, ours are yours. Now, I am your captain, and I can do a lot of things. I do everything I have the physical capacity to do, but to do that, all of my fucking crew need to cooperate, even if it's just once in a while. Now, pay attention. Can you do that?"

After glowering for a little more, he folded his arms across his chest and bared a fang. It wasn't his amused smile, but it was better than him walking away. "Talk."

Explaining the situation to him took longer than necessary with her foul mood and Lyn's constant interruptions. Damien's contributions primarily consisted of derisive comments and scorn, but he eventually got the full story. By the time he had stopped laughing his ass off, Morgan and Alexander had finished setting the table, the musician having prepared much of the meal beforehand. Cassandra and Damien exchanged a few lazy blows as they gathered around. Lyn was jumping for joy as Miserie pulled herself into the ship, all too thrilled that the crew on Rime was reunited once more.

They all glanced up at the knock on the door. Cain slid aside the door panel, then frowned and opened the door. "Welcome back, Jordan."

The androgyne nodded to him as she stepped inside. She tossed something over to Cassandra, who reflexively snatched it out of the air. She rotated the glass globe, watching the needle remain fixed on some distant point. After flinging it up and catching it again, she allowed herself a small grin. "Have I mentioned how much I love you recently?"

"Not recently enough!" Jordan said cheerfully, her unease visibly draining from her and replaced with relief. "Apology present."

Lyn clambered onto the table to get a better look. "I don't get it. What is it?"

When Damien caught his captain's slow lob, a wide grin grew on his face. "Fuckin' 'ell, Copycat. Where'd you get a set Pose?"

"Don't tell me your family was so accommodating," Cassandra said. "There's no way they'd do something so nice for me."

"No. I finally got a line to Paypay. I managed to convince them that I didn't just completely fuck my family over. When I get home, I get to speak in front of all the higher ups to defend myself. A trial, I guess. In exchange, the Changelings will leave you alone, no interference and no help. There's some more shit I gotta do, but it'll all work out. Probably."

"Didn't answer me fuckin' question, assling," he snarled as Cassandra drew Jordan into a tight hug. "'Ow'd you get a set one?"

"Have you forgotten who I am?" the impersonator asked incredulously. "How hard do you think it is for me to get onto any ship in port and take a Log Pose? I just asked around for any ships that have been here for a few months, copied a crewman, and took it. I know life hasn't exactly been easy for you, so I hope this helped."

"Oh, more than you can imagine." She released Jordan and clapped her on the back. "My shit cards just turned into a flush."

"So what's the plan, Captain?" Morgan inquired. "Do we set sail immediately?"

She stared at him in contemplation. "No, I think not. Tomorrow, we're giving Xiphos the banquet he wants. He shares our path down the Line; it'd be better if he didn't hate us. Fuck the bounty hunters, though. It's not like they'll be chasing after us. Are we loaded up to leave?"

Morgan folded his arms. "Always, Captain." Cain nodded in agreement.

"Good. We leave tomorrow night. Damien, stay near the ship. I'm not kidding. You don't have participate in the feast, but we are leaving for Dewpon tomorrow, and I will be damned before you delay us. Don't drink too much, except for you, Cain. I want you to drink them dry. You too, Miserie, your tolerance is high enough. Damien, you're first watch. Deal with it. If you have any more questions, you can wake me for second watch. I really need some rest."


	51. Ship, Captain, and Crew

"Okay, okay, okay!" Lyn said, waving her mug around in merriment. "Last one, then we do something else!"

The others laughed and nodded in agreement. They all had bits of paper somehow attached to their faces. Alexander stuck his behind one lens, while Lyn tucked hers beneath the tricorne she had taken from Cassandra. They settled around the table and stared at Cain, snickering as they reread the name pinned to his bandana. Miserie lay on one of the yards above them, watching the other pirates interestedly. It was impossible for her to participate, but she didn't mind learning about some of the adventures they had had before her.

"So…" Cain rumbled. "Am I male?"

"No," the rest of them chorused.

"Am I dead, last time we checked?"

They looked at each other, and Cassandra hoped he hadn't noticed the gazes lingering on the first mate. "Alive, actually."

"Third, have we ever fought before?"

"Yes."

With the standard questions out of the way, Cain sat back and rubbed his chin. "Has Lyn slept with me, sexually or not?"

Cassandra smiled. He was nowhere near drunk enough for him to miss something like that. Cain might not have had Cassandra's eyes and memory, but the bodyguard had been trained to pick up on the littlest details nearly as much as she had. With the pretense out of the way, all of them looked over to the flushed first mate. "Nope!"

It came as old news for her, but Alexander and Morgan looked perplexed. "Have I met, uh, Cain?"

"Yes."

"Before the Grand Line?"

"Yes."

The enormous pirate grinned. "Do I wear an excessive amount of eyeshadow and black makeup? Fought both with and against Lyn? Name starts with 'S' and ends with 'abrina'?"

"Shit, man," Jordan complained as he tossed the paper onto the table. "Six questions. You're no fun. Why can't you be more like Lynlyn?"

"Because she asks the most bizarrely specific questions that eliminate one or two people," Morgan said. "As amusing as those questions were, they are by no means a game-winning strategy."

"Rhetorical question, dumbass."

Lyn threw herself onto the table, scattering dishes everywhere. "No! Stop! New game!"

"Alright, what do you propose?" Alexander asked.

"Learned a fun game at Xiphos' last night!" she gushed. "Ship, captain, crew! It's a dice game!"

The second mate frowned. "Most of our dice broke, so we don't have enough, do w- of course, we do," he corrected himself as Lyn thrust her hands out at him. "How is this new to you? Haven't we played it a few times since I got dice on Fyuchrzend?"

Cassandra leaned over to murmur, "She was out."

"Every time?" Alexander shrugged. "Huh. Didn't realize that."

"Dice game?" Miserie said from above. "Like backgammon or craps?"

Cain got to his feet so he could better talk to her. "Here's how the game is played. We use five dice…"

"Where did you get these?" Alexander asked.

"Xiphos gave them to me!"

He rotated one of the dice. "Bone with Xs carved onto the one faces. He just gave them to you?"

Lyn cocked her head to the side and beamed. "Maaaaaybe."

"Up for it?" Cassandra asked the navigator, who had been holding himself horizontally since he had finished eating, only budging to pick his names from the bowl. Lyn had been using him as a bench, and his chest always remained parallel to the deck. "You're part of the crew aboard this ship, so your captain is asking."

"Fine," he grumbled. "Watch yerself, Cap'n. Can' cheat at dice as easy."

"Just who do you think I am? There's nothing at which I can't cheat. I can shave a fly with a knife or a gun. Do you honestly believe I can't control dice, even unweighted ones?"

"Aye, yer a lyin' bean-flicker wit' no fuckin' morals."

She just smirked. "If you hate the house rules that badly, you don't have to play."

"'S a fuckin' drinkin' game, twatblast. No need t' drag stories into everythin'."

Lyn rolled off the table and landed on her feet in front of them. "House rules? What house rules?"

"Care to explain?" Cassandra chuckled at his upraised middle finger. "Highest cargo asks everyone a question; lowest cargo has to answer, others can do whatever."

"Oh! Well, I can see why you wouldn't like it."

Damien gave a guttural growl. "Aye, and this cuntin' spermweasel rolls 'ighest 'alf the time. Ain' like th' fuckin' tricks she do with cards; those're easy t' see. Dice though, tha's different."

Lyn's eyes shone like stars. "Ooh, we just _have _to play this now!"

She yelped as he bent his leg backwards to poke her head. "Don' need you gabbin' all over th' place at every fuckin' thing somebody says."

"Silly!" she chided, ruffling his dreadlocks. "You act like I wasn't in your head and didn't see how much you love us all!"

"You back on drugs, wench?"

Lyn leaned over to stare him directly in the eyes. "Then tell me you don't care at all for us. Not one bit."

"'Specially when you're talking like this, vag cheese."

Cassandra clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Hey, let's focus here, people. Miserie, get down from there. Now, since Lyn so generously provided the dice Xiphos so kindly, uh, _gave_ her, she goes first."

Captain, ship, crew was always an interesting experience with the Black Glove Pirates, especially when they were all somewhat drunk. They took great pleasure in calling out, "What's the point, and who's the hammer?" to which the Devil Fruit Users would gladly reply, "We are!" They always set the captain die before Cassandra, and she responded with an acknowledging nod. The inevitable argument over tied scores were settled all kinds of ways: dice, coins, shots, fights… nothing unexpected aboard the _Howling Knave_.

They all collectively groaned as Lyn rolled a perfect set on her first try. "Okay, who thought playing this shit with Lynlyn was gonna be a good idea?" Jordan complained.

"Hey, it isn't over yet," Alexander reminded her. "We still have a chance."

A few minutes later, Morgan reclined in his chair and put his hands over his eyes, and Cain slumped against the mast. "All right, little miss, what question do you have?"

"If you got a tattoo…" She giggled as Alexander slowly rested his head on the table. "Where would you get one?"

"Are you kidding me?" the musician asked, his voice somewhat stifled by the wood. "Are you _still_ stuck on this? Do you need to see a therapist about it or something?"

"Miserie wants to get a kraken on her shoulder," the mermaid said instantly. "Captain showed her a book with pictures about sea monsters. Miserie thinks they look cool."

Cain thumped his chest. "Black hand, right here. Or maybe on my back behind the mountain. I may not be able to do a full Jolly Roger on account of being a bandit soldier and all, but that doesn't mean I don't have crew pride."

"Can't get one, no point," Jordan added.

"No, but if you could, what would it be?"

The Changeling wiped her hand across her face, plastering a waxing crescent moon across her right eye, nose, cheek, and lips. "I already have the only thing that matters. I like to get tats once in a while, but they're never permanent."

"I like Cain's idea," Cassandra said as Jordan rid the moon from her face. "It has a slightly different meaning for me, but it's still pretty good."

Morgan reddened. "On your chest, Captain?"

His eyes darted away when she looked over at him. "If you'll kindly stop thinking about my breasts for a moment, how about you contribute?"

"The royal flag of Winter Isle," he said curtly. "I don't know where it would go."

"Winter Isle has a flag?" Jordan asked. "I thought you were split in three."

"We are. For now."

Cassandra smiled. "See, that's why I let you join. We all know what Alexander's going to get. Damien? No? Well, you weren't lowest, and like us Moon Sisters, you can't get one, so not really a point. Round two?"

By the time they had all finished the dice again, Morgan had his elbows on the table and his face in his hands, Jordan was flat on the deck, and Alexander was arguing with Cassandra. "Why, why did you think this was a good idea again?"

"Oh come on. Do you think she controls chance or something?"

"I know that, but it still feels-"

"Lyn won again. Deal with it."

The artist gave her proudest, most radiant smile. "So, Alex…"

"Alexander," he grated out.

"Oh, take another shot, _Alexander_. If you could magically go to anyplace right now, where would you go?"

For once, it wasn't Miserie to immediately answer. "Marineford," Damien snarled.

"No offense," Cain said cautiously, "but don't you think you need a little more training first?"

"Fuck that. Get the swine-rapin' corn'olin' flea-garglin' needle-dicked anus-spreader before me, no fuckin' trainin's needed."

"I'm not quite like Hothead. I'll take going to All Blue. There's a restaurant set up there, the best in the world."

Morgan sat bolt upright. "How on earth does a commoner like you know about Eros Cuisine?"

"Commoner? Come now, I thought we had moved past that."

"Nevertheless, how do you know?"

"It was founded by King Luffy's cook. Why wouldn't I know about it?"

"Neeeeeeerrrrrrd!" Lyn giggled after her own outburst. "I'd go to the moon! That'd be so sick! I'd get to see the whole world! Not up close, of course, but still! What about you, Captain?"

She hesitated before speaking. "One Piece."

Jordan swatted her back. "Bullshit. There's no way you'd just jump straight there. Try again."

"The Academy, so I care all the recruits to death."

The assassin smirked. "That's more like it. I dunno where I'd go."

"I'm surprised," Cain boomed. "I would have thought you'd want to be in the world's biggest brothel or something."

"Funny, but that's not what I'd do with a magic teleportation. I can get fuckbuddies anywhere I choose. No, I'd go somewhere like the Peachy Queendom or Mariejois."

"Jay, you are not assassinating the Fairy Doctor."

She scoffed. "No, no, no. Of course not. Just stopping by and saying hi, that's all."

"Right. Well, anywhere else people would like to be?"

"Summer Isle." Everyone looked at Cain in surprise. "I've never been, but I'm a pirate now. I think it'd be interesting to visit. Plus, you've mentioned the statues of the Pirate Kings. It'd be nice to see where Captain Libera will stand."

"What, don't want it to be a surprise?" she asked teasingly.

"If you want, I suppose."

"Good. Any other takers? Miserie?"

The mermaid ducked out of sight. "She doesn't know."

"That's okay; that's fine," Cassandra assured her. "We don't all have places. Now, let's try again. Lyn, if you could find it in your heart _not_ to force us to hang you by your toes, that'd be much appreciated."

Lyn only beamed. When it was her turn to roll the dice again, she took extra care to show she wasn't cheating in any way. Jordan watched the artist attentively, and Cassandra had to push her over when her eyes started to stray. Morgan also shook the dice longer than usual, even blowing on them before he rolled. His resulting dead roll caused guffaws all around, and they only laughed harder at his angry protests.

In the end, Jordan eked out the victory with a single pip over Lyn. Her smug grin caused Cassandra to groan. She knew what was coming. "Who is the person you want to fuck the most?"

Alexander closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. He had managed to avoid last place, however, and that honor had fallen to Cain. The enormous pirate rubbed the back of his neck and gave an embarrassed cough. "C'mon, Cain," Lyn bubbled. "Who was it?"

"There was… another soldier in my unit," he said at last. "We were… close friends. We couldn't see each other any more when I became Morgan's personal guard. Not that I regret my decision to accept my assignment," he assured his charge. "I'm glad I took that position."

"You never mentioned this," Morgan said in confusion. "Who was she?"

"Nobody you met. We haven't seen each other since my reassignment. We thought it would be easier this way."

Lyn threw herself onto his lap. "Silly Cain! What about what you want?"

"I wanted to be the heir's protector. At the time, that was more important. It was the choice I made, and I'll stand by it."

"At the time?" Cassandra prompted.

Cain shrugged. "What can I say, Captain Libera? Opinions change when exposed to new experiences."

Jordan nodded understandingly. "So that's Caicai. Who's next? Cici, what about you?"

She kept her face perfectly blank. "Pass."

"Oh, don't be such a fraidy-cat!" Lyn exclaimed. "Isn't there anyone?"

"I'm pretty sure there is," Jordan said with an evil grin. "Weren't you all about being open, no secrets, that kinda thing?"

"Pythia's boyfriend," she said flatly. "Now that I have my Devil Fruit, I won't instantly die when I touch him."

"Wait, why would you die?" Lyn asked.

"He loves his venomous spines. One prick and you're probably gonna die slowly and painfully."

"Oh." Lyn cocked her head to the side and gave a slight frown. "So why-"

"Enough about him," she cut in. "What about you?"

The artist gave her trademark dazzling smile. "Secret!"

Jordan was surprisingly satisfied with that answer. "Fine with me. I'd say… Helhel." They all looked at Cassandra, whose grip threatened to shatter her glass. "Oh, come on, Cici. Do I really have any other option? Gorgeous blue hair, amazing bronze skin, lips that could-"

She was interrupted when Cain gently plucked her from her seat. "Don't antagonize her. You've given your answer; no need to irritate her further."

"Thank you. Damien? Alexander? Either of you want to chime in?" Alexander shook his head vigorously, and Damien simply ignored her. "Well then. Last chance, anyone? Fine. Round three."

After a few questionable calls and the table being jostled, Morgan emerged as the victor. His air of triumph as he stood up was just begging to be popped, and they all knew it. "If you had a hundred million Beli to spend however you wished, what would you purchase?"

Everyone paused as they thought about it. It was a sensible question, and nobody missed Alexander's grateful expression. After a moment, Lyn asked, "Can I give it to Captain?"

"No," he said in confusion. "It's your money to use... Why would you even do that?"

"Well, she's Captain, so she knows how to do things better than me. I can just tell her what I want, and she can get it cheapest. That way, I can get the most for the least amount of money!"

He closed his eyes as he prayed for patience. "Yes. That last part. What is it you want?"

"Iunno!" She giggled as he worked to contain his frustration. "I don't need a lot of expensive stuff! Tattoos are costly, sure, but I'm still gonna be a pirate! No rent or eating expenses, transport, doctor fees… basically set!"

"Aye," Damien grunted, and Miserie echoed his statement.

"I'm Hundred Face. I take what I want, and my family's not exactly poor either. Especially when I get this whole snafu sorted out, funds won't exactly be a problem."

"I have a similar initial sentiment to Lyn," Cain admitted. "I'd give it to you, Morgan, but I'd ask you to purchase the finest ingredients you could to make a magnificent spread."

Lyn burped loudly. "Man, we just stuffed ourselves last night! How can you be so- what am I saying, you're always hungry."

"I'd buy a grand piano," Alexander said, "a few other instruments, some vintage Criminal clothes, a prime Gior suit or two… and a monument on the Charred Island to memorialize those who fell."

To say everyone was taken aback would be putting it lightly. Morgan raised his glass in solemn silence, and the rest followed suit. After a moment of respectful prayer, they all waited for someone else to speak up. Cassandra certainly wasn't going to mention her desire for new weapons and weaponcrafting devices. After a minute, Alexander scooped up the dice and began shaking them.

When all was said and done, Cain was left scratching his chin as he thought of something to ask. "If you had to change careers - not that I want to, Captain Libera - to something completely different from what you've done before, what would it be? For example, Alexander, you can't be a musician, and Jordan, you can't be an assassin."

"Can I be a pirate?" the impersonator asked impishly.

"No," Cassandra said. "You're not one of mine, but you've had enough experience with us. Choose something else."

"Well, how about an actor? Strictly speaking-"

"Try again."

Jordan groaned loudly. "Such a bitch. A fucking exotic dancer?"

"Now when you say 'fucking exotic dancer,'" Lyn said slowly, "do you mean actually?"

Alexander swatted her, but Jordan only chuckled. "Anything works for me."

"I would be a banker," Morgan stated. "Before you ask, yes, of course I would attempt to embezzle. I am a bandit and a pirate. However, I would not be caught."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "And exactly how would you not?"

"Once a Black Glove Pirate, always a Black Glove Pirate," he said with a fiendish smirk. "While you are under no obligation to help me, I am sure that some of you would aid me in such an endeavor in whatever way possible."

"Oh, so now you're part of the crew?" Jordan asked.

"Of course I am. I have satisfied my conditions, only attempted to have Captain killed once, and do not shirk my duties. I am most certainly part of this crew. Isn't that right?"

"He is," Cassandra confirmed. "Just as much as the rest of us. Since I can't be a mercenary, probably try to join a firearm manufacturing company. I'd be the ideal person to test their products, and with a little teaching, I could help make them."

"I hardly think being a pirate historian should count," Alexander said. "It is one thing to keep track of things-"

Lyn cut in with a loud buzzer sound. "Try again."

"Museum curator, then," he said. "That should be fine, right?"

"Yeah, whatever. That's so boooring. I wanna be a bartender!"

Alexander thought for a moment. "Weren't you a part-time bartender in Alamentia?"

"Merchant!"

"You helped merchants all the time."

"Uh… dancer!"

"Didn't you also do that?"

The artist tackled him to the floor and sat on him, ignoring his protests. "I dunno then. I'm sure there's tons of other things that'd be awesome to do, but I can't think of them right now. What about you, Cain?"

"I asked because I was curious. I don't actually know what I'd do. As I've been chastised about so many times, I don't have a lot of diversity when it comes to hobbies and interests." Cassandra made a show of averting her eyes. "Any others?"

"Miserie doesn't know." Damien grunted as well.

"No, Damien, you rolled lowest," she reminded him. "What would you be?"

"Fuckin' babysitter."

"You're supposed to be honest."

"Wha's it fuckin' matter? There ain' no fuckin' retirin' or job changin'. I'll fight 'til I die, an' nothin's changin' that."

Cain extended his hands before Cassandra could speak. "That's fine and reasonable. Let's just move on, shall we?"

The shenanigans continued, including Jordan 'accidentally' knocking Lyn's dice off the table. Her replacement roll was astoundingly low, and Cassandra was forced to comfort the pouting first mate while Alexander, Jordan, and Morgan smiled unashamedly. Cassandra, on the other hand, had gotten the feel of the dice and managed to get a near perfect score. Nobody thought the result suspicious, except for Damien, who did nothing but curl his lip. She decided to be kind to him on account of his silence and asked a question to which she already knew the answer. "You're about to be executed, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. What is your last meal?"

He gave an amused smirk. "Got no problem with that. Raw meat wit' 'ellfire sauce an' knock-out booze."

"Now, when you say meal…" Morgan trailed off.

"You wait until the end," she said. "We don't need you making us all feel dumb."

A genuine smile spread across his face. "As you say. Then what would you have?"

"Nothing much. Blue lotus petals and an apple covered entirely in gold leaf."

"That'd be so cool!" Lyn gushed. "That's so you!"

Cassandra gave an appreciative nod. "And you?"

"Dunno! Pizza, kebabs, hot dogs, or something like that!"

"Street food," Morgan restated flatly. "Of all the food in the world, you pick street food. Have you not matured at all?"

She beamed at him. "Nope! Why be so boring?"

Alexander shook his head. "Why indeed. I think I'd have fried plantains, oxtail, rice and beans, baked swordfish with mango chutney mixed with ginger, and bread pudding. Ain't that right, mate?"

The navigator howled with laughter. "No' bad, Songbird, not bad!"

"I would have Sahmirian boar, broiled island whale steak, fermented Nemuartsksom shark, dark bread with salted butter, goose eggs, beans, peas, onions…" Cain trailed off as he thought. "Oh, everfull stew as well. I couldn't ignore that."

"And your drink?" Morgan asked.

"Every variety of mead and ale I could get. Nothing quite like those to wash down food like those."

"Okay, my turn," Jordan said. "Does eating pussy count?" She gave a pout when the second mate didn't bat an eyelash. "You're no fun, Alal."

"Alexander."

"There we go. I don't know what I'd do. Probably pufferfish or ackee, something that's supposedly good but might kill me. Hell, I'm gonna die anyway, might as well flip a coin a little earlier."

"That wasn't quite where I was going with my question, but I guess that works too," Cassandra told her.

"Miserie wants shellfish of all kinds prepared by Morgan. She likes his cooking."

"Thank you, Miserie, for showing respect to my profession. Would that be so difficult for the rest of you?"

Cassandra kicked his chair. "Just go."

Morgan sat up straight and adjusted his clothes. "The first course would be a sampling of salted herring, smoked salmon, salo is a special type of cured pork, caviar, deviled eggs, pickled vegetables, and salads, paired a bottle of Brigandine lemon vodka. Along with those would be cabbage soup homemade from Winter Isle itself. That would be followed by the main course of stroganoff, sturgeon, stuffed geese, pheasant and duck, and roast veal. For this, I would choose sweet sparkling wine from the Crehmon Empire and red wine from Raksteli Island. Finally, I would end with the finest vodka from Snow Rose Island accompanied by varenye, the preserve I attempted to prepare last island but was overruled by those rude Juhlans."

"Damn, boy," Jordan said at last. "Did you somehow get Caicai's stomach?"

"I would sample as much as I could. It would be quite a lot to take in, but it would be the perfect meal with which to end my life."

"You have to make that for us one day!" the first mate exclaimed. "That sounds so delicious!"

"I assure you that I will make that at some point, and it will be the finest meal you have ever eaten."

"Better than Eros Cuisine?" Alexander asked.

Morgan gave a proud smirk. "Amateur cooking compared to mine."

"Sure it is," Jordan said, grabbing the dice before Lyn could. "No cheating, darlin'. This time it's all me."

She wound up not getting any points at all. Lyn scored near the bottom, and Cassandra would have won had Alexander not edged her out at the last moment. He idly shook the dice in his hands as he thought about what to ask. "If you could take over someone's body, whose would it be?"

"Fuck you," Jordan snapped. "That's targeting; take a shot."

"Wrong game," Cassandra said. As tempted as she was to just say she liked being in her own body, that wasn't the point of the game. "I'd say Damien, but all the meat in your head would make it impossible to think." She dodged his swipe. "So I'm going with Shar D. Bol's. A Logia User on her way down the Line, fame and reputation, what's not to like?"

"Her femininity and lack of territory," Morgan said curtly. "The Five Stars share power, which is not really my style. I would prefer Han Janz."

Alexander raised his eyebrows in surprise. "The Governor? But he's a pirate. You scorn pirates."

"He is so more than just a pirate. He controls lands in all five oceans and is widely respected for being firm and fair. Yes, I've done my research. He is an Emperor in every meaning of the word. What I would do to rule even a fraction of what he does."

"Gonna hop ship the instant we hit a Janzian island?" Cassandra asked.

"I am not that stupid," he snapped. "It is demeaning enough to be the servant aboard one pirate ship. I cannot fathom attempting to advance through the ranks of another. Besides, if you become Pirate Queen, you will be ruler of the seas. I would rather be the close crewmember of the Queen than one tiny cog in the machine of an Emperor."

"Fair enough. Cain?"

"Uh… I'm sure there are others, but the one that comes most easily to mind is Andres."

Cassandra sighed. "Of course you would. Proper soldier, not the leader, but high enough to order people about. Way to stretch your imagination."

"I'm sorry!" he said. "He's the first one I thought of!"

"Stop picking on him!" Lyn protested. "He is who he is, boring as hell! No offense."

"None taken."

"As for me, I'd be Raven! She's smart, fast doesn't need to sleep, and she's basically unstoppable!"

"Oh, dear spirits." Alexander rubbed his forehead. "That would just be completely intolerable. I think I'd walk the plank if that happened."

"Nah, I'd just save you!" she said brightly.

The alchemist groaned. "Of course you would. There'd just be no escape."

She catapulted herself forward and snagged him in her embrace. "C'mon, Alexander, you know you'd love it! It'd be so much fun!"

"I'm sure," he said, not even bothering trying to extract himself. "What about you?"

"Miserie would want to be Constance. She is brave and strong. She could be really mean, but she's really nice. She was understanding to Miserie, and everyone that works for her likes her. She also defends her workers from bullies. She even does it if those bullies are other workers."

"See, that is a good answer," Alexander told the woman clinging to him. "Thank you, Miserie."

She blushed and tried her best to hide behind the yard. "You are welcome."

"And you?" Cassandra asked him. "Who would you be?"

"I couldn't tell you their names. There are people still alive who have conversed with King Luffy and King Gar, maybe even King Roger."

"I thought the question was if you could become them, not meet them," Cain said.

Alexander smiled. "You misunderstand. I would want to, even for a moment, know what it would be like to feel the immensity of all that history. As much as I would like to talk with them, knowing how that weight feels on my body would be such an amazing experience."

"All you have to do is live through the next three Kings!" Lyn shouted. "Easy!"

"Yes. Just live for the next century or two. Easy. And last, but not certainly not least, Jordan. You lost, so you have to answer."

"First off, what about Didi?" The navigator's answer was a derisive guffaw. "Fine. I can change into anyone. Why would I want to switch?"

"Because you of all people should know that mimicking and switching are different."

The Changeling pressed her lips into a thin line. Cassandra was surprised to see her altering the colors of her fingers beneath the table. "Do I have to explain myself?"

"Not if you don't want to!" Lyn exclaimed. "Just the name."

She nodded and took a deep, calming breath, her eyes fixed on the table. "Cici."

Of all the answers Cassandra had been expecting, her name had not been one of them. Everyone was equally stunned and didn't know what to say. She moved her hand to the side slightly and gently took Jordan's hand. The assassin started, then gave a weak smile as her fingers stilled and wrapped around her Sister's glove. Cassandra squeezed slightly and briefly bowed her head. "I'm honored."

The game broke down from there. Lyn and Cassandra tied one pip off a perfect score, and the two pirates exchanged grins. Those promptly evaporated as Damien to swung his feet over his head into a suspended sitting position so he glare angrily at his captain. Cassandra hastily ordered a re-roll, but the next round was even worse. Lyn tied with Cain, but the shipwright couldn't think of any questions and the first mate generously declined as well. Damien refused to ask anything because he hadn't rolled highest, and Morgan had to uphold the honor of bandits and follow suit. Instead of trying once more, Cassandra declared the game over.

It had been a good night anyway. They had been playing various games for hours, almost completely through first watch. When Morgan pointed that out, he also reminded her that he couldn't very well stay up during second watch and prepare breakfast during third. His arguments for using their ingredients at their freshest didn't sway her, but she let him off anyway. The mood aboard the _Howling Knave_ was good, and she didn't want to ruin it.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Damien paused during his endless repetition of sit-ups with his feet hooked on the main top-gallant yard. His brow furrowed, and he turned to face the black ocean. The Line was lightly sprinkling salt grains all over the place, but he had been largely ignoring that. He could feel, he could sense the approaching mass of life. He knew that feel, and he wanted it gone. He flipped onto the yard before hopping lightly off. His splash almost reached the deck, and he began swimming towards the enemy ship.

He had barely moved away at all when he found himself with company. "What is Damien doing?"

"Swimmin'," he growled as he surfaced. "Now fuck off."

Contrary to what he expected, the mermaid continued to easily glide beside him. "Why is he swimming? Miserie thought he had watch."

"Ditchin' you cumlings. Go tell Cap'n."

She kept his pace as she thought. "Why is Damien part of the crew if he does not like being with them?" The mermaid didn't get the hint when he remained silent. "Miserie likes being with them, but she doesn't like stares. That is why she isn't around them as much. But Damien is the opposite. He doesn't care about staring, but he is always away. Miserie doesn't understand."

He was more focused on the water around him. Instead of asking more questions, she began to notice too. Along with the natural pulse of the ocean, the thrum that matched the beat of his heart, there was something else. He knew she could feel it as well, probably even better than he did. A rhythmic thrum shook the waters as they approached, and the spirits gave his eyes the vision he needed. The ocean sizzled as he looked around, and his growl caused a few more bubbles. The damnable ship even had oars. The motherfucker was trying too hard.

"What is going on?" she whispered.

The oars were accompanied by a drum and call, which explained their speed and efficiency. That explained their chickenshit way of navigating. He hated them more with every passing second. Taking a deep breath, he dove underwater and smirked. He pulled himself beneath the lump of iron that protruded from the bow of the ship and grabbed onto the keel. He bounded along the bottom of the hull on all fours, scraping off barnacles as he went.

The mermaid swam below him, always watching. When she spoke, her voice came clear through the water as if talking in air. "Do you need help?"

When he reached the end of the keel, he dug his fingers into the wood and swung around to drive his toes into the stern. The momentum from the ship carried his torso back, and he clenched his muscles to bring his body against the planks. Grinning madly, he began clambering towards the surface. Although he did gasp for air when he left the water, his pace never let up. He had business aboard this ship.

He was very abruptly grabbed around his middle and lifted into the air. He pushed away from the wood so he wouldn't crash into the floor of the cabin like an idiot, and caught the lip of the final room. They careened through the air and landed heavily on the roof. He rolled to his feet and shoved her off of him. She just smiled infuriatingly. He walked along the roof and dropped to the balcony below. The man was ready to fight, but Damien had speed powered by fury. He sunk his claws into the man's neck and ripped out his throat before he could so much as squeak. Damien dragged the body through the open door and dumped him before the wheel.

"By the go-" The helmsman was cut off when Damien hefted the guard's sword and threw it hard enough to knock the other pirate against the wall.

"Such a fuckin' weakass pansy," he snarled. "Wha' kinda fuckin' 'elmsman 'as a fuckin' roof?"

Despite his pain, the other pirate twisted his face in utter confusion. "What?"


	52. Echoes of an Epic War

Xiphos' head snapped around as a loud crash rang out from the helm. His men were far too disciplined to cause unneeded noise at such a critical time. He gestured for four men to investigate, and a quartet instantly broke off from the their position at the rails and went to the room as silently as possible. They neatly split up into pairs to flank the door and held still with their swords at the ready. One of them, Xiphos could not discern whom it was, counted down as they prepared to enter.

Quite unexpectedly, a loud explosion caused all of the men on deck to take cover behind their shields. When Xiphos stood up straight, he was amazed to see most of the helm's roof and walls had been completely obliterated. The quartet staggered to their feet as they tried to figure out what had happened. The captain cut his hand through the air, and silence fell upon the deck. A figure materialized from the smoking remains, and everyone on deck simultaneously aimed their weapons at it. When Xiphos' eyes adjusted to the darkness once more, his bushy brow grew tightly together.

"I know you," he said slowly. "You are… Damien. Cassandra's phantom crewmember."

"Nah, that's Blackie."

"Halt!" Xiphos commanded, pointing his spear at the man. "Do not take another step."

Damien's beastly grin widened. "Or fuckin' what?"

"We will be forced to take appropriate measures. What do you want?"

"Yahahar! I got what I wan'!"

"And what was it you wanted?"

"Yer micropeen 'elmsman's lily liver!" He tossed something over to Xiphos that bounced wetly and slid to a stop.

"Hold!" As enraged as Xiphos was, he had to maintain his composure. "You killed Hierax. That has consequences."

He only scoffed. "I did ya a fuckin' favor. Now you can get a proper motherfucker wit more spine than a jellyfish." Even the most disciplined men can be pushed too far. With a cry of fury, one of his crew threw his spear at Damien. The man snatched the spear out of midair and crushed it in his fist. When the soldier rushed up with his sword drawn, Damien easily ducked and wove around the attempted attacks. "See, tha's more like it."

"Stand down!" Xiphos boomed. "Stand down!"

"Why?" Damien asked, catching the sword his armored gauntlet. "'E's 'ow a proper fuckin' pirate should be. None o' this army twaddle you cockgobblers been playin' at." The soldier punched Damien squarely in the face. Damien responded by putting him in a headlock. "Course you're all thick as pigshit, so it don' matter much, do it?"

Xiphos clenched his jaw. "Why do you never fight?"

"Yahahahahar! The fuck kinda stuff you druggies take?"

"Damien, release him at once."

The pirate grinned madly and pulled hard enough to twist the soldier's neck clean around. "Y'all 're messed in the 'ead, you know tha'?"

"Restrain him!" Soldiers rushed forward, each of them battle-hardened and strong enough to command a ship of their own if they desired. Damien avoided most of their attacks and ignored the slices and gouges that struck him. Strangely, his gaze never left Xiphos.

"Sides, yer the tricky fucker tryna sneak up on us. I wasn' tryin' ta fuck wit' all y'all."

Xiphos ground his teeth. Damien was obviously no ordinary man. Cassandra had been holding him back after all. "Forget restraining him; kill him! A cask and reward to the one who takes his head!"

"No!" The sharp cry caused them all to look around. The soldier who attempted to stab Damien while he wasn't looking was backhanded into the sea. Eventually, one of his men shouted, and they all followed his gaze to the broken helm. Someone was hiding behind the smoldering wall and vanished completely when it saw them.

"Why're you still 'ere?" Damien asked. "Thought you'da fucked off by now."

"She was worried about Damien. Should she go get Captain?"

"Does it look like I need 'er fuckin' help?"

Three men leapt clear up to the helm and aimed their spears at the other intruder. "Who are you?"

"How many godsdamned crewmembers does she actually have?" Xiphos growled. "Seize that one. Perhaps we can use her as leverage."

"No, no, no, nononono!" came the increasingly panicked yell. "Get away from Miserie! Go away! She'll never be captured again! Stop staring at her! STOP STARING! VERI KUOHUU!"

Xiphos slammed his spear on the deck. This was getting too out of hand. He knew that Cassandra was a duplicitous shrew with all sorts of ploys she was willing to use, but he could tolerate it no more. It was bad enough that she had somehow acquired a set Log Pose, forcing him to do the same, but to see through his sneak attack seemed completely impossible. For all she spoke of honor, she had remarkably little of it. He would put an end to her lies once and for all.

Despite the odd song pouring forth, his soldiers remained in formation. Damien, on the other hand, seemed to be suffering greatly. He took staggering steps back, writhing as if in pain. Flames began leaking from his body, and all of the Hoplite Pirates raised their shields as one. Xiphos saw a brief flash of white and red jump away, presumably Cassandra's other crewmember, but made no movement to chase after them. It was the man before them who demanded their immediate attention.

When Damien let loose a deafening roar that resonated in Xiphos' very bones, the flames pouring from his body seemed to manifest as some malevolent demon. It gave its own silent howl and arced towards them. "Take cover!" Xiphos shouted.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Lyn's voice cut through her nightmare like a blade. "Captain! Stop! Wait, Captain!"

Cassandra shook her head. She had Miserie's silver collar in one hand and a knife in the other. The mermaid was hyperventilating and staring at her with eyes the size of dinner plates. Cassandra released the two pieces of metal like she had been burned and recoiled. Lyn pulled Cassandra off Miserie and, when the mermaid retreated slightly as Lyn extended her arms, drew the captain into a tight hug instead. When Miserie's terrified eyes went to hers, she immediately buried her face in Cassandra's hair. "Are you okay, Miserie?"

"I'm so sorry," Cassandra said hastily, also averting her eyes. "I didn't mean to- I didn't mean to do that! I'm not exactly the safest person to wake up!"

The mermaid burrowed into her captain's bedsheets before she spoke. "Captain can explain later. Miserie also did something."

"It's fine, it's fine," Cassandra said soothingly. "It's okay. Don't worry about it."

"Miserie isn't worried. She thinks Captain will be."

Cassandra gave a small frown. "Wait, why do you think I'll be-" The pounding in her ears had subsided enough for her to actually pay attention to the sounds outside. "Miserie, what's going on?"

"Damien said he was taking a swim, and Miserie followed him. He went to Xiphos' ship, which had long sticks coming from it, and Miserie helped him on board. He and Xiphos talked, and Xiphos said to kill Damien, so Miserie shouted, so Xiphos sent pirates after her, so she began to sing-"

The pirate captain was already on her feet and sprinting out the door, Lyn tight on her heels. Xiphos' ship was indeed on fire, and she could hear Damien's bellows with ease. "Why didn't you stop him?" she yelled.

Miserie peeked out from the doorframe. "Xiphos was going to hurt the crew. Miserie thought Damien should kill them all."

"This is exactly what I didn't want. I didn't want to engage Xiphos on familiar territory." All of her options flashed through her mind, and she had already begun acting upon it before she started talking again. "Give me ten seconds to arm myself, then take me over there. Lyn, wake the others. We need everyone prepared for this."

"Shouldn't Captain put on clothes first?"

Cassandra forced her hand by jumping overboard and shedding her pyjama bottoms. The last thing she needed was her legs hampered by soaked clothing. Miserie caught her on the way down and darted over to _Aetos_. She dove for a moment so she could propel herself over the ship and release Cassandra. The pirate captain grabbed a rope and swung around, landing on a yard so she could better gauge the situation.

Much of the deck was on fire and damaged, but the soldiers paid it little heed. They were in tight formation, shields locked together, spears pointed at the berserker in the middle of their circle. Xiphos and Damien were engaged in pitched battle, neither of them having the upper hand. Damien was using his superior speed to hammer the general from every direction, but Xiphos' spear enabled him to ward off attacks from every direction and his armor was still holding. Damien was barely bleeding at all, which was one more thing she didn't need to worry about, but the two ships were still drawing together. She needed to act.

"Voluntas Carnae." She slipped off the beam and landed noiselessly on the deck. She opened fire on the soldiers in front of her, sowing immediate chaos. The instant they turned on her, she kicked off and flipped overboard. Miserie quickly grabbed her as she sunk and glided under the ship, barely avoiding the spears piercing through the water.

"Captain should stay on board. Miserie was worried about all of the fighting, so she asked some butcher sharks and a squid to make sure other hungry fish don't come near. She isn't sure some the less cooperative fish will listen, though."

Cassandra had no idea what the mermaid was talking about, but she trusted Miserie knew what she was doing. The captain was whisked away, and they soared above the ship once more. Miserie got her signal and let her go midair. She skidded across the deck, noting how disruptive her initial attack had been. Something sharp caught the sole of her foot. and she left a trail of blood across the wooden boards. Two quads of soldiers instantly turned to her, boxing her against the forecastle cabin wall. "Andres, Libera is here!"

The first mate immediately came over, three marginally smaller men trailing behind him. "Captain Libera." His voice was as harsh as ever. "You boast of honor, yet you leave as suddenly as mist in the sun."

"How is that honorless?" she snapped back. "We had to leave Rime as soon as possible. We gave you your feast and brawl. What more did you need?"

"You spoke of our alliance against the dangers of the island of frost and abandoned us not a week after."

"Yes, because in the end, my crew is more important than yours. Speaking of honor, who tried to sneak up on whom in the dead of night?"

"Once honor is tarnished, anything is viable."

She gave a dark smile. "Your mistake was thinking I didn't know what you were thinking. People with honor are so easy to read. That's why I don't have any."

Andres thrust his spear at her, and she ducked to the side just enough so he could slice her side. She dodged his next few pokes before leaping onto the railing behind her. She had contemplated leaving her Devil Fruit as an element of surprise, but malicious anger was simmering within her. "If you're not a crewmate or a sister of mine, you shouldn't believe anything I say."

"Any other advice you wish to impart?"

"One of us will be meeting their gods soon, so not really. Ferrum Bellonae!"

"Klisi tou Patroklos." Cassandra reacted the instant she saw the other soldiers move. Unlike her navigator, she had no intention of fighting inside a closed space. However, she did recognize the danger of Xiphos' spearmen. The soldiers in front of her still had their shields locked, and she knew she stood absolutely no chance of breaking through with brute strength. She grabbed her pistol and knife, and the force of the spear she blocked knocked her onto the forecastle deck. She slid to a stop and watched the men march up the stairs with infuriating coordination. The ship rocked slightly as it passed the _Knave_ and the splintering of oars could be heard above all of the chaos. Things weren't going so badly after all.

After a few low shots deflected by lowered shields or greaves, she had a better feel for the opponent before her. Andres landed before her, his spear abandoned in favor of his sword. His blade came down with impressive speed, and slicing clean through her knife's blade and part of her opposite shoulder. She hastily grabbed the other knife as it fell from its ruined holster and hopped away from his subsequent attack. His shield was an impenetrable wall she couldn't breach, though she was patiently chipping away with the occasional shot in one particular area near the top. The soldiers surrounding her occasionally thrust their spears at her, but none of them managed more than a light scratch.

Their fight was interrupted as a familiar gunshot rang out and Andres' sword was knocked from his hand. As he turned to face the new threat, his three subordinates moved to cover him. Cassandra was darting forward before they had taken their first step. "Manus Lavernae!" She spun around the leading man, ignoring the spear gouging a long chunk of flesh from her side, and rammed her knife below the base of his helmet. She focused all of her strength into that one arm and pushed off, neatly avoiding the spears of the remaining two. She landed on the second's shoulders and violently twisted his helmet around. He grabbed her arm and yanked her off, but when he reached the peak of his throw, she used the unorthodox angle to shoot right behind the third's collarbone. The soldier yelled in pain and brought his shield arm to his neck, but she couldn't make use of the opportunity as she somersaulted across the deck.

She kicked up to a standing position and deftly slid between two outthrust spears. She slammed to a stop against a shield, and the two spears immediately closed to contain her. She slid down to the ground and tucked to the side, avoiding one of the spears stabbed at her. The other pinned her free hand to the deck, but she had the window she needed. The second of Andres' men turned his helmet back just in time for her to put a bullet through each of his eyes. Another spear punctured her left arm and bit deep into the wooden boards, immobilizing her completely. The third man ran over to her and put his spear at her throat, lifting her chin.

"Tell your men to stand down," he commanded as a sniper round crashed into Andres' shield. He just managed to use the split second that his shield had held and avoid any serious damage. The bullet tore through his armor, left shoulder, the other side of his armor, and the deck behind him. She felt a twinge of pride among the much more numerous and much stronger twinges of pain accentuated by the occasional falling grain of salt. There wasn't much that could stop a shot from her sniper rifle at this range.

"Nobody tells me what to do," she said through a mad grin.

"Tell them to stand down!" he repeated, pressing the spearhead hard enough to break her skin.

Cassandra slowly, agonizingly, pulled herself to her feet. Her limbs left blood as they slid up the spear shafts, and as composed as the soldier pretended to be, she could see the flickers of shock in his eyes. "Did Xiphos tell you to take me alive? Such a shame."

Yet another spear plunged through her thigh, stopping her ascent. "You are not needed in one piece," he informed her.

"Nor is Xiphos. How's he doing, by the way? Once Damien gets it in his head he wants to kill someone, he's awfully hard to stop."

Any further conversation was cut off as a large shape slammed into the deck. She instantly recognized Cain's distinctive white armor, still sporting much of the damage Flake had inflicted upon it, but the second figure gave her pause. A much smaller person dropped off his shoulders and landed lightly, a rapier in one hand and a broken greatsword in the other. As horrified as she was to find Lyn aboard, she was amazed by the suit of armor the swordswoman was wearing. It was nowhere near as extensive as Cain's plate mail, but she was still much more protected than she normally was. Her long white and black hair streamed from beneath her helm, and her eyes were completely devoid of her usual cheer.

"Help me with Captain, then help Damien!" she yelled.

"Reidi!" Basilikos came around like a reaper's scythe. Three men raised their shields in an attempt to block, but the shields and soldiers folded in half across the great battleaxe's blade.

The men backed warily away, but Andres' last immediate subordinate crouched in anticipation. "You shall not have her!"

"I will!" Lyn shouted back as she sprinted forward. The soldier swung his spear in a defensive swipe, and Lyn raised her broken sword to block. Before Cassandra could shout in protest, the spear was cleanly shorn off as it hit the blade. Fragments bounced off the swordswoman's armor, and she was pushed slightly to the side. Both he and the pirate captain were shocked as Lyn continued to run. "Taco de Billar!"

Her rapier stabbed clear through his hand. He roared and pulled his hand back, and her rapier slid easily out. He brought his shield around to knock her aside, but she drove her broken sword clean into the metal until it stuck fast. She hopped up and planted one foot on the hilt, using it to boost herself into the air. The soldier removed the shield from his vision just in time to see her knee smash into his nose hard enough to knock him backwards. She landed on the deck and pushed off once more.

"Pio Sajo!" Her rapier whipped across his forehead, slicing deep enough to cause blood to spurt out of his face. He howled and blindly threw his shield with enough force to knock her head clean off. Cain caught it, allowed Lyn to extract her blade, and hurled it back, smashing the man through the railings.

Cassandra could only gape as Lyn began pulling at the spears pinning her to the deck. "And just where the hell did that come from?"

The first mate ducked as Cain sent another man flying above them. "I didn't wanna fall behind, so Cain's been helping me out with some training and armor for a while. Do you like it?"

"Considering it just saved you from grievous harm, can't say I don't."

Although Lyn was able to slowly move the spears, she quickly gave up and simply hacked through them. Cassandra immediately fell to her knees, her face creased with pain as Lyn pulled out the remaining small pieces. "You should have waited for us."

"I needed them on the back foot," she said through gritted teeth. "Now they are."

"But-"

Cassandra clenched and unclenched her right hand, eyeing the repaired skin visible through the hole in her glove. "I'll be fine. I'm just glad Jay didn't get knocked off the _Knave_. That Eraser has one hell of a recoil."

Lyn carefully helped her to her feet. "You still should have waited."

She waved the matter aside. "How're the others doing?"

"Alexander and Morgan are holding off the boarders," Lyn said quickly. "Miserie's also jumping all over the place. She said to just knock them overboard."

"She does have her surprises. As do you. Why aren't you back on the _Knave_? It's safer there."

"It's safer here. Oh!" Lyn thrust several knives into her grasp. "Presents!"

"Lyn…" she growled.

"Look, I'm here now, so deal with it! Let's go!"

Seeing that the two women were okay and the other soldiers were scattered, Cain jumped over to the main deck. Andres had evidently figured out where Jordan was and threw his spear with impressive speed. Cassandra's jaw clenched as she heard the top of her mast explode into splinters. "That was a bad move, Andres. Farben von Isis!"

They both dashed forward with their blades in their hands. Andres turned back to them, a dark scowl visible through his helm. He drew his sword as he swung his shield. Cassandra slowed to avoid the shield while Lyn planted her feet firmly on the deck. She braced her rapier against her damaged sword, accepting the full force of Andres' blow. The blade that was shorn off hit her armor, biting through her back shoulder plate. It left a trail of blood as it spun away, and Lyn gave a cry of pain.

Cassandra ducked under his follow through and, with more adrenaline burning through her body, drove her fists hard enough into Andres' armor to knock him backwards. A few of her fingers broke, but they healed completely by the time she struck again. She leapt up while he was off-balance and tried to drive her knife into his eye. He twisted his head to the side, and she split his cheek and ear in half. Lyn bulled into him as well, causing him to lose his footing completely.

All three of them crashed through what little remained of the forecastle railing and onto the main deck. He knocked Cassandra aside, shattering a few more bones, and rolled to his feet. Grabbing a discarded sword, he faced off against the rival first mate once more. Cassandra couldn't tell whether Lyn was shaking due to excitement, fear, or both, but she knew she couldn't leave the swordswoman on her own. She tried to move, but agony lanced through the entire left side of her body, leaving her wheezing on the floor.

"Damas Saltando!"

"Sintrofos!"

Andres' wounds slowed him greatly, but Lyn was hurt as well. She relied significantly less on her left arm, keeping her right angled towards him at all times. She ducked and dodged his swipes, but he had a significant range advantage on her. She darted in to jab at weak points in his armor, but she was unable to score any hits. When the side of his shield clipped her rapier, she used the momentum to spin out of his reach and bat aside his attempted surprise strike.

The more they fought, the more haphazard Andres' attacks grew. As much as Cassandra wanted to help against Andres, she had to admit Lyn was holding her own. Cassandra focused on the few soldiers managed to avoid Cain's large swipes and the battle between Xiphos and Damien. Still recovering from the worst of her injuries, she did her best to put the errant pirates in the path of one of the other fights or incapacitate them herself. Their armor was proving difficult for her knives, but her bullets increased her effectiveness somewhat.

Lyn's clipped cry instantly drew her attention. The swordswoman was staggering backwards, clutching the armor crushed on her right side. Andres shield clattered away as he brought his sword down in a two-handed slash. She barely had time to brace her left arm against her right before he hit. She managed to deflect the sword away and push herself to the side, but her rapier was knocked from her hands. Andres gave a victorious shout as he swung down again, knowing there was no way she would be able to block or dodge this time.

"Hostiae Luae Munificae!" Cassandra's fists slammed into his fingers, completely stopping his strike. Both of their fingers broke, along with several bones in Cassandra's wrists and arms. Andres shouted and dropped his sword, giving her the briefest of moments she needed. Her extremities realigned themselves and her bones fused back together with painful rapidity, but she bore through the agony. Her upper body felt as if it were filled with lightning and thunder. Andres lunged forward, intent on finishing the two women with his bare hands, but Cassandra halted him once more. Their hands interlocked as they strained against each other. Cassandra knew in some corner of her mind that her body wasn't healing as fast as it was being torn apart and it wouldn't last forever, but she refused to yield.

Andres abruptly buckled, and Cassandra succeeded in pushing him over. Lyn pulled her greatsword from his leg and crawled after him. The pirate captain jumped forwards, her knives spinning into her hands. With a cry of pure fury, she lit into his face, ferociously stabbing and slicing away. Bits of flesh and hair flew all over, but she never let up her assault. His screams were swiftly stifled by blood, then silenced completely. He stopped flailing about as his limbs fell limply onto the deck. Cassandra sat back, her breast heaving with ire and the thrill of battle. Blood soaked her skin and what little clothes she wore and dripped from her knives. She leaned in and put her mouth to his ear, even though she knew he was dead. "Never, _ever_, touch my crew."

She slumped to the side and hit the wet deck hard. She knew the fight wasn't over. Damien and Xiphos had demolished the a good portion of the deck and moved their fight within the ship. Cain's armor was compromised in a dozen places, but he never took one step backwards. He continued to fend off the smaller soldiers, not letting them one hairsbreadth closer to the women behind him. Lyn finished dragging herself over and tugged Cassandra onto her with a small smile. "You went overboard again."

Cassandra shrugged, then her brain caught up with her. She pulled herself away, distancing herself as best she could from the first mate. She knew that regardless of how brave a face Lyn put on, the novice was still horrified by the sheer brutality and violence Damien could wreak upon his foes. Now she had first hand experience that Cassandra could be just as cruel and savage. The blood covering her was testament enough. "I had to."

"What's wrong?" Lyn asked softly.

"It's not over yet," was her curt response. "You're hurt. Get back to the _Knave_ and send Jay over."

"You're hurt too!" Lyn protested.

"I'll heal. Go, now."

"No! I can still fight!"

"But not as well as you could before. You know the _Knave_; you'll have defender's advantage."

Lyn bopped her forehead. "You're gonna pass out soon! I'm not leaving you!"

"You're not. We're still a crew fighting together. Cain! Get Lyn out of here and throw Jay over, Captain's Orders!"

"No, wait!"

"Vald!" He swung his axe around, giving him enough time to turn on his heel and run. He scooped the objecting first mate in his free hand and bounded from the ship. A few spears followed him, but Cassandra was upon the soldiers before they could retrieve fallen ones to throw again.

"Ferrum Bellonae!" As skilled as the soldiers were, it was much easier to deal with humans around her own size. The broken deck was not easy to maneuver upon, but she could still use mobility better than she could before. She knocked a few soldiers into the hole and listened in satisfaction as they caught on fire. Her pistols had been lost in the scuffle, and there was a disappointing lack of unused firearms that she could use. Lyn was right; her regeneration was beginning to flag, and her Fruit-enhanced stamina was reaching its limit.

She shook her head. Those were only excuses. She had to give absolutely everything she had. Her crew depended on her. Failure was unacceptable.

She used every trick she could to disrupt their formation. If they managed to group up once more, she would lose. She grabbed an outthrust spear and bodily heaved the man into the air. She sliced another's neck open, and the resulting arterial spray blinded a few nearby. When a sword bit into her shoulder, nearly cleaving her arm from her body, Cassandra used the resulting spasm to drive the butt of her knife into the soldier's philtrum, caving the center of her face in and killing her instantly. A sweeping downward kick pinned a spear to the ground, and her other foot followed through and hit the man's helmet hard enough to daze him.

The soldier about to run her through yelled as he was slugged right out to sea. Cassandra blinked in surprise as a shrunk-down Andres spun grabbed a spear and shattered it on a couple close soldiers. "Fucking madwoman, you know that?"

Cassandra didn't bother hiding her relief. "Gods, its good to see you."

He grabbed her and brought her into a rough kiss on the cheek. His grip weakened considerably, and he gave a roguish grin. "You always need me to save the day. How about-"

"Don't push your luck. Andern Mond."

"Andern Mond." Jordan clasped her hand and led the attack. The soldiers might have trained as a unit, but Cassandra felt unstoppable coordinating with herself. She knew her own fighting style, her reactions, her rhythm, her openings. Jordan had the advantage of knowing how she fought on top of his copied body mechanics doing what seemed most natural. He also was considerably less exhausted as she was, moving with a speed and fluidity she didn't currently possess. They swept through the soldiers like a hurricane. Jordan kept their shields from interlocking and dished out as much damage as he could while Cassandra covered the opportunities for counterattacks he allowed himself to have, blocking and intercepting the soldier's spears and swords.

With a final shout, they simultaneously drove their knives into the armpits of the final soldier. Her weapons tumbled from her limp fingers, and she was silenced when they stabbed deep into her neck. Their finishing twists were hard enough to separate her head from her body, and the two pieces fell wetly to the deck. They lowered their weapons and leaned heavily on each other's shoulders to catch their breath.

"We should do this more often," Jordan said brightly.

Cassandra couldn't do much but nod in agreement. Although she usually preferred two different styles to keep the opponent constantly guessing, fighting alongside her clone was a refreshing change of pace. She wished Morgan were nearby to rinse most of the gore from her body, but that could wait until after everything was done. There still the rowers below, and she could hear the fight going on aboard her ship. "Who's doing worse?"

"Your guys are fine. I'm surprised Didi hasn't beaten Xixi yet."

"Why do you think I didn't want to fight him?"

"Didi doesn't like help though."

"Life's full of disappointments."

Before they could enter the flaming hole, they were knocked off their feet as the ship gave a mighty jolt and slowed enormously. The sounds of splintering wood and snapping cord reverberated through the air, and Cassandra's heart plummeted through her stomach. She scrambled to her feet and ran as fast as she could to the front of the ship. All of her anger and energy drained from her, replaced by only numb dread. She hoped against hope she was wrong, but she rarely was when it came to situations like this.

She let loose a yell of anguish as she saw her trusted ship, the _Howling Knave_, broken nearly in two across _Aetos_' bow.


	53. The Final Howl

Alexander yelped as his hammock was upturned and he was unceremoniously dumped onto the floor. "What the hell?" he shouted, pushing his nightcap out of his face and putting on his glasses.

"We're under attack," Morgan said as he pulled on underwear. "Captain, Miserie, and Damien are already over there. You and I need to help Lyn and Cain armor up."

The musician nodded, then blinked a few times. "Wait, Lyn armor up?"

"Now isn't the time." Alexander had to admire the prince when he was in his element. The only other clothes he chose were pants, sandals, and his necklace of catalysts, newly updated with a ring of metal. Even his choice of jewelry was geared towards efficiency, a single steel bracelet for an emergency catalyst if necessary. He was out of the door before Alexander had even found both of his flats.

Alexander emerged from the men's quarters to find Cain standing in front of the galley. Morgan was bringing pieces of leather and metal up from the store room, and the most surprising sight was not the first mate listening to Cain's instructions on how to assemble her own armor. Jordan was standing on the women's quarters' balcony, her hands disproportionately large as she helped Cain with his straps.

"Finally, you're here!" Lyn exclaimed. "Come, squire, attend me!"

"Very funny," he said dryly, nevertheless rushing to her side. "What's with the armor?"

"We're going against Xiphos! I'm gonna need all the protection I can get!"

"Wait, Xiphos? How on earth did he catch up to us?"

She shrugged. "Bigger ship, more sails, and I think Miserie said they had oars, but I'm not quite sure. Here, these laces now. If Captain didn't want to fight them, what makes you think they couldn't get a set Pose too?"

"Outstanding. How close are they?"

"I could go there now," Cain boomed. "And they're still getting closer."

"I know they have people almost as strong as you. Why aren't they here?"

"I told you already," Morgan snapped, "they are currently occupied."

"Yeah! Damien's doing his thing, and Miserie made him reeeeally mad!" Alexander winced. He felt sorry for the Hoplite Pirates. "And she and Captain are over there now as backup! Or not," Lyn said as Miserie leapt from the ocean. "What's up?"

"Don't go into the water. Miserie asked some butcher sharks to visit."

Morgan nearly dropped his load of armor. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Butcher sharks! They keep other hungry fish away!"

The cheer in her voice was somehow both totally normal and extremely unsettling. "Okay," Alexander said slowly. "Nobody fall overboard. Sounds like a good plan."

"Oh, but Morgan can push the bad pirates overboard if he wants to. That would be good."

Jordan laughed loudly and pointed an overlarge finger at the hiding mermaid. "Now that's what I like to hear. Cheer up, Mimi! Don't be so down on yourself. You met Cici half a year ago, she'd have asked if she had a half-sister she was never told about." Miserie wiggled happily and dropped back into the water. Jordan spread her arms when the others looked at her in amazement. "What?"

"Really?" Alexander asked flatly.

"It's the truth!"

"I don't doubt it," Morgan said. "Captain looked all too thrilled when Raven described how she would prolong my death."

Alexander coughed. "Well, to be fair, you had just tried to kill her. She's not exactly the forgiving type."

"I'm here now, aren't I?" Jordan asked happily. "I've tried to kill her loads of times! She didn't have her Devil Fruit back then, but that did not make things any easier, lemme tell you. "

"We are not talking about this." Everyone stared at Lyn, and Alexander knew that he, at least, would never get used to the first mate's commanding voice. "This isn't a laughing matter."

"Hey, you're the one who wanted to know about Cici's life before," the impersonator shot back. "This is what's funny to us. You ever notice how she's all smiles when she's reminiscing about shit like that? That was our way of playing pranks."

"I don't care if she thinks it's funny. I don't."

Jordan planted her foot on the railing and gave a dark grin. "Novice. Prince. Bodyguard." She pointed at the approaching ship. "Assassin. Isn't that one of your fucking mottos? Don't pick and choose as you like. Oh, there's my cue. Take over, Momo." She grabbed Captain's rifle and leapt up to the crow's nest.

Xiphos' ship loomed nearer, and even Alexander could see the soldiers outlined by flames. The blast from Captain's sniper rifle blast caused them all to cringe. "We need more time," Cain informed them. "Can you stall them?"

The two Devil Fruit Users glanced at each other. Morgan grabbed the broken men's quarters door and ran over to Alexander, who was focusing as hard as he could on his left hand. As the elementalist ran past, the alchemist instantly turned the wood into water. Morgan wrapped the water around his body and looped around the mast just as the two ships drew together. "Techeniye!"

His elemental absorbed the wave of spears thrown, causing them to clatter harmlessly against the _Knave_. Alexander's eyes widened as he saw the course Xiphos' ship was taking. He dropped the straps and ran to the helm. He twisted the wheel as hard as he could, hoping he would make it in time. The galleon strained against the ocean and slowly turned to face the oncoming ship. It was a risky move, but what was a pirate's life without gambles?

He sighed in relief as they managed a full-on collision. The two ships did rub against each other, and all of the oars jutting from Xiphos' port side were completely smashed. Everyone was rocked from the slight impact, but they managed to stay on their feet. A group of soldiers leapt over from _Aetos_, and he reflexively brought his hands up, only to realize he had not brought his trumpet to the poop deck. "**Voix Sonnerie!**"

Several of them were blown backwards, and one was neatly fielded by Miserie and dragged into the water. Morgan glided by Alexander, who quickly turned part of his elemental into metal. The prince landed easily and caught one of the boarders with a punch that she only barely blocked with her shield. She staggered backwards, and Lyn's flying kick sent her overboard. "Be right back!" she shouted, plucking off the untied pieces of armor and sprinting to her room.

"Porshen!" The impact from Morgan's metal fist crumpled the soldier's helmet and sent blood splattering through the air.

Lyn reappeared with her one and a half swords. "Cain, let's go!"

The bodyguard hefted Basilikos onto one shoulder and Lyn on the other before leaping off. Morgan drew close to Alexander, facing off against the remaining six soldiers. "I don't suppose you have any more surprises?" the chef asked.

"Not without hurting the _Knave_."

"Surely you can be more inventive than that!"

"Wait, why me?"

Morgan surrounded him as the soldiers thrust their spears all at once. "Now is not the time! Think!"

"Uh… Get rid of their spears!" The elementalist twisted around, wrenching the weapons out of their owners' hands and hurling them away. Alexander winced as a few speartips scratched his skin, but he couldn't let himself be distracted. "Now vines, up high!"

"Zavod Bronyu!" Morgan violently dispelled his elemental, forcing the soldiers to take cover from the shrapnel, and grabbed Alexander's collar. Thick green vines wrapped around them, and they wound their way up the mast. "Why vines? They have swords!"

The musician's voice was somewhat muffled by the stems and leaves. "Breaks up their formation, and you need space."

Morgan released him, and Alexander entangled himself as the prince began to move unimpeded. The major flaw in his plan swiftly became apparent as he was turned about and spun around, completely disorienting him. If he was going to be useful at all, he needed to get out. He transmuted the vines around him into water and dropped out of the elemental. This led him to the second flaw, of which he was painfully reminded as he bounced off the yard in front of him and slammed into the deck.

He lay still for a few movements, too stunned to move. He eventually pushed himself to his feet, only to find two soldiers drop down to deal with him. This pushed newfound energy through his body, though he knew that wouldn't be enough to protect himself. If he were going to use his spirits, he needed to face away from either of the _Knave_'s cabins. Unfortunately, he had no idea how he was going to do that. "Little help, Morgan!"

What absolutely nobody expected was a human-sized squid to fly through the air, latch onto one of the soldiers, and bring him tumbling to the deck. Alexander took advantage of the opportunity to circle to the side, but the other pirate got over his fear quickly enough. He attacked with an overhead strike, and Alexander barely managed to block with two sleeves of steel. The impact brought him to his knees, and the soldier's shield knocked him fully overboard.

He wasn't terribly surprised when he was yanked back into the air before he even touched the surface. "Miserie told him to stay on the ship. It is dangerous in the water!"

"Wasn't my choice," he panted.

They both hit the deck, and a swing of Miserie's tail bowled the standing soldier over. She sprang forward before he could recover, yelling angrily as she wrestled with him. Alexander rid himself of his metal sleeves, a tiny part of him lamenting the destruction of yet another good nightshirt. He wasn't sure if his sound attack would hurt the squid, and since it was technically helping him, he didn't want to hurt it. He took the opportunity to go to the men's quarters and retrieve his trumpet. He needed more control and sustainability than his voice could provide.

He exited to find the squid-wrapped soldier overboard, Miserie still grappling with her opponent, and six more soldiers landing on the deck. Before he could even think of what was going on, the boards before him dissolved into water, and he tumbled into the medical ward with them. He was just as surprised as they were, and they all gathered their bearings at about the same time. He gave a short trumpet blast as he backed through the doorway. "Trompette Sonnerie."

He hustled up the short steps and went down the cannon hallway. The floor seemed to be melting beneath him, making it worse than trying to run through sand. Cannons and cannonballs rolled this way and that, giving no small amount of trouble to his pursuers. A spear clipped his hair and punctured the door before him. He belatedly ducked out of the way, his breath coming in short gasps. Crashing through the remains of the door and losing his trumpet, he gathered his breath for another shout. "Eau Magie! Miserie!"

Alexander ran straight into the hatch Cain had made for the mermaid and out over the water. He hit with a wet splash, quickly sinking beneath the surface. A couple spears followed him in, one cutting open his left forearm. He could barely see anything around him, but he was pretty sure he could make out the black shapes of bodies and debris suspended in the dark water. He didn't know how good Miserie's night vision was underwater, but he was relying entirely on her to keep himself from drowning.

The feeling of deja vu was almost instantly eclipsed by the familiar form heading directly towards him. He was in no mood for any part of him to fill the shark's stomach. He tried to turn his surroundings into thick glass so he wouldn't be eaten and Miserie could still locate him, but it was like all of his attempts to transmute anything into air. He still had one last idea that had never been tested before, but he had no time left.

_**Voix Sonnerie.**_

His soundless shout shook the waters around him. The shark recoiled as if struck and quickly retreated for the time being. He let out a few bubbles of relief. He had done all he could.

"Miserie knows Alexander is a pirate, but she thinks he should know he cannot swim." Alexander gratefully grasped the mermaid's hand with all his might. She brought him to the surface and held him up so he could sputter and cough wetly. "His attack hurts more in water. He should not do it because it hurts the fish too."

The usual train in his voice that always accompanied his attack was accompanied by the harshness of nearly drowning. "Shark," was all he could say.

"They were hurt too. They are Miserie's friends, and they were helping us. See?"

He was back underwater before he could protest. The flames on Xiphos' ship somewhat lit the waters below it, allowing him to see the various body parts and armor being jostled by the three sharks swimming around. Dark blood streamed from their fins and tail, and Alexander was absolutely sure he didn't want to be any closer. Miserie misconstrued his slight struggle as desire for more air and only surfaced so he could regain his breath.

"Now say he is sorry. Lyn always says it's better after saying sorry!"

Alexander's shoulders dropped as he realized he had no other choice. Miserie pulled him over, and the sharks began slowly circling them, always keeping one predatory eye on the two pirates. Alexander dutifully did as he was told. The words came out as garbled bubbles, but that seemed to satisfy her. "He can't swim. Please bring him back to the back of the other ship. Miserie has to help Morgan. Alexander should hold on this instead of the fins."

Before Alexander could catch up to what just happened, Miserie darted directly through the surface and vanished from sight. He found himself being dragged to the _Howling Knave_ by a piece of rope held in the shark's mouth. He could feel its teeth cutting through the rope and grabbed its left fin in a panic. He immediately let go as pure, crystalline agony shot through his hand and up his arm. The shark turned its head towards him, and he was sure he recognized the expression on its face, that of telling someone not to do a particularly stupid thing and watching them do it anyway. He gave an annoyed scowl, and it bobbed its head in what he supposed was amusement.

He had not reached the _Knave_ before the seawater took its toll. His muscles completely slackened, and he was left drifting in the water. He was astonished when the shark curved back around and bit his outstretched arm. Instead of the dismembering chomp he was expecting, its teeth were blunt enough to only barely pierce his skin. It slowed greatly and led him to the surface so he could breathe again. It continued to gently tug him the remaining distance, occasionally twisting its head if he slipped too far underwater.

At this point, he was sure nothing else could shock him. He just gave up when he saw the squid gripping the stern of the ship and watching him intelligently. It captured his other arm and pulled him from the shark's mouth, its teeth leaving very visible marks in his arm. The squid's suckers detached from the rudder with pleasant little pops, and it climbed the stern with unexpected strength. It lifted him up and deposited him back in the cargo bay. He simply lay still, too exhausted and confounded to move at all.

However, he was never too tired to remember his manners. "Thank you," he wheezed, "both of you. Happy hunting."

The squid released its hold and slipped back into the dark waters. The shark circled back around and bobbed its head once more. He nodded as well and smiled as it departed. By the sound of it, Miserie and Morgan were done with the soldiers on deck, and there was nobody waiting to stab him in the cargo hold. The saltwater made all of his injuries blend together into one mass of intense pain, but it most importantly reminded him that he was alive.

_I'm done_, he thought weakly. _Did what I could_.

He was thrown against the wall as the ship gave a mighty jolt and fell limp.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

"Fuck, man." Jordan's soft curse snapped Cassandra from her reverie. "She salvageable?"

Cassandra's mind flew as she assessed the damage. The _Howling Knave_ was still slowly being rolled onto its side, still slowly being pushed apart. As horrendously spectacular as it was to watch, she was forced to tear her eyes away. "Miserie. Miserie!" The mermaid grabbed the railing beside her. "Calm Damien down, then prepare the evacuation procedure. Now!"

Eyes wide, Miserie nodded and landed back in the water. As her soothing song filled the air, Cassandra gradually turned around and walked to the main deck. She purposefully stepped into thin air and dropped into the flaming hole. The center of the ship had been almost completely destroyed in the fight that had been raging. Damien was thrashing about off to the side while Cain and Xiphos pushed against each other. Their struggle dwindled as Miserie's song sunk in, and they eventually shoved each other backwards.

"Cain," she said sharply. "Enough. The _Knave_'s in trouble. Commence evac. Bring Jordan to help. You know the order."

He stared at her for a moment, then quickly jumped away. Xiphos turned to her and leveled his bleeding sword at her face. "You."

"Me." They stared at each other, neither making a move. Their chests heaved in exhaustion, both drenched in sweat and blood. His armor lay in pieces around him, revealing many claw marks, bruises, and one particularly deep gash. She knew she appeared completely unharmed, but she couldn't hide her fatigue. Her knives dangled loosely from her fingers, and crimson droplets still occasionally fell from her body.

"You held back," he said at last.

"It's what I do."

"You lack honor."

"I've heard."

"You will pay."

The ghost of a smile graced her lips. "One day."

"This day."

"I don't think so."

"I will bring you to the underworld."

"You can try."

Miserie's song grew slightly quieter, and Cassandra was forced to devote part of her attention to the man shaking near the wall. Damien climbed painstakingly to his feet, his dreadlocks partially obscuring his burning eyes. Laughter grew within him and burst forth like a volcanic eruption, its hellish cacophony reverberating inside the gutted hull. His head moved back and forth between the two captains as his amusement died out. He seemed content to merely stare at them, though why he was analyzing them, Cassandra couldn't fathom.

"Your crew is dead," she informed Xiphos. "They put up a fight. If it makes you feel any better, you did better than any single crew against us so far. Although to be fair, you have the advantage of not being a Marine." Damien gave a thunderous growl. "So I guess you're actually not all that impressive."

"You speak as if you have already won."

"I have. Accept your defeat graciously."

He spat a bloody glob at her feet. "I would never bend my knee to you."

"Then are you going to keep fighting? My crew is still alive, and most of them can still fight. Isn't that right?"

Damien's guttural chuckles were no less unnerving than his roars. "Jar'ead tried 'is bes'. Wasn' good enough."

"You're still with me?"

"Ain' dead, am I?"

She faced Xiphos again. "And you won't lay down your sword?"

His grip tightened. "Come and take it."

She made as if to lunge, then straightened up. "Do you think you're going to be the last bastion, the last of the Hoplite Pirates? That you will defend until the end and not take one step back? No. You did show remarkable resilience against Miserie's song, but you're human. Your last moment will not be of heroic defiance. I won't grant you that."

"You cannot grant me anything!" he bellowed.

"I can grant you one last choice. You have three options, and not one of them allows for that noble last stand you desire so deeply. The nicest I'll allow will be you leaving my _Aetos _of your own accord-"

"Your _Aetos_!" He gave a sour bark of laughter. "She is not your _Aetos_!"

"She is now. You wrecked my ship." Damien growled even more loudly. "I'm taking yours."

"Never!"

She shrugged. "Option two is you kneel, give me your sword, and Damien will cut your head off." Xiphos snorted. "The third is revenge."

"Revenge?"

"The chance to avenge your lover by killing the woman who knocked out his teeth, cut out his tongue, sliced off his nose, and gouged out his eyeballs." She grinned as Xiphos visibly restrained himself. "Oh, how he wailed and cried and begged for his life."

"Andres would never!" He punctuated his statement with a slash that sent drops of blood flying from his sword. "These are lies!"

"I'm sure you saw almost every side of him, but you should know as well as I do, Xiphos, that people show you who they really are when they are about to die. There is no acting or pretending. Andres may have showed himself as a magnificent soldier and human being, but in the end, he was nothing but a cowardly infant in sandals too big for him to wear."

"I will silence your lying tongue, whore! Menis Aeide!"

Cassandra almost dodged to the side, but she paused as Damien appeared before her and caught the sword in both hands. "Yahahar! Ain' no need fer namecalling, mule'ead! We ain' finished yet!"

"Oh, that's right," Cassandra said with an innocent smile. "I so rudely interrupted your fight. I'll sit over here unharmed while you two finish, shall I? Looks like option three wasn't an option after all. He'll finish you before you even get a chance to hurt me."

Xiphos' scream of rage and anguish shook the ship, and he pushed down as hard as he could. Just before the boards gave beneath Damien's feet, the berserker let the sword go and let it barely skim his skin as he sidestepped. He grabbed Xiphos' beard and threw himself on his back, pulling the general forward. Cassandra caught his forehead and held him still, making sure he was staring into her eyes. His arms and legs fought for purchase, but Damien kicked or punched them away, keeping the large captain down.

"The gods were cruel when they put you in my path," Cassandra said softly. "You felt slighted and came after me, thinking that I would accept you with open arms and apologies for leaving without a farewell. You hurt my crew." His screams grew in pitch as she carved an X over one eye. "You tried to kill them." Even louder as she repeated her actions on his other eye. "I have no doubt you'll see your comrades in the underworld. How will you face them when, in the end, passion overruled your training? Will you tell them that even the great Xiphos could control himself no better than a fresh recruit?"

Xiphos finally pushed himself away, and his back slammed against the mast. Cassandra hefted his enormous sword with both hands and plunged it into his gut. "Lastly, remember this: all of this is your fault. We were only protecting ourselves. What happened on Rime doesn't matter. What happens on the Line stays on the Line."

Much to her surprise, he gave a bloody grin. His limbs fell limp, and his animosity seemed to drain from him. "You think you have won? You have given me peace after a lifetime of war. The gods have rewarded me. You have yet to see what they have in store for you."

Damien wrenched the sword from the large captain's gut and threw it aside. "Mouthy motherfucker."

Cassandra smiled and closed her eyes as she leaned on him. He didn't move a muscle, simply staring at the fallen general. She rested for a brief moment before standing straight once again. The flames that once seemed perfectly conducive to her anger were proved inadequate as ice water flowed through her veins. The fight between human and human had been won, but the fight between human and sea had not. "How are you feeling?"

He rolled his shoulders and idly scratched at one of his countless wounds. "Ain' about to pass out. Can' say the same for you."

"No time. I wasn't kidding when I said I was taking this ship."

"Wha'?"

"The bastard rammed the _Knave_. She's not going to make it. Cain and Miserie are moving things over. Get Xiphos out of here and dump him overboard. Morgan will have to calm things down here before _Aetos_ sinks too."

He nodded in understanding. He grabbed Xiphos in one hand and Cassandra in the other and leapt up to the main deck. He staggered as he landed, but insisted he was fine when she asked. He heaved Xiphos' body overboard, and Cassandra allowed herself a moment to watch the rival captain sink. She turned away and slowly walked to the bow, where the rest of her crew was gathered. They were all looking over the railing, and she joined them. Having evidently recovered everything that could be recovered, Cain was straining to push the _Howling Knave_ away from _Aetos_' keel. With a good number of her sails furled and the rowers dead, _Aetos_ hadn't managed to go completely through the ship broken across her bow.

With a final heave, Cain pushed the two ships apart. He leapt over and landed on the forecastle deck behind them. Alexander looked about to fall asleep, but his eyes were still focused on the destroyed ship. They all drew away as Damien gave a loud howl, and a column of fire shot into the sky. He lowered his face to stare at the _Knave_, and the fire arced around and fell towards the galleon. Just before it hit with its regular destructive power, it slowed and simply allowed the ship to ignite.

Cassandra bowed her head as the pyre drifted away. Tears came unbidden to her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She hadn't thought she would grow so emotionally attached to what was essentially just a means of transportation, but the _Howling Knave_ had grown into so much more than that. Lyn didn't hide her sobs, and Cassandra gently pulled her into a tight hug. As she slowly spun around and rocked back and forth, she couldn't help but check on how the others were handling it. Jordan had her head bowed in respect, and Cain wore an expression that could only be gained after honoring countless fallen comrades at their funerals. Damien's gaze was as hard as his bones, and Alexander's glasses were misty.

Morgan, however, looked slightly confused. "What? It was just a ship."

Damien's backhand sent him tumbling to the deck. The navigator batted away Cain's hand and planted one foot on Morgan's chest. "Just a ship?" he grated out, leaning in and making the bandit prince wheeze for breath. "Just a fuckin' ship? You outta your motherfuckin' mind?"

"What… are you talking about?" Morgan strained. "It was a ship! It served its purpose!"

"Wrong." Alexander's voice was soft and stern. "The _Knave_ was one of our nakama, just like you or me. She was with us through thick and thin, and she never failed us."

The prince tried to wrestle Damien's foot off of him. "There's no use anthropomorphizing it! I understand ships are referred to with female pronouns, but it was just a bunch of wood and canvas!"

"Yer just a gilded sack o' snake eggs an' devil spunk that Cap'n decided to pity," Damien snarled. "But you're treated like a fuckin' 'uman being. Tha's way fuckin' weirder."

"Now isn't the time for this," Cassandra said.

As tired as he was, flames still flickered in the back of his eyes. "O' course it is. This cum-snorter thinks 'is ship ain' worth shit. I've half a mind t' throw 'im out and see 'ow 'e does without 'er."

"Don't do that," Miserie chimed in. "The sharks are still around."

Alexander raised a finger, then sighed and dropped it. "Hothead's right. We are pirates, and one of us has fallen in battle. We have to send her off with honor."

"What are you even so concerned about?" Morgan threw his hands out, giving up on trying to budge the irate navigator. "You smashed it… you smashed her up all the time."

"Cause she wa'n' like you. She could take some rough'ousin', unlike you. She pulled 'er fuckin' weight, unlike you. She didn' care whether she couldn' do it."

"Stop talking about her as if she had feelings!"

"She did have feelings." Lyn lifted her head from Cassandra's wet shoulder to look at him. "You might not have noticed them. It took me too long to notice. I bet you and her started talking right away, huh?" Damien bared his teeth in a wild grin. "I thought so. We-"

"Look, I'm with Cici," Jordan cut in. "Now isn't the time. Half of you are still bleeding, and the other half are sleepwalking. Yeah, it fucking sucks that you lost the _Knave_, but how about saving the grief and arguments until after we make sure we don't lose another person?"

Cassandra nodded, bracing herself as _Aetos_ slowly glided through the burning wreckage. "Couldn't have put it better myself."


	54. Settling In

When Cassandra opened her eyes, she was mildly surprised to find that most of her crew was still slumbering beside her. They had all collapsed into one pile when they had finished tending to wounds, too tired to do anything else. She lifted her head from Damien's stomach and gently pried Lyn's arms off of her. Morgan was sitting some distance away, a bubbling pot of stew beside him. He looked up as she got to her feet, and although his face remained expressionless, his eyes betrayed his slight relief. "And here she is with nothing to show from a battle that nearly took our lives."

She yawned widely and rubbed her eyes. "You were barely hurt either."

"True." He offered her an enormous bowl of stew, which she didn't hesitate to slurp down greedily. "I do wonder how you don't make yourself sick from doing that, but I suppose your Fruit aids in that respect as well."

She smiled as she gave the bowl back for seconds. "Why always stew?"

"It is simple to make and easy to eat for those of us who have sustained mouth or throat injuries."

"Good thinking. Where's Jay?"

"Relieved from watch. We have plenty of rations left even after losing much of them, and much of the plumbing is still intact. The structural damage is relatively limited to the center of the ship, and their decision to remove their broken mast entirely is a curious one."

"You'll have to talk to Cain about that. _Aetos_ looked a bit too cramped to me with it."

"Is that still her name?"

She smiled slightly. Perhaps he wouldn't be so resistant to the feelings the others had towards their ships after all. "We'll have a vote. We have a few more important things to discuss first, but that is on the agenda for today."

"Then we should wake the others. We have slept for quite some time."

She opened the door to look outside. Leaves were lightly drifting through the hole in the deck, but the sun could still be seen amid the countless black specks in the sky. She picked up a leaf and rolled the stem through her fingers, trying to remember if she had seen it before. She tossed it aside, knowing nobody on board would be able to identify it. She returned to find most of her crew gradually rising from their slumber. "Good morning, or is it good day?"

This time, it was Alexander's turn to extract himself from Lyn's grasp. He was unperturbed by her nudity, instead wincing as the pain from every injury returned at once. Cain instinctively ducked his head before remembering that the room was more than suited for people his size. "Good day, it feels like."

"Agreed. How much were you able to salvage?"

"Everything on the list and more besides." He chuckled at her look of surprise. "Miserie was more helpful than we'd imagined with things that could get wet."

Morgan frowned. "Excuse me, list? What list?"

She raised her chin slightly. "Who do you think I am? Do you really think I wouldn't have a plan for if we needed to abandon ship for whatever reason?"

"Why was I not informed?"

"Because the plan was more for if we ran into sea monsters or icebergs. You, Alexander, and I were going to be more concerned with staying alive than being of much use."

His frown deepened as he turned to his bodyguard. "This explains all of the materials you asked me to transport over."

"Ordered," Cain said quickly when he saw Cassandra's look. "I didn't ask; I ordered."

"You didn't order me."

"I said 'Morgan, get as much of our stores as you can and bring it over to the other ship.'"

"That doesn't…" Morgan's gaze went from him to Cassandra. "Is this your doing?"

"Of course it is. I didn't change your status from lowest, and Miserie has proven herself more than capable of being part of the crew."

"She doesn't have a black glove!" he protested.

Lyn smacked the back of his head as she sleepily shuffled to get her bowl of stew. "So? You had to get it cuz you attacked Alex."

"Alexander," he grumbled.

"Alexander. Plus, you know she needs sea silk or whatever. Basically everything we've gotten her is already kinda ruined, though I guess it doesn't really matter anyway since we barely ever see her."

Morgan scowled, but didn't press the issue. "Regardless, we should take an inventory of what remains of ours and what we can use of his."

"We also need to designate rooms and such," Cain said. "I mean, this room used to be the barracks. Perhaps storage?"

Cassandra looked around. Its two stories had been mostly combined into one, and they had only cleared away enough for them to comfortably sleep. She smiled as a brief image of the _Knave_ flashed through her mind. "Why change it? This should be big enough for you, right?" He stared uncomprehendingly at her. "This'll be your room. You finally get someplace indoors where you can stand up straight. In fact, this entire floor's about right."

"Well, what about Xiphos' cab-" She laughed as he caught himself. Damien's destruction of the helm had been quite thorough. "And the forecastle cabin, the armory?"

"That's normal height, right? Haven't a clue. Storage or something, I suppose."

"You mean on top of the level below us and the level below that?"

Lyn yelped as Alexander carefully peeled back the bandages from her shoulder. "Ow! How many floors does this ship have?"

"How do you not… did you really drink that much last night?" Alexander asked. "I'm not surprised."

"Deck cabins, the two levels we're doing for Cain, the lowest, and the bilge," Cassandra answered. "So three, now."

"And Miserie gets the bilge," he added.

"And Miserie gets the bilge."

"Then the rear room on this level is the galley," Morgan said firmly. "This allows Cain to dine indoors if need be, and if we… repair the deck and install hatches, we can eat outside. What of the space between?"

"Hell if I know. We'll figure it out later."

"Good. Cain, if you would please accompany me so we can sort out the galley," he gritted his teeth, "that would be greatly appreciated."

Instead of looking cowed, the enormous pirate simply smiled. He turned the hole in the wall into a somewhat rectangular shape where the future doorway would be, and the two bandits exited side by side. "Did you see that?" Lyn asked. "Baby steps!"

She nodded. "Good for now. It's chilly outside. Go put on some clothes so you don't catch a cold."

"Ugh, fine…" she whined. "Come, Damien!"

"Back the fuck off."

"C'mon, you just had one hell of a fight! Play nice!"

He only answered with a resolute snore. Lyn huffed and stormed outside, her arms wrapped around herself for warmth.

Cassandra shook her head and smiled. "I'm thinking medbay and storage below. What do you think?"

Alexander shrugged. "That should work. That leaves you and Lyn with Xiphos' cabin, right?"

"I am the captain. He was the captain. It fits. We'll lower the ceiling a bit and give Damien the lack of shelter he so desires."

He chuckled. "Aye, that's true. What if we get other female members? Are we going to convert the fo'c'sle cabin for them?"

"They'll be in our room, of course." She gave a small frown at his look of confusion. "What is it?"

"Nothing. I just assumed you and Lyn shared a room."

"We share the women's quarters. It's just that Raven stores her things near the medical ward and never sleeps, and Miserie's Miserie."

"I see."

She continued to watch him. "What?"

"Nothing. I'm just saying we have plenty of room."

"That's right. Too much room. Why scatter us all about?"

"None, I suppose."

"Speaking of, how are your hands?"

He gingerly opened his right hand and showed her the cuts. "Who knew butcher sharks would be so aptly named. Didn't cut any tendons or nerves, thank the spirits. Dunno how Hothead does it."

She rubbed her eyes before glancing down at the still-sleeping navigator. "You know he started the fight, right?"

"Thanks," he said as she helped him rebandage his hand. "And you know as well as I do that what happened was your fault. Your actions have consequences."

"It's not my fault we lost the _Knave_," she snapped.

"I would never say it was. Our trade comes with risks. I nearly died several times last night. I'm saying that he may have been the person to throw the first punch in this particular clash. You did far more to antagonize Xiphos than Damien did."

"What're we talking about?" Lyn chirped as she flounced back into the room.

"Nothing," Cassandra said hastily.

Alexander looked sharply at her. "Captain's trying to shift the blame for what happened onto Damien."

"I am not."

"That's silly. Captain knows she was the one who started this whole thing."

"Actually, technically it was Xiphos. He made to attack us first."

The second mate gave a dry laugh. "Yes, I suppose that's true. He shouldn't have messed with us."

"Yeah!" Lyn cheered.

"I would have if I were him," Cassandra said idly. She smiled when they looked at her in shock. "What? Tell me I'm wrong, Damien. Stop dozing; I know you're not fully asleep."

The man threw an arm over his eyes. "Tha's cuz you're both cut from th' same fuckin' cloth."

"He was an Adallean general with a platoon of trusted soldiers. These men were smart, strong, and loyal to a fault. They're individually about Morgan's level with a few outliers, but I'll be damned if they weren't tough bastards together. They see a smaller, slower pirate ship, and a handful of people on deck. Now, you might just ride up and say hi, but the less benevolent of us would see that as an opportunity to attack."

"You would do that?" Alexander said flatly. "Attack first, ask questions later?"

She hesitated, forcing herself to look at him instead of Lyn. "Honestly, it would depend."

"On what?"

"My mood, the weather, the time of day, how low our stores are…" She smiled weakly. "Who's around me…"

Alexander's brow creased, but he said nothing. "Well, that's fine!" Lyn exclaimed. "We'll make sure you're always happy, the weather's always nice, and we're always around you!"

"Sounds good to me."

Damien groaned as he pulled himself to his feet. "Enough. I'm gonna fuckin' puke."

Completely ignoring both of their injuries, Lyn catapulted herself onto his shoulders and crossed her arms on top of his head. "When are you gonna just admit that you love us? Or rather, say you don't love us at all at all and I'll stop bugging you! Hey!" she shouted as he resolutely ignored her. "Say it! Say it! Say it!"

She kept up the chant as he walked out. Alexander caught Cassandra before she could follow. "She might overlook it, but that won't fly with me. That's not the kind of pirate I want to be."

"We're five islands into the Grand Line, and we've already lost a fair amount. What do you expect from me, Cassandra Libera? That I greet all strangers with sunshine and flowers? I have you on my crew, but I also have Damien. I am not above preemptively putting a stop to potential threats. What do you think Raven does in her investigations? Did you know that every town we visit has a sudden spike in missing persons and homicides?"

He shook his head.

"Also, who the hell do you think cleans up Damien's occasional messes? And by cleans up, that does include silencing anyone whom it might concern. You don't like how I do things sometimes; that's all right with me. But this isn't a Golden Age of Piracy, and I will do everything in my power to keep us alive and moving towards our dreams."

"But that doesn't mean-"

"I am not a nice person, Alexander, as you seem to occasionally forget. I can be nice, but I myself am not nice. All lives are not equal to me. If you think for a second that I won't kill someone I even remotely think might be a threat to you or me or any of the others, you've been in denial for a long, long time. I don't wantonly kill innocent people, but you would be surprised how few people can truly be called innocent. After all, are you not a criminal yourself? You don't kill people, but you won't ever leave Damien's side, and he tips the balance the other way."

He clenched his jaw as he fought to think of a counterargument. "You said in Slatch's base that you would never hurt an innocent person."

"I also didn't tell you I was an assassin, hid Raven's actions from you, and put you all through a lot of suffering because I never mentioned the Nao Nao Fruit. I swore I'd be more honest. That doesn't just include telling you of painful stories of my past and not withholding information. It also means that I'm more open about the more dastardly actions I take. You partially knew what I was capable of when I accepted Damien despite the carnage he wreaked at the base. Did you really expect that to be the limit of the darkness within me?"

"Do the others know?"

"Of course Damien and Raven do. I shot off Morgan's finger, and Cain had a good talk with me after that. Just last night, I cut Andres' face to ribbons right in front of Lyn. You've seen what Damien does. I'm not as different as you might imagine."

He stared at her for a long while with his arms crossed. "I guess you couldn't be if you consider him your nakama."

"And I do. I love the bastard almost as much as you do. I'm not saying it'd be impossible for a nicer person to do the same. Lyn loves him too, but not only is she special, she's also spent a lot of time around him. Most people would have rejected him within a few days."

"Ain't that the truth," he laughed. "I know it doesn't mean much that he was different before the Marines came, but it's also true that he hasn't changed all that much once you think about it. And you should know that he and I are still forever grateful that you let us join."

She laughed as well as she gingerly drew him into a hug, taking care not to aggravate any of his injuries. "Are you kidding me? A man who can turn metal to water and another who will fight until he literally cannot fight any more? Do you really think I would have passed that up?"

"You forget Damien's mouth and him sorta turning on you on Summer Isle. You weren't too happy then."

"Hey, he almost never uses slurs, and we all know his curses are his terms of endearment. Did you know that Miserie likes him more than Morgan?"

Alexander chuckled. "Oh, believe me, I can see that."

"And you two are really the ones cut from the same cloth. You boys the most outspoken if you disagree with anything I'm doing. It's just that you use your words and he uses his fists. Yes, he has his whims as well, but we all do."

"We do indeed. Problem is, some people's whims are more easy to deal with than others. Remember that time we bailed on a really strong pirate crew and left them on island because some woman decided it wouldn't be a bad idea?"

"Oh yeah? How about the time when some idiot started a fight that wound up with all of us in jail?"

"Haven't a clue what you're talking about. I'm pretty sure that never happened."

He laughed when she shoved his head down. "Yeah, me too. Don't know what I was thinking."

She headed out with him on her heels, admiring the neat path somebody had swept through the leaves. They entered the future galley to find Cain hefting two pieces of a massive spear and analyzing it critically. Cassandra smiled as she recognized the weapon, having seen it multiple times over the past few weeks. "Yeah, Xiphos really did love the damned thing."

"Stratarchis," he said. "It's a little small, but it is still a formidable dory."

"Small?" Lyn exclaimed incredulously. "You're kidding me, right? It's longer than you! That's gotta be like thirty feet long!"

"Just under. It has been broken and remade an astounding amount of times. It shouldn't be too hard to lengthen it."

"Wait, run that by us again?" Alexander asked.

"Well, this kind of spear is designed to be so long that it can still be useful after being damaged." He showed them the several past places it had been broken. "Now, with a weapon like this, the focus isn't on keeping everything the same. It is remade and replaced - a shaft reattachment or change, new butt-spike, new spearhead - but in the end, it is still the spear Stratarchis. Does that make sense?"

Cassandra nodded. "Same with my Susurri. And my Eraser, though I haven't had to replace anything yet."

"You should know that too, Morgan. When you become Lord of Winter Isle, you will inherit your ancestor's waraxe."

The prince mulled it over as he stared at the broken spear. "I suppose I can see the reason in that. And I suppose that same essence is the one you placed in the _Howling Knave_? She may have been constructed from wood and cord, but she had a fundamental aspect of her that made her unique and allowed you to empathize with her."

"Not just empathize!" Lyn chirped. "You don't really know because you don't really do this kind of thing, but they do have spirits of their own! My rapiers are different, and Michael's sword didn't die when Damien broke it, just got really hurt."

"And after all the shit Hothead put the _Knave_ through, do you really think she would have held together? You know that he will push you to your absolute limit, but he won't go past it. Most of the time."

Damien barked with laughter. "She was a tough fuckin' sailboat, all righ'! A tad yellow at firs', but she got 'er sea legs soon enough!"

"Her sea legs?" Cassandra said flatly. "You ran her into several islands, slingshot around the eye of a maelstrom strong enough to warp seasons, weathered a Sea King attack, hit a whale, scraped off half her port side on Reverse Mountain, endured all of the Grand Line weather, and we've all busted her up so many times she needed to be refitted. That's a little more than sea legs."

Alexander smiled sadly. "And no offense Cain, but you weren't and still aren't a proper shipwright. Are you telling me you've never left particularly complicated or tricky repair situations for later, only to find that they had somehow turned easier when you returned? Klabautermann are mostly considered folklore, but all legends come from somewhere. They're basically the embodiment of the ship's spirit."

"Aye, it's been doin' serious work."

Alexander turned his head so quickly that he pulled a muscle in his neck. "You saw it?" he asked as he rubbed his neck. "And you didn't tell anyone?"

"Why?" Cassandra asked. "Is there a reason he should have told us?"

The second mate carefully nodded. "You should have said something, mate. You know what seeing it means."

"Fight til ya die," Damien growled. "Ain' no fuckin' sense in 'oldin' back when you can still move forward."

"Klabautermann make themselves visible when a ship nears her end," Alexander explained. "You knew the _Knave_ was going to die, and you said nothing. How could you?"

"Have you met him?" Morgan asked incredulously.

"No, but they appear when ships are basically too damaged to continue on," he elaborated. "That means we set sail-"

"She knew," Damien snarled. "She knew Cap'n wanted t' leave. Don' be a fuckin' brat."

Cassandra held her hand for silence. "He's right. Damien, I mean. Assuming what you say is true - my bond with the _Knave_ wasn't as strong as yours - she made a choice, and we should honor it. I'm ashamed to admit I didn't consider her when I made my decision, but she did her damndest and that's all I can ask for."

"This is assuming Damien hasn't given into fantasies, which wouldn't surprise me," Morgan said. "Before you say anything, Alexander, I'm not discounting this. Damien is many things, but he has shown his honesty. It would not be the first supernatural occurrence that challenged my previous beliefs, as pagan rituals and acts manifest themselves daily. Let us just say that while I may not believe, the evidence before me is too compelling for me not to rethink my understanding of the world."

They all stared at him, too stunned to say anything. "What? Am I not allowed to challenge my beliefs? Last night, I was sleep-deprived, battle weary, and mildly hungover. I admit that many thoughts became words without being regulated. Having slept, eaten, and recovered, I am more in control and lucid."

Cassandra was the first to stop gaping and compose herself. "Well, I'll be damned. Well done, Morgan, top marks. Which punishment do you want lightened?"

She was surprised when he took time to think about it, having expected him to have an answer easily at hand. "May I be allowed one piece of jewelry per day, regardless of price?"

"Done. Two if they're earrings or something, I won't be mean. Are you sure you wouldn't rather something else? 4k clothing with actual jewelry might be a bit jarring."

"Surely you aren't questioning my sense of fashion, are you?" he said with a smile. "I will show you what I can do with such restrictions."

"I'm sure I'll be pleasantly surprised."

"Yay!" Lyn cheered. "Everything's still pretty good! Let's have a… uh… after death party celebration thing!"

"I think the word you're looking for is 'wake,'" Cain said. "And that sounds like a splendid idea after we get things sorted out."

Cassandra nodded. "Agreed. Lyn, Alexander, you deal with the layout and make sure Miserie and Jay are okay. Damien, time to make a new friend. C-"

"Oh, this is important!" Lyn put in. "We should rename the ship! _Aetos_ is good, but she was Xiphos' ship. Ours is something different!"

The captain rubbed her brow, not exactly considering the frigate's name crucial at this point in time. Alexander came to her rescue and said, "I agree, but don't you think we should wait until all of the Black Glove Pirates have their vote?"

Lyn cocked her head to the side, then gave her most radiant smile. "Oh right! We have to wait until Raven gets back! Oh well!"

Cassandra smiled as the first and second mates left, taking a moment to pry open the door Damien had slammed shut behind him. "You two, run our stores by me. _Aetos_ needs repairs badly, and let's see if there's anything we can ditch to lighten the load."

All of the Black Glove Pirates' clothes and intact furniture had been saved, as Cain had simply ripped them from the floorboards and thrown them onto _Aetos_. The books that hadn't been ruined were also on board, most pivotally Raven's detailed lexicon. Much of their food stores had escaped through Miserie's rear hatch, but Xiphos had plenty to cover for them. They were richer than before as well, which allowed them to throw the soldiers' armor and weapons overboard. When Cain asked about installing cannons, Cassandra dismissed the issue. She would wait until later to decide.

A serious issue revealed itself when it came to the ship's rigging. Unlike the _Howling Knave_, which was specifically set up for a small crew, _Aetos_ was geared towards a larger one. It took four people a long time to do up a single sail, and that was with Miserie and Morgan helping. There was an unexpected upside, however, in that it was also rigged so large humans could participate. Once again, Cain proved his value in that he could pull the majority of the sail's weight. After some careful coordination, they managed to lower the required crew to two plus Cain, which was still better than the previous option.

The better part of the afternoon was devoted to organizing the rooms and furniture. All of the securing had to be redone, and they realized with some astonishment that there was actually enough room for Cain to have an actual bed. The man was dead set on nothing more than a simple cot, but Cassandra was prepared to keelhaul him if he resisted. Miserie was happy as well, as she could simply drop down to the lowest level and work her way into the bilge.

By the time they had gone to bed, even Cassandra was impressed by the progress they had made. _Aetos_ was no longer the damaged husk of a ship, but a ship that could last them until landfall. It was true that Cain would try his hand at the most extensive set of repairs he had ever done, but Cassandra had fought hard for her prize, and she intended to use _Aetos_ until the ship could give no more.

In the end, that was all she could ask for.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

"Are you serious? Please tell me you're joking."

"No, ma'am. Our sources say she left Rime a few days ago."

"Fuck!" She smashed her fist on the desk, once again glad that she had had it reinforced. She had grown tired of replacing them. "She was supposed to be there for months, and we already knew where she was docked too! What's the next island in line?"

"Dewpon. It has a twenty-three day set time."

"Yeah, because that worked so fucking well for Rime, didn't it." Her fingers strained in midair as if throttling the source of her fury. "She just always has to have her fucking way, making everyone else's plans useless."

"But ma'am, I thought-"

"I'll kill her," she said matter-of-factly. "I'm serious this time. I'll really do it."

"I'm sure you will, ma'am."

She wanted so badly to smack the smile off his face. "Fuck off and tell everyone the situation's changed. We're setting sail for Dewpon. We need to catch her before she sets sail again."

"Yes ma'am."

"And stop calling me ma'am. You know I hate it."

"Yes madam."

"Fuck you."


	55. Caught Between Two Sides

"I see Dewpon!" Morgan yelled.

Nobody responded.

"I said, I have sighted Dewpon!"

Still no response.

His next shout was laden with bitterness. "Land ho!"

"Acknowledged," Cassandra shouted back.

"Was that so hard?" Lyn asked, still scampering up and down the patchwork sails.

"It was unnecessary. You all knew what I meant."

"Yer a fuckin' pirate, snotweasel. Speak th' tongue."

Morgan landed in his water elemental, making sure to splash the navigator. "I am aware of the saying 'curse like a sailor,' but I think you take it too literally."

"Aw, is poor lil Princess' feelin's 'urt?"

"And while I do appreciate having finally earned one of your nicknames, even it as an insult loses some weight now that I have gotten to know you better."

Damien scowled. "Ain' no fuckin' fun no more. You know 'ow many fuckin Winter Islands tween 'ere an' th' Red Line?"

He gave a confused frown. "I have no idea. Why?"

"Ya need all the cuntin' trainin' you can get, and snow did more for ya than some minge-sniffers ever did."

Cassandra tossed a sharpened knife at him. "I am right here, you know."

"Aye, can' catch no fuckin' break, can I?"

"You can't catch a break?" Morgan repeated. "You are the living embodiment of catching a break! I try to kill Captain once, and I get punishments galore. You try to kill Captain repeatedly, and all you get is a-"

"Week wit' only water." He gave a wolfish grin. "Didn' Cap'n make the offer?"

Morgan clenched his jaw. "For one transgression. What about the other times?"

"All you cumguzzlers pussyfoot around this shit. No cat-o'nine or nothin'. I gotta do all the work meself cuz I'm the only one who got tits o' stone."

"Again, still here."

"So you were simply administering punishment? To death?"

"It ain' the same. Cap'n's lef' nip's tougher than you'll ever be."

"And her right one?"

Cassandra's knife clipped his ear just above his sapphire earrings. "Even tougher than the left."

"Witty. Will you give your usual spiel?

She sighed and extended her hand, easily catching the Baby Den-Den Mushi. "All right, listen up. Safety, prefer that you pair up, sunset, will come for you, blah blah blah. Importantly, this goes for you too Damien, you are not to raise a fucking finger unless you are protecting a crewmember. You do not start any conflicts. You draw no attention. This is even worse than before. You're all beat up with a new ship and no doctor. I would rather shackle you all on board than have you face an opponent in your condition. I don't give a flying fuck if there's a Marine base or a monument to how bandits suck, you do not make a move. We do not want people looking at us. We're just a small crew with a big ship."

"Can I still go out tonight?" came Lyn's voice.

Cassandra hesitated before answering. "Yes, you can still go out. Any other plans?"

"I'll find a warehouse and get to really fixing _Aetos_ as quickly as possible."

"As much as we have in the way of stores, I need to shop for fresh produce and meat."

"Miserie helped with fishing."

The cook closed his eyes. "Thank you, but we require more culinary diversity than simply eating seafood for every meal."

"I'll go with Lyn for a bit," Alexander said. "Should be fun."

"Make it three," Jordan chimed in. "It's been one hell of a rollercoaster."

Cassandra groaned before turning to her navigator. "Coin flip for staying aboard?"

"Nah, you c'n go." Morgan whirled on the ball of his foot, and Cassandra's jaw dropped. "Wha'?"

"_You_, Damien, are _voluntarily_ staying aboard the ship?" the chef restated incredulously. "How? Why?"

"Don' be such a fuckin' clit-blister. Don' need no reason."

Morgan shook his head. "First I learn you can read and now this? Will wonders never cease?"

Cassandra swatted his ear. "You want anything? Dragon's Blood or Clam Special?"

"Hold on, is he being rewarded for not doing anything?"

"I'm just asking him if he wants something. It's called being considerate. You should try it sometime."

"It's overrated."

"Sure it is. No leader has ever found use in being considerate." Cassandra ran her hand through her hair as she stared at the approaching island. "Remind me what elementals you like besides those four?"

"Alexander has allowed me to use ink as well as water. It does not replenish, but it does obscure my location. Ice can be used in a variety of different ways, but it's bound by a temperature restriction rather than material availability. I have been experimenting with glass and wood, but to no great success."

"That's a shame. Keep on that."

He scoffed. "Of course, practice makes perfect."

Lyn swung over and landed directly on Morgan, knocking him to the ground. "Oops! Didn't see you there! Anyway, you spotted the island way late! We're almost there!"

"Hey, I wouldn't be talking," Cassandra said, prodding the side of the artist's head. "May I remind you-"

"It was just two islands!" she said. "No big deal!"

"That will never cease to amaze me," Morgan told her as he dusted himself off. "I'd ask how you even managed to do that, but I'd imagine Captain already talked your ear off."

Lyn made a talking motion with her hand and silently mouthed along. "It was only two islands!"

"Damien's never hit an island," Cassandra stated.

"He hit that whale!"

"Even I didn't see that whale."

"And the mountain after that with the upwards rivers!"

"That's because we were slightly diverted by said whale."

"Ah," Morgan interjected, "Cain said he ran the _Howling Knave_ aground on Winter Isle."

Cassandra opened her mouth, then turned the navigator for an answer. "Fuckin' Sea King."

"Right." She smacked him once more for the act. "Suicidal bastard got a Sea King to chase us, so we took a shortcut across Nemuartsksom's eye and that was that."

Lyn put her finger to her lips. "Well, what about…"

"Fucker's not perfect, but he does tend to not run into glaringly obvious things."

"Fuck you too, Cap'n."

She laughed and threw an arm around his torso. "So how's _Aetos_ handling? Have you done your communication thing yet?"

"Don' work that way, an' you fuckin' know it. She still ain' 'appy."

"And how exactly does this 'happiness' manifest?" Morgan asked. "Does she sail with an extra jaunt in her sails?"

"Real fuckin' cute. She ain' fuckin' 'uman."

"I'm aware of that, but you said you can somehow sense her emotions."

"Aye, a spoiled snotpail like you don' feel nothin' but 'is own flaccid cock. Th' rest of us act like normal fuckers."

Cassandra and Lyn couldn't help but laugh as the prince fought to communicate all of his thoughts at once. "Enough, you two. Damien, stop being such a twat and try not to ram into the docks. Morgan, pick your damn battles."

"I am not fighting; I am attempting to learn more about this ship communication business."

"Whatever. Are we all set to dock?"

"I think so."

"Good. Let's do this."

Cassandra and Lyn climbed the rigging along with Jordan and Miserie, and Cain began pulling on the respective cords to help furl the sails. Morgan strode to the front of the main deck and wrapped himself in vines. The arms of his elemental shot out to both anchor winches and began twisting. _Aetos_ drifted to a clean halt, jolting slightly as the twin anchors found their grip. They regained their balance quickly enough, and Damien gave a dark laugh. The air was hot, muggy, and so humid that Cassandra felt as if she were being partially drowned. "Welcome to 'ell, blaggards."

"Thanks for the vote of- Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me." An attractive man who was very obviously not the dockmaster was staring expectantly up at her. The leather in her gloves creaked as her hands tightened into fists. "No."

"What?" he asked, perplexed.

"No. I don't owe you any money, I don't want whatever you're selling, and thanks, I do my hair every day."

The man laughed uncertainly. "I'm sorry. Is this a joke?" She gave him a hard stare. "I'm sorry. It's just that-"

"Listen," Cassandra began, only to be literally kicked off of the ship by Damien. She righted herself in midair and recovered quickly enough. "Cain, could you please return the favor?"

"Respectfully, I would prefer keeping my leg, if that's all right."

"Smart thinkin', Biggun."

The man's laugh grew more cautious. "Look, I'm sorry if this is a bad time…"

Cassandra sighed and rubbed her temples. "I take it you're going to keep pestering us. You have one minute, and I'll stop listening."

He gave a huge sigh of relief and pulled a small harp from behind his cloak. "Fair maiden, I am Alandale, minstrel of the Merry Pirates. My captain wishes to speak with you."

"Tell them I'm busy."

"This is not exactly something you can ignore."

She closed her eyes. "Damien, when can we leave and find another port?"

"Should be a few 'ours."

"Excellent. Sorry, Alandale, looks like we can ignore it after all."

"Good captain, will you at least hear me out?"

"You have about thirty seconds left."

His smile widened. "There are two pirate crews engaged in a fight, and the fight has spread to much of the island. As a representative of the Merry Pirates, I cordially invite you to _May Day_ for supper."

"Sounds fun, Captain!" Lyn exclaimed. "You should go!"

"Do you not listen to anything I say?"

The first mate put her hands on her hips. "You can either have fun, check out the situation, and get a free meal, or you can trap us aboard, act all pouty and mean, and ignore something that we'll probably have to deal with anyway."

Cassandra scowled. "You sound like Alexander."

"Well, very very very very very rarely, he's right."

She ran her hands through her hair and heaved a deep sigh. "Alexander, Morgan, change of plans. You two are coming with me." She grinned at Alandale. "These two fine gentlemen love to dine."

"Of course. Would you mind leaving your weapons behind?"

"I would, as a matter of fact. However, these two to go without."

Alandale frowned slightly. "That doesn't fill me with confidence."

"You'll have to forgive Captain," Alexander said. "She's a bit touchy when it comes to her things. I can assure you that Morgan is no threat, and it's most fortuitous you and I met. I'm the musician and second mate of the Black Glove Pirates."

The minstrel gave a wide smile. "Oh? What are the tools of your trade?"

"I'm best at brass, but I have some experience with the other families. Do you by any chance have a fiddle or a flute? You and I can provide some levity during the meeting."

"That sounds like a splendid idea. Shall we go? _May Day_'s is docked a few ports clockwise, so are any of you afraid of snakes?"

"No…" Cassandra said slowly. "Why?"

"In this climate, simply walking can drain you more than you expect. Snake trains are the primary mode of transportation."

The captain raised an eyebrow. "Sounds interesting. Come, you two. Let's go for a ride."

Cassandra was impressed by how standardized the transportation system was. It functioned much like a regular locomotive service, with the notable exception that the trains consisted of several large snakes wearing seats with saddles. The lead snakes were brilliant orange and yellow animals with a single rider at their heads. The large timetables indicated the regularity of the service, and the four pirates were forced to wait in line for tickets as well as seating.

When the clock struck the hour, the lead snake gave an earsplitting hiss and began moving forward. The other snakes swiftly followed, and they picked up the pace at an alarming rate. They sped along a large street worn completely smooth by countless snakes in the past, and they soon exited the city. As soon as they left the city, various lead snakes split off to their respective destinations. Their lead snake zipped along a well-worn path that took them down a steep incline. Cassandra's knuckles whitened when she saw the bridge ahead had been completely destroyed, raging water gushing where it had been.

"Dam slam!" the conductor yelled. "Buckle up and hold on!"

The train took a sharp turn and sped up the river bank. Cassandra could hear various noises of disbelief as the train moved vertically up a large tree and smirked, fairly sure she knew what the plan was. With a whoop and a holler, the conductor directed her snake along the branch, and it launched itself into thin air. The snakes flattened and undulated sideways, allowing them to glide neatly over the raging river. When they landed, the snakes rounded themselves out once more and took off without decelerating in the slightest.

When they arrived at their destination, a handful people dismounted and stumbled away looking thoroughly nauseated. Morgan scoffed as he hopped off and landed lightly on his feet. "To be sick from something as simple as that."

"You've just gotten used to Hothead's navigating. After that, I'm not sure we'll be shaken by too much ever again. Transportation-wise, I mean."

"I will say that was some damn fine thinking," Cassandra said. "Would I be right in assuming flash floods happen frequently enough that the use of an actual rail system would be useless?"

Alandale flashed a smile. "An astute observation."

"What was that business with the dam slam?" she asked.

"Sometimes a blockage occurs upriver, and when the water finally breaks through…"

She nodded. "Must play havoc with the roads and bridges."

"Quite so. Come, _May Day_ is this way."

Cassandra felt completely fine as they walked through the city, but she noted that Alexander was indeed tiring more quickly than even he had before. Even Morgan was constantly mopping his brow with a handkerchief and looking glad he had garbed himself more for function than form. She was glad she was not suffering the same effects, as first impressions were always invaluable when meeting other leaders. When she murmured this in Morgan's ear, he straightened and began walking much more formally.

When they arrived at the docks, Cassandra made sure to keep her face blank. _May Day_ was significantly larger than even than her new _Aetos_. They were led up the gangplank to find a group of people lounging about and chatting amiably. The reason for the ship's size became was evident. One of the crewmembers would easily dwarf Cain in size. More interestingly, his skin was sleek and black with a few rows of glimmering spots running down his body. A long tendril dangled from his chin, and his mouth was filled with long, thin teeth.

"Good evening!" he thundered as he spotted them. "John Wyntown, at your service! Alandale, who are these fine people you've brought aboard?"

"I am Captain Cassandra Libera of the Black Glove Pirates," she announced. "These are two of my men. This is my second mate and musician Alexander, and this is Morgan Zematsal, my cook. Alandale says you wanted to speak to me, John?"

"She just docked in Wet Bulb earlier this evening," explained the minstrel.

"Ah, good! I'm sorry to say that this lousy bunch are the Merry Pirates. I hope you don't hold it against me."

"Shove it, Wee!" called a man. "We're the ones who should be ashamed of you!"

John reached over and lightly pushed the man over. "Anyway, what say you to some late night snacks? TNR can whip up a spread in a jiffy."

"Allow me to assist," Morgan said. "I'm always curious to see how a fellow chef handles himself in the kitchen."

"Don't embarrass me," she said as he was shown inside. "As for you, John, would you get to telling me why I'm here?"

"Getting right to the point, I see." He put his elbows on his knees and brought his head closer. "We are currently in an engagement with the Lightningbug Pirates. I seek your aid in my fight against them."

"You're joking," she said flatly. "No offense, but I don't even know you. I don't know them. These Lightningbug Pirates could be decent people and you could be scumbags. You'll forgive me if I don't immediately join your cause."

The gigantic pirate leaned in further. "I can assure you that they will not be the victors."

"Forgive me, but why the hell do you need my help? I know race isn't everything, but you're a wotan, right?"

John gave a fang-filled smile. "Obese dragonfish."

"You're not that fat!" came a call, followed by raucous laughter.

"And things are a little more complicated than that."

She gave an exaggerated sigh. "Oh, and don't I just fucking love it when things get complicated. The last time things got complicated, my crew was nearly wiped off the face of the earth. I don't want a fight. I don't want to get involved with anything that will put my crew in danger."

"You may not have a choice. As Alandale may have explained to you, this has grown to encompass many of the ports on this island. Regardless of where you go, you will likely be involved with the fights. You will eventually have to take a side, or a side will be thrust upon you."

"This is total bullshit. How long have you two been at this?"

"Forty days."

"When does the Log Pose set?"

"Two months." John's gargantuan size made it easy to tell when he was lying. "Quite some time left."

Cassandra mulled it over. She couldn't just have Jordan steal a set Log Pose for him, as she really didn't need the Lightningbug Pirates on her case either. "How the hell did this grow to involve the entire island?"

"It all depends on what you believe."

She closed her eyes. "How about you tell me what happened and we move on from there?"

"It all starts with one night six weeks ago. Saffia, here, had a dalliance with one of their members." The pirate in question bowed her head in greeting. She didn't get up from her seat on the deck, simply stroking the large fox with its head in her lap. Cassandra let her eyes linger on the dark-skinned pirate before returning to John. "Their night was long and passionate-" More whoops and yells. "- but the bastard wanted more. When she turned him down, he forced himself upon her. That started off an absolute…"

Everyone noticed that Cassandra had become as tight as a bowstring. She slowly walked over to Saffia and knelt before her. She stared deep into the pirate's eyes, searching for the unmistakable horror she had seen far too many times before. After a long while, she slowly extended her hand. "I despise rapists. They are the lowest form of life on Earth. I would wipe them all from the face of the earth if I could."

The unmistakable sounds of relieved sighs and hands being removed from weapons filled her ears. "As you said, this is a fairly volatile issue. Many rallied in the man's defense; many rallied in ours. Saffia hasn't left the ship since the incident, since we fear for her life. There have been many attempts to kill her or other Merry Pirates. At this point, crews all over the island are engaged in fighting. Hell, I don't think half of them know what they're fighting about or have the facts wrong."

"That's why I'm here," she said sharply. "Big pirate ship comes sailing in nearby, you want to make sure they at least know what's going on before they get involved. I suppose I'm thankful."

He nodded. "Plus, it would be a shame if you were to inadvertently start fighting people on our side. We could use all the help we can get."

"That makes sense to me. Point of interest, I have a crewmember - real sweet guy, solid helmsman - who might start trouble on his own. I mention this now because he occasionally loses his mind, especially after being cooped up at sea, and I don't want to jeopardize our relationship. We'll do our best to contain him, but he's a better fighter than the rest of my crew combined."

John's grin widened. "Sounds interesting. I'll be sure to take note."

"Good. Oh, thank you," she said, accepting Morgan's offering of food. "I hope you'll understand if I don't choose one side quite yet. I do believe you, but you'll forgive me if I don't join you immediately. As sympathetic as I am to your plight, and I am absolutely, I'm at a point where the safety of my crew trumps everything. I want to also find out for myself what the Lightningbug Pirates are capable of. Hell, I might try to kill this scumbag myself. Nevertheless, my crew comes first. But hey, I don't want this meeting to be only about serious business. Shouldn't we be enjoying ourselves?"

He gave a great, rolling laugh. "Exactly, exactly! Eat, drink, mingle! I do believe that's Alot bringing another captain as well."

Cassandra smiled and moved towards the largest cluster of pirates. Before she had taken two steps, Morgan caught her arm. "The captain I know wouldn't just leave it at that," he hissed.

"Then think harder about the captain you know." She shook off his hand and grabbed the drink he was holding. She was glad to see that Alexander had already integrated himself in with the other musicians. He and Alandale were having a sort of contest, her musician on a fiddle, their minstrel on his little harp. Morgan had gotten the hint and interacted with other pirates. She noted that he made a point of subtly showing off his sapphire earrings and shook her head in amusement.

She moved easily among the guests, noting that there were certain people who kept their eyes on her or her crewmates the entire time. A tall man whose handsome face was enhanced by the jagged scar cutting down his forehead who glanced away from his conversation partners the instant any of the Black Glove Pirates moved in the slightest. A man with a completely blank expression on his face slowly panned between them as well. It was interesting that John seemed to ignore her, even accounting for the other representative with whom he was conversing.

When they finally did say their farewells, Cassandra made sure to be as friendly as possible. She waited until she was sure she was out of their sight before hardening once more. Both of her crewmates noticed and chose to wait until she had led them into a secluded alley to speak. "What is it?" Alexander asked. "I thought you would have jumped aboard, our safety notwithstanding."

"Something isn't right."

"Do you disbelieve her?" Morgan said directly.

Alexander sputtered. "Of course not! She would never… Captain? You don't, do you?"

"People react in different ways," she said. "She seemed unshaken. That neither confirms nor refutes their statement. My heart still goes out to her, but something about those pirates doesn't seem right to me."

"Surely you should know that statistically speaking, claims of rape are true."

"I am more than aware. I still plan to assassinate the man. The question is whether or not to make it obvious I did it."

"Don't be so blinded, Alexander. Do not forget who your Captain is."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

Morgan raised his left hand to show off his missing finger. "Her intuitions are not to be ignored."

"How do you feel about that, by the way?" she asked. "Angry, vengeful, glad?"

"I very reluctantly admit you were right in that it does not affect my everyday life. I have adapted well enough to having nine fingers, partially thanks to you and your therapy routine."

"And…?" Alexander prompted with a smile.

The prince heaved an exasperated sigh. "And it did heal faster than it would have naturally, so there is something to be said about you and some sort of hastening of the healing process. Shall we focus on the matter at hand?"

"So what do you think is wrong?"

Cassandra continued to think. "I don't have enough evidence to put my finger on it. Gathering information without drawing attention is going to be pretty fucking hard. With a wotan, Miserie doesn't exactly have the upper hand. She can outswim him, but that only means she won't be caught. I'll need Jay now more than ever to work his magic, and we haven't even met the Lightningbug Pirates."

"Their story will be different."

"And water is wet. The point is even if I did covertly assassinate the man responsible, it might only add fire to the flames. John's right: after a month of this, the initial incident doesn't entirely matter. It's not about the individual people any more. It's not even about who's right and who's wrong for a lot of people. It's about us versus them and picking a side. As neutral as I want to be, it won't last. And this is even worse than last time. I can't just skip the island. This is a small scale war. People are going to be constantly vigilant. I can't ask Jay to do everything."

"Why not?" Morgan inquired. "He is currently serving as Raven's replacement and as such should be held up to similar standards. I acknowledge that he isn't a pirate of ours, but he has pledged to do whatever is necessary to atone for his previous actions."

"While I do agree he should help-" Alexander silenced himself as Cassandra held up a fist. She stared at a nearby rooftop, straining her senses. When she was sure the eavesdropper had moved on, she lowered her hand. "And I do think we should make the most of the resources we have at our disposal, the burden shouldn't fall entirely on him."

Morgan scoffed. "If we are to remain neutral, then only Jordan can move about as he pleases."

"Lyn and I can as well, so long as we're just being friendly."

"You have already been outed as the second mate and seen conversing with Wyntown yourself. You are right, however, in that Lyn has the ability to interact without raising concerns. That said, depending on who she has shared the night with, it may cause trouble in the future."

"Yes, I know," Cassandra said, rubbing her eyes. "We'll have to tell her tomorrow and pray she hasn't done anything too bad tonight."

"Tell her later today."

She swatted Alexander's ear. "Come on. We need to find someplace to bunk for the night."

"Hold on, why?" Morgan asked.

"We were played," Cassandra said bitterly. "I didn't notice until it was too late. They kept us on board so we'd miss the last train. I'd prefer it if they didn't know you two were Users until the last possible moment, and there's no way we can hoof it back to _Aetos_ in time."

The prince smirked. "So part of your distrust with them is they managed to trick you?"

"It was just a small trick," she snapped. "If I hadn't memorized the train times beforehand, I wouldn't even have noticed until we had arrived at the station. Plus, they didn't overtly keep us from leaving. They knew I would want to stay and find out more and used that against me."

"But surely-"

"That doesn't change Saffia's position as almost assured victim. What it does change is how we interact with them moving forwards."

"So another reason you don't want to leave is so that you can get even."

She didn't dignify him with a response.


	56. Wings Unfurling

Cassandra awoke to find the bed beside hers half empty. Alexander was still slumbering, but Morgan had departed. She looked around for any sign of foul play, but the room seemed undisturbed. She smiled when she saw the paper crumpled in Alexander's half-clenched hand and carefully extracted it without waking him. She smoothed it out on her knee and held it up to the light.

_I have third watch. The sun is not yet up. Eagles do not live in hell. Art is seen by all._

She shook her head at his attempt at a coded message. She granted that he had done well, especially considering anyone without knowledge of her ship and crew would have absolutely no idea what that meant. As much as she disliked putting on old underwear, she simply could not do without a shower to cleanse the stickiness from her skin. The water wasn't nearly cool enough to relieve the heat, but it was better than nothing.

She emerged to find Alexander yawning and scrabbling around for his glasses. She was putting her pants back on when he realized he was holding Morgan's note. "Does he really think Damien is going to wreck _Aetos_ even after we talked about him and ships?"

"Whatever. I'm starving. Do you want to shower?"

He glanced at his sweat-stained clothing. "It's not going to do much good, will it?"

"Might make you feel better for a while."

"Can we just grab something to go and get back home?"

"Cain's probably still working on the plumbing."

"I'll give Morgan a damned bucket of ice water."

"That's actually a pretty good idea. A bite, then we're returning."

While their trip back to _Aetos_ could be considered uneventful, Cassandra was more aware of the eyes upon her than she usually was. She couldn't let it affect her actions, and she didn't need anybody singling her out for any reason. The rush of the snake train cooled them down slightly, and Alexander voiced his belief that people rode them simply to abate the muggy heat. She shrugged noncommittally, more focused on a passenger across the aisle who kept sneaking peeks in their direction.

As much as she trusted her navigator, she was still pleasantly surprised to see her new ship looking better than she had left. The pounding of Cain's hammer was audible some distance away, and the smell of lunch caused her near empty stomach to grumble. She ascended the gangplank to find a small box wrapped in dark green paper sitting on her main deck. "What the hell is this?"

Cain glanced up through the neatly squared hole in the main deck. "Somebody delivered it earlier this morning. He didn't seem dangerous, and it didn't explode or anything when Damien shook it."

"Alexander, shower, then bring your posters," she said as they descended into the enormous room. She stared contemplatively at her shipwright for long enough that he took notice.

"What is it?"

"Have you ever thought of how Damien fights against you?" she asked. "In terms of size, I mean."

"Of course. It is my duty to understand my opponent, especially when it comes to our group defense tactics against him. Why do you ask?"

"Have you left the ship at all?"

"Only to pick up supplies."

She slowly nodded. "We're inevitably going to be involved in a shitstorm, and one crew has a wotan. He's bigger to you than you are to us."

His eyebrows shot up. "Well, that seems like a problem. Should we tell Damien?"

"No, he'll just go straight for the jugular and fuck everything up. Speaking of, where is the bastard?"

"He left after Morgan made breakfast."

"Outstanding." She ran her hand through her hair. "Well, what about Lyn?"

"Haven't seen her."

"Even better. Long story short, there's a huge battle going on, and we're going to have to pick a side. I don't want to, but that's life. If we don't, both sides will view us as an enemy, and that's even worse. I know I don't have to ask you not to antagonize anybody, but absolutely fight to protect us if need be. Anyway, what are you working on?"

"I'm trying to decide what to do about the main deck. It would be easy if it had an opening large enough for me to fit through, and most of us can jump straight from the main floor to the deck if they're uninjured while the others can take the stairs. The problem is I don't want to compromise the integrity of the main deck by making the opening too big, but I also want to take advantage of _Aetos_' size and be able to move large amounts of supplies for storage."

"The deck's huge, and you've made do with surprisingly little. Why not just one big hatch at the bow half of the main deck?"

"I'm also worried about weight distribution. We don't need the bow sunk more than the stern, which I do admit was a problem we had on the _Knave_, especially with me onboard."

"But it shouldn't matter as much because _Aetos_ is so much bigger."

He smiled. "It is true, but a bigger ship demands bigger repairs. I can't turn two tons of matchsticks into a suitable patch."

"In that case, you're fired. Hand over your glove and get off my ship."

They both shared a round of laughter which only petered out when Morgan poked his head out of the galley door. Or rather, he poked his head out of one of the galley doors. "Lunch is ready."

"Now that's an interesting concept," she said, admiring Cain's work. He had constructed an enormous door for himself that had its own more normal sized door for the others. "Good thinking."

"It feels like a pet door," Morgan stated.

She smacked his head as she walked past him. "That's what you are. By the gods! Cain, get over here! Now!"

"Yes, Captain Libera?"

She seized his face and planted a huge kiss on his cheek. "Now was it so hard to start being selfish?"

The shipwright had deftly handled the slight destruction of the two stories by turning the partial upper level into a dining area for the pirates that connected to a large table and seat for himself. The lower level was the galley proper with a wall between it and where Cain would put his feet. She ran up the stairs and sat down at the table, gesturing for Cain to do the same. She laughed as she found they were roughly eye level with each other. "Doesn't this make you feel better?"

"A bit," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck and giving a sheepish grin.

"You're one of us, Cain. You deserve this and more. What's the progress like on the rest of the ship?"

"Structurally, I'm about halfway done with the reconstruction and enhancement. Furnishing, plumbing, lighting, and so forth… with what's left over from Xiphos' crew, about a quarter? Plumbing's good for now, but lighting and heating need to be redone from scratch."

"Sounds like you have your work cut out for you then," she said. "Hop to it."

He returned her smile. "Yes, ma'am."

Morgan cleared his throat as the large pirate left. "Are you sure you don't want to reveal everything to him?"

"Why?" she asked around a mouthful of food. "You know him better than I do. He's more responsible than the lot of you put together. He'll do his work without starting anything. He won't do anything to jeopardize our safety, which is something I can't say about the rest of you."

"Surely you're speaking of Damien?"

"The rest of you. Where the hell is- oh, there you are. What've you got for me?"

"There's no mention of John Wyntown in any bounty for the past few months," Alexander said, looking much better now that he had washed and changed.

"Really?"

He shook his head. "Either he's been really inactive lately or he's got inside connections."

"Not necessarily," Morgan interjected. "Remember that Rime's set time is four months. It would be difficult to raise much trouble on that island, even accounting for avoiding bounty hunters or Marines."

"See, even though I know bounties don't always increase with fights like that, I find it hard to believe there's been no change at all. Hiding that ship for four months would be extremely difficult."

"Perhaps Wyntown secured it some distance away from shore and transported the crew himself? He has the size for it, and the visibility around Rime is absolutely terrible."

Cassandra mulled it over. "Could be. Camp out somewhere isolated, check on the ship once in a while, I can see that. Well, that's not helpful. Even if we do find his bounty, without recorded notes, there's no way we'll be able to determine his worth."

"Do larger bounties not represent larger threats?"

"Darren Madaxe had a bounty of over a hundred million. Damien and Captain finished him off."

Morgan rolled his eyes. "Fine, possibly not. Have you found out any information on the Lightningbug Pirates?"

She rubbed her brow. "Either the Merry Pirates are saints and the Lightningbug Pirates are demons or vice versa. This is a huge fucking mess, and I just don't want to be involved."

"So what are we going to do?"

"I have no idea. Cain and Damien are still recovering, and your hands aren't much use. I'm surprised you managed to fiddle away."

"I can manage without too much deftness. Piano or brass might have been a bit trickier."

Morgan leaned in. "But Jordan, you, and I are unharmed. Surely that's something?"

"John's a wotan!" Alexander reminded him. "Even if we paint a gull on his head, Hothead might not be able to take him down."

"Speaking of," Cassaindra said, "under no circumstances can he be allowed to know we might have to fight a wotan. He'd never be able to resist a fight like that."

"How can you be sure John is such a strong fighter?" Morgan asked. "Size and race do not necessarily determine one's might. I will remind you that I was the size of an actual giant with constant regeneration, and he beat me with ease."

Cassandra knew he had a point. "The question is usually not whether he'll win, but whether he'll be alive at the end. I am really not in the mood to find another navigator."

"Because the one we have is so dear to our hearts," the chef drawled.

"Precisely. Now the thing we need to do-"

"Hey! Cici!" came a loud shout from outside. "Birthday come early?"

She sighed as she got to her feet. The dining level led to a door by the wall that exited onto a balcony in the main central room. Morgan and Alexander followed her up the staircase to find Jordan casually rotating the small package. She tossed it over to Cassandra, who gingerly caught it. "Stand back," she warned, carefully bringing it to the forecastle cabin and slitting open the paper. She leaned in to smell for any poison or explosive agent, but she couldn't detect anything dangerous. She pulled out its contents and stared at it critically. "Huh."

"One million," Morgan counted instantly. "Is this a bribe?"

Cassandra picked up the card that had dropped from the package. "'A gift from the Merry Pirates.' One of you get me this much paper and a lighter. Without being seen, if possible."

"You intend to burn it?" the prince said in surprise.

"I do not intend to make myself an enemy of the Lightningbug Pirates this quickly, and I am telling the Merry Pirates I cannot be bribed."

"But you might be able to start a bidding war for your services."

"And when it gets too much and one side decides to attack us and take the money? I think not. One million is still a decent chunk of change, and we're not exactly rich at the moment." She frowned and stuck her head outside. "Cain, you didn't bankrupt us with the repairs and food restock, right?"

"No, ma'am. It did bite deeply into our funds even accounting for Xiphos' contribution, but we're still not in the red."

"Excellent. Thank you." She emerged fully from the cabin and set the paper ablaze. She held onto the burning paper until it nearly singed her glove before throwing them off the starboard side. "Has anyone seen Miserie?"

"She had second watch. She should be sleeping at the moment."

"Someone wake her to get the unburned bits. We don't need anyone finding out we didn't actually burn the money."

Alexander laughed. "You just love to cover your bases, don't you?"

"That's why I'm still alive," she responded. "Cain, when you get to a good stopping point, take Morgan shopping. The rest of you, enjoy yourselves and _stay safe_."

The musician gave a parting casual salute. "When do we not?"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

"Okay, hold it! Hold it!" Lyn made a frame with her hands and peered critically through it. "Great! Stay like that!"

Sweat glistened on the four people carefully balancing on one foot. Cain had his planted firmly on the deck, and twin versions of Morgan were on the backs of his outstretched hands. Cassandra was left the difficult position of balancing on the large pirate's head, though Cain made it easier with his usual near-motionless solidity. While everybody had agreed to the artist's after-dinner group activity, it was difficult to keep the requested expressionless face in such an absurd position. Alexander wasn't any help at all, humming loudly in the background and occasionally bursting into laughter.

"So then I got free shots for the rest of the night! I didn't get completely smashed, not nearly as much as the two meatheads who wanted to take me home! They were so funny, all trying to protect their pride and trying to hide how lightweight they were! They weren't as bad as you, Captain, but it was still hilarious! Anyway, that's when I went to the third bar…"

"This was her plan all along," Morgan muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "Put us in a position where we can't move and force us to listen to her escapades."

"Nobody's forcing you," Jordan murmured back. "Just hop off and be done with it."

"And listen to her pleas and implorations? I think not."

"Look, just because Alal drew the short straw doesn't mean-"

"He did not draw the short straw! He shortened his straw! I saw it!"

"Hey! No talking!" Lyn commanded. "You'll mess up my drawing!"

Alexander nearly choked on his drink. "You are demanding others to stop talking?"

"Well, yeah! Do you see me talking when I'm getting a tattoo?"

"Yes! You had to leave your body or Raven was going to sedate you!"

"Not the point! Shut up or you'll be in there!"

A loud bang caused them all to reactively flinch. The three pirates dropped from Cain's body and landed unevenly. Another bang rang out, and Cassandra instantly grabbed her pistols. She straightened the sound of the burst dwindled and a familiar _vroom_ filled her ears. Jordan changed back to his most androgynous form as he recognized it as well. A motorcycle wound its way through the dense streets, and bystanders shouted as they leapt aside in a panic. Just before it ran off the docks, a few small explosions launched the motorcycle onto _Aetos_. It skidded along the deck and came to a stop around the mast.

Cassandra laughed in delight as the rider took off her helmet and adjusted her red headband. "What the fuck are you doing here, pipsqueak?"

"Checking up on some dumb bitches who can't stop making trouble," the newcomer responded happily. "How's it hangin'?"

Morgan looked completely nonplussed. "Captain, just what-"

"You must be Yin," the musician said, extending his hand. "I'm Alexander-"

"How did you know?" asked the chef.

"Jordan and Captain knew her, I can see grenades and countless pockets, and she's certainly not any of the others."

"Damn right, I'm not!"

Cassandra put her hand over her eyes, and Jordan heaved a mighty groan. Yin pulled off her black cargo vest to reveal the small dark grey wings protruding from her back. Lyn bounded forward, lights shining in her eyes. "They're so beautiful!"

Yin scowled and pushed Lyn away. "Yeah, yeah, calm your tits. Damien has wings, and you don't go all gaga over him."

"Should we?" Jordan grumbled to Cassandra.

"They'll find out soon enough anyway."

"Mind shutting up for a bit?" Yin snapped.

"Find out what?" Lyn asked cheerfully.

The bomber cast her Sisters a dark look. "You are such killjoys. I fucking hate you, you know that?"

Cassandra laughed and grabbed her in a tight hug, the smaller woman's short black hair tickling her chin. "I know you do. Are you going to tell them or not?"

"What's the big deal? You ever seen a non-human before?"

Everyone gave her a flat look. "Miserie! Say hello to another one of my Moon Sisters!"

The mermaid leapt onto the poop deck and ducked out of sight. "Hello! What is her name?"

"Yin," she said slowly. "Just what is your deal, First? You have a soft spot for weird things?"

"First?" Morgan repeated. "Oh. Never mind."

"Of course I do," Cassandra said. "We're all weird."

Yin huffed and folded her arms. "I'm a Shandorian." She received five blank stares. "See, First? It's no fun if you don't do it my way."

"No fun for you, maybe. Besides, can't I brag a bit? How many people can claim they know a Shandorian personally?"

Morgan gave a fake laugh. "Hihihi! How amusing! Please explain your ancestry before Captain explodes with contained joy?"

"Sure! In just a moment." Cassandra deftly avoided Lyn's lunge. "Fine…"

"Actually, before I forget." Yin opened the back of her motorcycle and pulled out a six-pack of her favorite beer. She took one and handed the others to Jordan before reaching back into her ice chest. "Brought you a few presents."

Cassandra caught the box and flicked open the clasp. She shut it as quickly as she opened it, not wanting the others to see. She was surprised when Yin gave an apologetic grin. "What is this?"

"Okay, so you know how you may have made a certain someone promise to be nice and not do anything bad or you'd hurt them?"

"Did they also have two lungs and a heart?"

Yin rolled her eyes. "You may have said you'd take them to the highest building you could find, nail a few scraps of skin to the top, and throw them off?"

Ice flooded through Cassandra's veins. Ignoring the disturbed looks her crewmembers were giving her, she opened the box once more and carefully checked its contents. She glared at Yin, who had the decency to look cowed. "This was cut off while she was still alive. Didn't I make myself clear?"

"Hey, I couldn't find a tall enough building!" Cassandra's glare intensified. "Look, the Second begged me not to kill her, and I couldn't say no. You know how she gets."

"What did Dakota do?"

"She gave the usual breakup bullshit: 'it's not you, it's me', 'I think we should still be friends', 'no, of course it's not because I got tired of asking you to shave.' I couldn't kill her, so I cut out her lying tongue."

The pirates all stared at the box with mixed expressions of horror and disgust. Cassandra couldn't help but smile as she tossed the box back. "Good enough. If you two cross paths, tell her that if I ever see her again, I'll still make good on my promise."

"Are you really treating this as some sort of game?" Morgan asked. "You cut out a young woman's tongue?"

Yin shrugged. "The Second takes breakups very badly. Don't worry; she's with the Fourth right now. It's annoying, though. The Second keeps asking if Dakota's okay and shit. I hate it."

"Hey, that's not fair!" Lyn protested. "It can be hard to get over people!"

"Yeah? The fuck would you know about that?" Yin snapped.

"Okay, we were talking about what a Shandorian is," Cain cut in. "Care to explain?"

The bomber heaved a loud sigh. "A long, long time ago, a score of kingdoms decided to fuck us harmless Shandorians over. Most of us died, one tribe split off, and my ancestors went into hiding. Thousand years pass, and now we've taken over the Breakthrough Assassins. Any other questions?"

"Why does Yin have wings?" asked Miserie.

"I'm sorry, who are you again?"

Miserie shrunk out of sight as best she could. "Her name is Miserie. She is a Black Glove Pirate even though she doesn't have a glove yet. Please don't stare at her. She gets very uncomfortable."

"How does your motorcycle work?" Cain inquired.

"Fuck, it's like I never graduated. Just nonstop questions for any new thing."

Lyn was visibly containing herself as Yin pulled a bag out of her cargo pants and popped a few berries into her mouth. When the assassin saw, she smiled and held out the bag. Cassandra slapped Lyn's hand away before she could touch it. "Yin's a User who sets things to explode. Because she's stopped smoking, she's been eating belladonna berries to stave off urges."

"Two years, three months, twenty days clean!" Yin said cheerfully.

"But isn't belladonna-" Morgan started.

"Poisonous? Yeah, to humans. I fucking love 'em."

Lyn was bouncing on her feet with her hand raised. "And your explodey Fruit? How does that work?"

Yin tossed over a berry, and Cain plucked it from midair. He peered at it and squished it between his fingers. He even licked his fingers to confirm and spat it back out. "It's a berry."

"Glad you figured that out, and you'll be damn glad I hadn't done anything to it. Now this one…" She flicked the berry into the air and snapped her fingers. It burst apart, causing them all to shield themselves slightly. "If you wanna see something cool, though, get a load of this."

Having participated in the trick several times before, Cassandra offered a knife to Yin, who pressed it between her fingers for a moment. The captain flourished the knife theatrically before throwing it into an already damaged part of the deck. The pirates stared at it cautiously while the Moon Sisters stifled their laughter. Yin held her hand out for dramatic effect and snapped her fingers. "Boom."

The knife burst apart, metal shards scattering everywhere. Lyn clapped her hands and cheered while Cain and Morgan stared in amazement. "Did you set this up beforehand?" Cain asked at last.

"Hell no! Give me anything that isn't alive, and I can turn it into a bomb. Sleep tight with that thought in mind, eh bodyguard? We assassins have all sorts of fun, new ways of killing off people we want dead. Take Morgan's glove, for example."

The prince was instantly struggling with the garment and threw it to the floor. Yin snapped her fingers, causing him to flinch away, but nothing else happened. His cheeks reddened as the bomber laughed uproariously and slapped his back. "Man, oh man! Your face! You should have seen your fucking face! Oh, that was absolutely priceless!"

He laughed mockingly as he replaced the glove. "Is this some sort of hazing ritual I must constantly undergo?"

"That was part one. This is part two." A snap caused his shirt to fly apart, the force buffeting him about. He clutched his chest and coughed as he sunk to the deck. "Relax, Morgan, take it like a man. A shirt's nothing. After you tried to kill the First, I was tempted to go with a metal rod, but the Fifth already did enough."

"Yes, a similarly harmless prank," the prince spat. "Forcing Grade A seastone into my mouth. You all have a mean streak wider than the Line."

"We're assassins!" Jordan said jovially. "We gotta get our kicks somewhere!"

"As well as other places!" Yin raised her bottle and took a deep swig. "Anyway, you've been awful quiet, Alexander. Aren't you curious at all?"

"Of course I am. I just thought you three might want to catch up."

Yin shook her head. "Oh we will, but in a sec. Right now, it's me getting to know all of the First's fine crew. I see Cain, practically robotic in nature and won't stop protecting for squat. Morgan, the idiot who thought he could assassinate one of the finest assassins the Academy ever almost produced. Alexander, the gentleman with delusions about spirits. And, of course, Lyn. Enough said. Oh, sorry, Miserie. News hasn't quite caught up with you yet. That's five people the First trusts with her life that I've never met. Forgive me if I don't pass this chance up."

"Well, it's not us you should be worried about," Morgan said hotly. "You're missing the crewmember who has tried to kill Captain the most."

"You're right. I am."

Yin looked far too proud for Cassandra not to be suspicious. "What?"

"Remember how I said I brought you presents, plural?"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Damien laughed and slammed his shot glass upside down on the counter. His previous three drinking partners were flat on their backs and largely ignored by the audience. The fat woman he was currently facing had finished off three of her own. Everyone was cheering and shouting loudly as the two finalists continued to match each other. The bartender squirted hot sauce in their next shots, but he and his opponent only laughed harder. They hooked their elbows around the other's and tilted their glasses back, both fighting to pull the other over. Parts of both shots splashed onto their faces, but they didn't care.

"You're…" The woman laughed so hard she started coughing. "You're a goddamned lunatic!"

"Aye, an' you're one too, tramp! Another!"

"Another!" the rest of them shouted. "Drink! Drink! Drink! Drin-"

He paused with the glass halfway to his lips when almost every single person in the bar staggered to the ground. He glanced around perplexed before realizing what was happening. Mad roars of amusement burst forth, and he threw the glass to the side. He planted his feet on the ground and pushed his stool back. As the people around him began slowly recovering their senses, he turned to face the door and rested his elbows on the bar. "Yahahahahar! About brotherfuckin' time! I was thinkin' you'd skipped out and left 'em for dead!"

A small figure solidified in the bright light coming from outside. "You attacked Cassandra and the other Black Glove Pirates. Whatever penalty you have received is insufficient. After all, you are the only one who can punish me, and I am the only one who can punish you."


	57. The Love of the Moons

"Hold on, what do you mean Raven's back?" Cassandra yelled. "Why isn't she here?"

"She had some…" Yin trailed off as she tried to find the words, "business."

"On Dewpon? What possible business could be more important than- oh, for Mors' sake."

"What?" Lyn asked.

The pirate captain clenched her jaw. "She's confronting Damien. Gods below, why can't she-"

Raven appeared crouching on the railing beside them. They all stared at her in surprise, but she waited no time before talking. "You have changed ships. The new size should be more beneficial to Cain's health. Where are your medical supplies?"

"No, just fucking-"

"Two floors down, back room," Jordan interrupted. Raven disappeared once more, and Cassandra glared at the androgyne. "What?"

The pirate captain rubbed her brow, praying to the gods to give her strength. "Cain, could you please go to Damien and Raven and apprehend them_ as roughly as you possibly can_," she finished through clenched teeth. "Raven is back for literally ten seconds, and she has already inflicted enough damage for Damien to need medical attention."

Morgan didn't even bother hiding his glee. "As regrettable as his injuries are, should we not be happy that Raven has returned? Damien's fighting power is considerable, but Raven's is… something else."

"The words you're looking for are 'geared for lethality,'" she snapped. "You knew about this?"

"Well, yeah," Yin said without an ounce of remorse. "Morgan wasn't the only one who tried to kill you. I don't differentiate."

"Any other crewmembers you'd like to hurt?"

Yin flashed a smile. "A few, but I'll let them slide. C'mon, First, it's tradition! An attempt on your life means a little bit of roughhousing."

"Roughhousing? I was forcefed seastone and endure agony greater than any other on this earth!"

"While I do think that what Jay did to you was extreme," Cassandra admitted, "Damien already received his punishment.

"Don't blame me if the Seventh wanted to do it herself. She's one of your pirates too, which we still think is totally cheating, by the way."

"Hey, she never made the same promise the rest of you did."

"Because we never thought she'd leave her family for you!"

Raven reappeared by Cassandra's side, and the captain was surprised that Raven's speed had once again outstripped her vision. "Damien has been treated."

"You were the one who hurt him!" Alexander protested.

"Yay!" Lyn cheered. "We're all back! First and most important thing, ship name vote! I say _Awesome Dynamo Misbehaving Seafaring High Flying Mega Bird Ship_! Raven, what do you think we should name it?"

"What is the name of the ship currently?"

"_Aetos_."

"_Aetos_."

"I'm glad we waited," Cassandra said with a chuckle. "I say _Raptor Queen_. Let's take a vote; mine counts for ten."

"I like yours anyway!" Lyn exclaimed.

"Why am I not surprised?" Morgan wondered sarcastically. "_Royal Courier_."

Alexander shook his head as he smiled. "How about something for all of us, mate? I propose _Dusk Pandion_."

"Miserie says _Leviathan Waker_."

Lyn's face lit up. "Oh, and Cain said _Boundless_, and Damien said _Ask Me One More Fuckin' Time, I'll Knock Yer Fuckin' Teeth Out 'N' Use 'Em For Dice_."

The pirate captain grinned. "Out of those, I think I like Alexander's the most. Even more than mine, I know. All in favor?"

"Sounds good to me," Morgan said, the rest of the pirates nodding in agreement. "_Dusk Pandion_ it is."

"There's Cain now!" Lyn shouted. "Black Glove Pirate party, go go go!"

Cassandra rolled her eyes as a freshly-bandaged Damien shook himself free and dropped to the deck. "Fuck, Blackie. Those're some fuckin' moves you've picked up."

"I have been training. As have you."

Cain's booming laughter rolled through the docks. "It's like you never left. However, you four have been separated for longer than us pirates have. You should really enjoy yourselves."

"Agreed," Alexander said. "As great as it is to have all of the Black Glove Pirates together, we can celebrate tomorrow. Tonight should be about more than half of the Moon Sisters being in the same place at once. No arguing." Lyn shut her mouth. "Come, let's get shitfaced in Raven's honor. Well, Hothead can toast to getting a proper spar tomorrow."

"Aye, I'll drink to tha'! Yahahar!"

Cassandra shook her head as the pirates piled off of the ship. She trusted that they would take care of themselves, and most of them knew enough of the situation between the Lightningbug and Merry Pirates to keep Damien and Lyn from starting anything. Just to make sure, she went down to the medical ward and retrieved Raven's personal snail. She went to the galley to find two of her Sisters seated at the table and one perched on the back of a chair. She smiled and accepted the bottle of cider Yin passed her.

"So," she said, crossing her feet on another chair, "just like Brickwork. What're you doing here, Yin? Why are you really here?"

"Primary reason: diplomacy with the Fifth. Sort of. I know you got the best deal considering the options you had. Quick thinking, I have to say. Technically, I'm here to tell you that you fucked up and you've damaged relations between our families, but we all know you got your way."

"Okay…"

"Secondary reason: I wanted to see how you were doing! The Fourth and Fifth got visits, so I wanted one too. I want to meet the idiots who thought following you on your dream to become Pirate Queen would be a good idea. They seem like an okay bunch. I wouldn't mind getting to know them better."

Cassandra eyed Jordan for a moment. "So is this like a 'how many of Cassandra's crew can we sleep with' contest? What's the prize for winning?"

Yin laughed. "No, seriously. I'm not kidding."

"Neither am I. Any other reasons?"

"Well, the damndest thing happened about a week ago. Yang and I were on a mission together, and he had locked himself in his room. I miscalculated how many explosives he had tucked away before I blew his door open, and while he was flying through the air, the Seventh came nearby and asked me if I could give her a ride. You've still got to get a handle of how favors work, but in exchange for saving him, one-way ticket to your crew."

Jordan stared for a moment before laughing uproariously. "So… so how long were you stalking Yinyin to find a way in?"

"Five days."

The eldest Sister joined him in laughing. "Why am I not surprised? What I am surprised by is your family let you escape."

"They did not. However, I have several family members who listen to my orders instead of those of my father and his advisors. They hid and continue to hide my disappearance, but I do not how long they will be able to do so. I had to kill three of my family members who attempted to blackmail me, but we should be free from my family's grasp for at least two more islands."

Yin nodded. "Oh right. I have a third present for you that's actually kind of a request you need to do."

"Fabulous," Cassandra said flatly. "What is it?"

"An Eternal Pose! I don't have it on me, but my family thinks I'm on the way to Scarab Island. I have an actual mission there. I'll give it to you to throw everyone off your tail if you do the mission: destroy a few buildings without killing a few key people."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "How ever will I do that? If only I had something that could cause mass destruction, something that could raze a building to the ground. How will I ever find one of those?"

"Funny. Anyway, you can leave whenever you want."

She sighed and rubbed her brow. "If you had dropped that in my lap yesterday, I would have absolutely taken up on your offer. Unfortunately, things aren't quite that simple."

"Yeah, well, you were the one who decided to leave Rime a few months earlier than you should have," Yin snapped. "I had to make adjustments. Sue me. The Fifth said you were complaining about leaving, and now you can! What's the big deal?"

"First off, short of linking our ships together, we won't get to spend any time with each other. I could do without some time with this idiot-"

"Hey!" Jordan exclaimed.

"But I haven't seen you in a while. We need at least some time together. Secondly…" She tried to figure out how best to explain it. "I was tricked."

Jordan and Yin gave exaggerated sighs of exasperation. "Well, we're stuck here," Yin said. "At least we get to grow old and die together, right?"

Cassandra scowled at them. "Stop being such drama queens."

"Exfuckingcuse me?" Jordan blurted out. "_We're_ the drama queens?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Cassandra huffed. "I don't-"

"There have been many opportunities where you would have finished your task sooner if not for your desire for useless talk and grandstanding or placing pride over logic."

Cassandra glared at Raven while the other two Sisters gave long 'ooh's and covered their mouths. "You've back for how long and you're already challenging me? Are you begging to be kicked from my crew already?"

"Even if you were to formally remove me from your crew, I would continue to follow you for as long as I could, even if you were to remain unaware."

Yin grinned around her bottle. "See, Seventh, that's the kind of phrasing that might creep some people out. We've been going over this."

"I still do not see why altering my speech patterns matters. None of the Black Glove Pirates or the Moon Sisters care about how I speak. On a related matter, why does Miserie speak in the third person?"

The pirate captain shrugged. "Why do you never use contractions? Why can Damien not go without two sentences without swearing? That's just how we are. She's been really useful in your absence, by the way. She can subdue Damien without putting him in the hospital."

"I did not put him in the hospital. I simply administered appropriate punishment."

Jordan chuckled. "But he's one of us. You sure lucked out when you found him."

"Sure. Lucked out. Whatever you say."

"The Seventh told me all about your crew," Yin said. "You say that Alexander's the better of the two, but don't even try to lie and say you don't find Damien useful."

"When have I ever said… when I say he's useless, it's because he's making my life harder."

"I wouldn't mind him making _my_ life harder."

Cassandra stared for a moment then covered her face. "No. No. You are not going where I think you are with this. Absolutely not."

"Hey, you always said you wouldn't police our personal lives."

"Whatever happened to that dickheads with the biceps like bowling balls? You seemed like you had a thing going."

"One got himself caught and killed, and the other one snuck into Yang's room instead of mine by accident. Damn shame, too. So why can't-"

"Damien's good for a lot of things, but I would seriously think twice… thrice… I'd think until I realized that wasn't a good idea. Why would you even think of sleeping with him? He's not even your-"

Yin chuckled as the captain cut herself off. "I'm sorry, you were saying?"

"I'd recommend not, and I won't do anything to him when we pick you up the next morning with a spatula."

"Fine, fine. Spoilsport."

Cassandra waited for a moment. "You're still going to do it, aren't you."

"Hey, Morgan looks real aggressive in bed too. Or maybe Alexander."

Jordan spilled some of her beer on her shirt. "Good luck with that one. Alal wants a romantic marriage before he'd ever give it up. Fifty grand says you'll never be able to do it."

"Sounds like a bore. I'll pick between the other two."

"Oi, my crewmembers aren't pieces of meat." Cassandra briefly glanced away. "Damien is, but Morgan has some feelings. Probably. I think he might, if you dug deep enough."

Raven blinked. "Morgan has exhibited emotions nearly as much as any of the other pirates. I do not see-"

"Sarcasm," the other three Sisters said simultaneously.

"It seems you all employ sarcasm very often. Why is this?"

"Again, just who we are," Cassandra said.

"Getting back to fucking all of Cici's crew we're not related to by celestial connections, I'd recommend against Caicai. He'd probably tear you in half."

"You think?" Yin asked.

Jordan grinned lecherously. "Trust me, even if he's just a shower, you'd probably die."

"I agree. The size difference between you two would cause serious internal injury during the act of coitus."

Cassandra was leaning back from the table with her arm over her eyes. "You do realize they're like my family right? To me, this is almost like incest."

"Yes, how totally abhorrent it would be to have sex between second, third, or other cousins," Jordan drawled. "It's a good thing we don't know anybody like that."

"My mother is…" Raven looked between them. "Is this another instance where you use sarcasm?"

"She's learning!" the Changeling crowed, clapping her hands. "Give the lady a gold star! So they're like family to you?"

The pirate captain grinned. "Barely one iota less than you are."

"So how do you explain the being so madly in love with your almost sister?"

Cassandra stared at her. "I love you all."

"I'm not talking about us, smartass. I'm talking about how you're head over heels for Lynlyn."

"So?"

Jordan leaned to the side as Yin sprayed out all of her beer. "And don't even try to deny it. I've seen how you look at her. I've had your senses. Your heart beats faster whenever you're near her, you warm up ever so slightly, and you're always a touch more nervous when you're around her. Plus, even a blind deaf person could tell you're… you okay, Yinyin?" She hit the Shandorian's back a few times as Yin continued to cough. "Fuck, all the time you spend downing kegs with douchebags, you think you'd be able to deal with it by now."

Yin could only pound her chest as she pointed at Cassandra.

"Yeah, but she's not the one…" The impersonator frowned. "Wait, what? What'd you say?"

"I love Lyn. So what?"

"You?" Yin gasped. "You love… you love her? What the fuck? You were gone for like four months! How'd you turn lesbian that quickly?"

Cassandra sighed. "I didn't turn into anything. I'm still me. I just love Lyn."

The bomber rattled off a long string of Shandorian curses that gradually escalated in volume. "How long have you known this chick? How can you say you love her?"

"Now to be fair, Yinyin, Lynlyn is really something else."

"But… but…"

"Shinobu has had several girlfriends," Raven droned. "You did not react so strongly when you found out."

"Yeah, but the Second's a migoi! That's not the same! Ah shit…"

Cassandra crossed her arms. "And why exactly is that not the same?"

"Look, First, I didn't mean that. It's just…"

"It's just what?"

Jordan leapt in to save his floundering Sister. "You've only been interested in men before. Hell, after Coco, we were pretty sure you'd sworn off love forever."

"Exactly! Have you even ever kissed a girl? I mean, _really_ kiss one?" Yin went bright red when Jordan and Cassandra looked at her, and it took her a few seconds to turn sounds into coherent words. "B-besides me! That's completely different! That doesn't count, and you know it!"

"But you enjoyed it," Jordan teased.

"There was no romance in that whatsoever!"

"Lotta tongue though."

Cassandra caught Yin as the small assassin lunged across the table. "Does it really matter who I have or haven't kissed? I love Lyn. I know it, and Jordan knows it."

"I'm damn surprised the others haven't noticed," Jordan said. "Blind as hell, if you ask me. Well, this sure cut out a lot of pointless prying it out of you. Now you won't have to play mountaineer and spelunker on your own anymore, eh?"

"Jay!"

"Hey, having your senses isn't all sunshine and rainbows. What're you gonna do about this whole deal between the two of you?"

"Nothing."

"Good," Yin said quickly. "Good, that's smart."

"Wait, why not?" Jordan asked.

The eldest Moon Sister took a few deep breaths. "Look, say I did get involved with her. What's the first thing you'd do if you were trying to hurt me?"

"Get Lyn," they both answered.

"Exactly. I won't trap her in some glass cage so she'll be safe. Sure, they can try to kidnap any of my nakama, preferably Damien so he could deal with it barring any stupid promises on my side, but they'd target Lyn specifically. I couldn't stand that at all. Think of how I work, too. I make plans. I negotiate with cards up my sleeve or bluff without any cards at all. I could never, ever, bluff with Lyn's life on the line. I'd think out strategies that prioritize her safety over the optimal plan. I nearly had a fucking heart attack when I saw her with armor aboard Xiphos' ship. I can't do that to her or myself."

"Now, Cici-"

"It's hard enough for me as it is. I can't put her in the safest place all the time. Hell, I can't guarantee her safety all the time anyway. We're pirates. I won't expose her to any more risk than she needs to be."

Jordan leaned in. "That's not your call."

"I'm her captain first and foremost," Cassandra snapped, shooting to her feet. "I protect my fucking nakama, whether they be bastards who'll try to kill me on occasion or the woman I love. This is what I have to do to protect them. End of discussion. Do not talk to her about this or write or encode or smoke signals or communicate this to her in any way. All of you promise you won't. That includes you, Raven. Promise me."

"I promise," Yin said quickly.

"I promise as well," Raven stated.

Jordan grudgingly nodded in agreement. "Me too."

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go get shitfaced and try to forget this entire conversation. You're welcome to join me."

"Hey, it'd take more than that to drive me away, Cici. Should be a blast. Wait a moment, though, would you? I've gotta take a shit."

Yin paused. "Oh, you got a blood stick I can use?"

"Cabinet above the sink upstairs," Cassandra told her. "Or downstairs. Just not across the hall."

"That's too big to be just a hall," Jordan said. "Be there in just a bit."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Jordan looked up as Yinyin entered the bathroom and shut the door behind her. "Wait, are you actually on the rag or did you just want to talk without Cici listening in? She can hear us."

"Convinced her to take her ring off and down a bottle. The Seventh's here now, so she let loose. Plus, that whole Lyn thing threw her for a loop. We should be okay for now."

"Meanwhile, I'm kinda mid-shit. Catch you in five?"

"I've seen you naked with a pussy, a dick, two dicks, and a couple things that make me want to puke just thinking about them. So what do you think?" Yinyin asked, boosting herself onto the sink.

"Seriously, mid-shit here." Yinyin stared unflinchingly at him. The Changeling sighed, knowing there was no way he was getting out of this. "Think about what?"

"The First. Lyn. That whole fucking deal."

"Fine. Anything in particular?"

"Do you think the First really loves Lyn?"

"Unquestioningly. Kinda weird, actually. I haven't seen her like this in ages."

Yinyin scowled. "So she's really a lesbian now."

"The fuck are you talking about? She's no gayer than I am."

Her scowl darkened. "That doesn't even make sense. Nobody who knows you in the slightest would call you gay. Except for maybe the way you dress."

"I'm not taking fashion advice from some bitch whose wardrobe consists entirely of clothes stolen from her boytoys or her brother."

"Look, the First isn't gay."

"Why do you care if she's gay, bi, pan, whatever? Remember when Shishi told us she had a girlfriend? You thought she that was fine."

"Because the Second's hairier than human men!"

Jordan pressed her fist to her head. "Why are you so caught up on this? Migoi or not, Shishi's gaga over girls, and Jenjen tops a royal flush. And Raerae's never shown any interest of any sort in anyone, though that's not quite the same. What's the problem?"

"I don't fucking care that she's _gay_. I care that _she's_ gay."

The impersonator stared in confusion for a moment before finally understanding. "Oh, hell. She's still the same old Cici who would rip a man's jaw off with her bare hands if he made her mad. Just because she loves a woman doesn't mean she's drastically changed. We learn new things all the time. We thought Cici was straight, but evidence points more towards bi now. It's just how things are."

"But-"

"You really don't want to go toe-to-toe with me on sexuality, Sister. Now can I please finish here?"

"Well, what about that thieving succubus? How does she feel about the First?"

He closed his eyes and leaned back. All he wanted now was a cigarette and a minute of peace, but he knew how much Cici hated him smoking inside. As if reading his mind, Yinyin held out her package of belladonna. He smiled and accepted some of her berries. As disgusting as eating on the toilet was, she had to admit they took the edge off her cravings.

"Lynlyn? I don't know. For a former nun, she spends a fuckton of time topfree or naked, though to be fair, even you have to admit she's doing the public a disservice by wearing any clothes all. She's also all affectionate and shit, but she's like that with everyone. She says she's only slept with fifteen people or whatever, but I don't believe that for a second. The night after she and I met, we fucked all night long."

The bomber leaned forward. "Really? How was she?"

"Not the best I've had, but pretty damn good."

"Figures. When you meet people cunt-first, anybody would get a lot of practice."

"Well, on the upside, if Cici really can hear us, she'll murder you first. Plus, you and I sleep around all the time."

"Yeah, but we've been damned from the day we were born. The First is different. She deserves the best the world has to offer, and if you're truly a Moon Sister, you can't deny it. She doesn't need some bimbo with more tits than brains."

"Don't be so hard on Lynlyn. She's really a nice person. She's kind, supportive…"

The counter cracked beneath Yiyinn's clenched hands. "Who's side are you on?"

"Cici's, forever and always."

"Exactly. That whore seduced the First somehow."

"Yeah, I know Jenjen said that, but I really don't think that's the case."

"Then what do you think is the case? Fuck, with all the time spent with them, and the First too blinded to think straight, you're all we've got."

Jordan held out his hand for more berries. "Look, I don't know. If you're asking me if you think Lynlyn has an agenda, no, I don't. Does she know Cici's infatuated with her? I don't think so either, but if she does, she's doing a hell of a job leading Cici on. I mean, if she does have any feelings towards Cici at all, they didn't stop her from jumping ship the second we made landfall and finding some rando's bed to sleep in."

Yinyin smashed her fist into her hand. "Then I think it's time I stop by and have a talk with little miss slutbag."

"Do I have to remind you that when someone 'had a talk' with one of her boyfriends, she broke the poor bastard's elbows and knees? And that poor bastard was her cousin?"

She snatched her bag of berries back. "I'm not going to have that kind of talk with her."

"Good. Cici finds out you roughed her up, I don't even want to imagine how she'll react."

"I know. I won't do anything like that. I swear."

"I hope not. I want you to find out what you can, too, since she's all about trading information and you're completely new to her. Just… be careful. And don't scare her away either."

The Shandorian frowned. "Why not?"

Jordan flushed the toilet and pulled his pants back up. "There can't be any outside interference with these things. They know each other too well. Cici's in love with Lynlyn, and we can't do anything to change that. If Lynlyn chooses to shut Cici down of her own free will, that's one thing. Someone forcing her will be too obvious. You know what'd happen when Cici found out." Jordan looked up in the mirror as she finished washing her hands.

"But in the end-"

"In the end, what matters is what makes Cici happy. At the very least, Lynlyn's not abusive or a sadist. Hell, last time she took drugs was when she thought Cici was dead."

"She'll cheat on the First. I know it."

"Why? Because what gender her fuckbuddies are doesn't bother her?"

"You know that's not it," she growled. "Stop twisting my words."

"Stop making it so easy for me. Lynlyn's not perfect, but she's not terrible either. You have that talk with her. You'll see."

Yinyin still looked unconvinced, anxiously thumbing her lip ring. "Oh, I will. I still don't get why you're taking the bitch's side."

"I'm not. I'm on Cici's side. I will never, _ever_, see her heart get broken again. If Lynlyn doesn't hurt Cici, we can't do anything but support them. If she does..."

They exchanged evil grins. "Then we take a more than a few pages out of the First's book and show her that no matter how badly the First reacts when one of her precious pirates gets hurt, that's nothing compared to what the Moon Sisters do to protect each other."


	58. Romantic Research

Alexander looked up in surprise when he heard Raven's quiet voice behind him. "Outside, in the alley. Come now."

He smiled to the rest of his nakama. "I'm gonna step out for a minute. Try to act responsibly while I'm gone."

They all raised their glasses and continued right where they had left off. He exited the building and went to find Raven crouching on the wall out of sight. He smiled as he leaned on the opposite wall and crossed his arms. "Not a day back and we're already having more one-on-one conversations. I'm glad to see your time with your family hasn't affected you too badly. No, before you say anything, how was that? I promise we will get to whatever it is you want to talk about in a moment. I want to hear how you were doing."

The assassin remained silent for a moment. "Why?"

"Because you're my nakama. I was worried about you. Plus, I can help you prune out what you tell the others."

"You have advocated against hiding life experiences."

"I also don't need Miserie to get the completely wrong idea about you, Morgan freaking out even more than he was before, or Lyn unduly disturbed by whatever torture you administered to your family. Yes, Captain told me about that. I disapprove, but I think no less of you. I just want to know what happened."

She stared at him before dipping her head. "I went with my uncle and was brought before my father for punishment."

"What did they do to you?"

"I was subjected to several hours of corporal punishment. Additionally, they gave me a reminder regarding where they believe my alliances should lie."

He gasped in horror as she extended her right hand. An eight-pointed star surrounded by characters he had never seen before had been carved into the back of her hand. "Your family did this to you?"

"The crew theme of the Black Glove Pirates is the wearing of a single black glove. My family knew that if I ever intended to return to the crew, I would be forced to expose one hand. This was done to both of my hands."

"So no matter what, it'd be seen."

"Yes. However, Yin told me that this can be used as a powerful statement. Just as Cassandra named her crew after her organization to communicate her feelings to her family, I can show that I am both Granddaughter of the Eighth and the doctor of the Black Glove Pirates. I identify as both."

Alexander took a deep breath. "Fair enough. I'd just tell that second part. It shows good parallels between you and Captain, and it'll mean none of us try to take revenge on your family. What else happened?"

"My mastery of my family's techniques did not increase as much as it would have had I not left my family. However, this is counterbalanced by the fact that my skills as a fighter and assassin have improved dramatically."

"Okay… how?"

"Constantly engaging Damien in combat has greatly increased my reaction time and endurance. Additionally, fighting against him as well as opponents such as Nikolai Reichmann and Rockstar has taught me how to better deal with foes with unexpected abilities. I have risen considerably within my family ranks, which is partially why there are people within my family who obey my orders above those of my father in addition to my new title."

He grinned. "So basically, being with us was good."

"In some aspects, it was undeniably beneficial. However, as I have said, my family techniques have not improved as much as they could have. I was only able to received mastery tattoos for two additional techniques, gaath and kraur golnauk. Gaath enables me to dodge, which is essential when subduing Damien. Kraur golnauk is a technique that tightens muscles to a density comparable to metal. I had not thought I was proficient enough in kraur golnauk as I have never been able to fully negate strikes from Damien or Cain. However, Cain's strength outstrips that of even most large fishmen, and you are the reason Damien's bones are considerably harder than almost all metals."

"So let me get this straight: you consider yourself a failure because in the span of a few months, you only mastered two additional skills?"

"I am not a failure. I am saying that I could have mastered fra furtun and potentially krur piil as well had I remained with my family."

"But think of everything you'd have missed out on," he said. "We had one hell of a time without you."

"Does that statement indicate that you are satisfied with my summarization of my activities during my absence from the crew?"

"I don't know. What else did you do?"

"I underwent a considerable amount of training and spent many hours determining the safest way for me to return to the crew."

"So you now have a reminder much like Captain's, you did a lot of training and got some recognition, got your title, and made a plan to return. Sounds about right?"

"That is an accurate albeit laconic condensation of my recent past."

His smile widened. "Well, you can expand a little more than that. You can always run that by Captain to get her opinion too. And now, my concern for you is temporarily abated. What did you want to talk about?"

"What is love?"

Had he not spent countless hours with the small assassin talking about similar subjects, he would have been lost for words. As it was, he knew she would persist until she had a satisfactory answer, regardless of the setting. "Okay, that's one hell of a broad topic. Is there anything specific you want to know about love?"

"I do not understand."

"Well, there are a lot of different kinds of love."

"Explain."

"That might take a while."

"Your usual outing on islands involves imbibing alcohol and returning to the ship. Cassandra is with Jordan and Yin. We are currently not needed elsewhere."

"Point taken. Love is a sort of emotional attachment someone has to something. I know these sorts of things are difficult for you to understand, which is why I'm asking if you have anything specific you want to know about."

"What are the different kinds of love?"

He sighed. "There are types of love one has towards people, animals, objects, experiences, abstract concepts, and so on and so forth."

"I am curious about the types of love between people."

"Okay, well there are different types of those as well. There's love between friends and family, loyalty, gratitude, veneration…"

"You have said you love Cassandra. What kind of love is that?"

Alexander laughed. "A combination. She's my nakama, which is akin to familial love. She's my captain, and the bond between crew and captain has been ingrained in me since birth. She also has my endless gratitude for picking up me and Damien. I was beginning to lose hope that we'd be able to do anything with our lives. I want to make her happy and help her as best I can as a result."

"I would do anything for Cassandra. What kind of love is that?"

"I…" he hesitated. "I'm not sure."

"Why are you unsure?"

"I don't know what's going on in your head, but you haven't exactly shown many emotions. Without them, it's not really love.

"I do not understand. You have said you would do anything for Cassandra. Why is your connection with her called 'love' and mine is not?"

"Those are different situations. What you'd do and what I'd do aren't the same."

"Exactly. I would do more, so is that not love?"

"Most people who love somebody wouldn't do what you do."

"Therefore, do I not love Cassandra more than anybody?"

It took him some time to find the correct words. "Because… I mean no offense and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, I don't think you do love Captain. For you, it might seem like it. To me, it seems more like… devotion. Or rather, obsession. Thankfully you're not completely obsessed with her, or things would be infinitely worse than they are now. If indeed I am wrong and you do love her, it's more… unhealthy than not."

"Why?"

"You don't really care about Captain's emotional well-being, only her physical health. You'll do anything to keep her alive, but whether she's happy or not is mostly irrelevant. Hell, if you didn't obey every single order she gave to the letter, you'd probably have locked her in a cell safe from harm ages ago. I've seen you consider her desires when making a decision, which is truly fantastic, but by and large, keeping her alive is all that matters to you."

"Simply because I prioritize her survival over her psychological health does not mean I do not love her. I am the crew's doctor. My job is to ensure that none of you die. I am aware of my weakness when it comes to emotional support, which is why I leave such matters to you and Lyn. I consider that successful delegation, which would not invalidate any connection I have with her."

"Raven, I'm not trying to say you don't love her. I'm just saying what I observe and assume. If you say you do, I can't refute that. Nobody in the world can ever tell you what you feel. Remember that. I'm just trying to tell you as someone who loves you as well that your understanding about emotions like these may lead you to conclusions that may not be true."

The petite pirate's eyes were as empty as ever. Only her long ponytail moved, brushed by the hot breeze. "Then can you provide examples of how Cassandra feels towards those close to her?"

"Of course. Now, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and says she was the one who proposed the name 'Moon Sisters' for all of you?"

"Correct."

"From what I've heard about your backgrounds, most of your families didn't exactly show you typical familial love. I believe she gave you all that title because she wanted you all to know what it was like to truly have family that loves you. Something similar took place on our crew. I mean, Lyn, Damien, Miserie, and I never thought we'd find a place we could truly belong. Morgan's more like you six, someone who was told family comes first."

"Are you aware of the phrase 'blood is thicker than water?'"

Alexander gave a perplexed frown. "I do. Why do you know it?"

"That is what Morgan told me on Brickwork when I was making a decision about whether to stay with the crew or return to my family. His usage of it was incorrect."

"It's not strictly speaking wrong, more worded to give the phrase one particular meaning."

"So Cassandra feels this familial love towards you? All she feels is nakamaship?"

"Heavens no. I mean, I'll admit Damien's a bastard when he gets riled up, but Captain loves him because she doesn't have to hide anything at all. I'm not talking about secrets; I'm talking about her more violent side. Conversely, she loves me because while Damien's more extreme on that side, I'm more extreme on the other. She loves Cain because she knows he'll do basically what you do with more morals and less efficiency. I think she's in love with Lyn in a romantic way, but that might be totally wrong. Morgan's almost like her apprentice, which isn't something she feels for any of the rest of us. Now, remember I might be completely and utterly incorrect, but-"

"What is romantic love?"

He blinked as he mentally ran through what he had said to prompt the question. He stifled a groan and checked to make sure nobody was nearby. "Okay, that one I'm really unsure about. On one hand, Captain adores Lyn and acts more protective of her than anyone else. She spends a considerable amount of time with Lyn and always looks after her. On the other, she's done absolutely nothing to change their relationship to something more and doesn't even blink when Lyn goes out at night."

"Why do Lyn's actions matter?"

"Captain's mighty possessive of things she considers hers. You should know that."

"Would she hide such a thing from you?"

"I seriously doubt it. Something like this affects us all. She wouldn't hide such a thing."

"If she did hide her feelings towards Lyn from you, why would she do it?"

"Honestly, I can't think of a reason, especially with you back. If she wants something, she'll move the stars themselves - not literally - to get it. That's why the rest of us are with her, after all. She says she'll become Queen of the Pirates, and we wholeheartedly believe she will. We're along for the ride."

Raven contemplated this. "I accept your answer. It would appear she does not have such feelings."

"Okay. Anything-"

She disappeared without even disturbing the air around him. He slumped back against the wall and tried to understand what had just happened. Shaking his head, he pushed himself off and ambled back inside. He wasn't at all surprised to find Lyn riding Damien's shoulders around, both of them splattered with spilled alcohol. Cain was staring blankly at them, a half-empty bottle of Dragon Blood on the table before him. Morgan watched with a tiny smile on his lips, sipping from a glass filled with clear liquid. He turned his gaze away and briefly raised his chin as the musician approached him.

"Are you okay?"

"Just needed some air. Couldn't really get any on this damned island."

"Agreed. After such a refreshing respite on Rime, this is like a punch to the gut."

Alexander chuckled. "Hey, my home was like this. Not nearly as humid though. I feel like I'm drowning. Should be good for you when it comes to your water armor."

The elementalist shrugged. "In the heat of battle, the temperature might not bother me that much, but I still don't like it."

They lapsed into silence as they watched the antics of their more drunken nakama. Alexander thanked the bartender as he was handed a glass of ice water. He stared at it for a moment before speaking. "Family ties can't be diluted with water. Blood's thicker."

Morgan half-turned to him in mild surprise. "But you believe-"

"Blood of the covenant is thicker than water of the womb," Alexander said distantly. "It's amazing how just a few changes can completely flip the meaning of the phrase. In the end, that's all it is, isn't it? Just a phrase to be used as one likes."

The prince idly rotated his glass. "Yes," he said at last. "It's just a phrase to be used as one likes."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

People easily cleared the street as Yin drove through. She knew the bitch was around here somewhere. Cain was practically sleepwalking down the street, and Alexander and Morgan had been forced to slow down to match his pace. She glanced around in search for Damien, but the man was nowhere to be found. Her appraising gaze lingered on the prince before she sighted Lyn walking in the other direction with her arm thrown on some other woman's shoulder. Yin rolled up, and the sound of her motorcycle caused the two women to look up.

"Hop on. We're going for a ride." Lyn giggled irritatingly and hopped on the back. "Not you, bitch," Yin said to the other woman, warding her away with her foot. "Find someone else."

The woman's pout vanished as Yin pulled the pin from a grenade and casually tossed it to her. She yelped and dropped it before taking off at high speed. The bomber smirked as she watched the woman run. Like most of her grenades, the pin wasn't attached to a fuse. As a thrown weapon, it was about as useful as a rock. She scrunched up her face as she prepared for her next move. She knew she had to do it, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She removed her helmet and put it haphazardly on Lyn's head.

"Thanks!" the pirate chirped.

Yin grumbled under her breath. She just didn't want any harm to come to the first mate under her watch. The First wouldn't forgive her. "Yeah, whatever. Just hold on. Not that tight! Fuck, tits like yours, you don't wear a fucking bra?"

"I wasn't planning on running or fighting or anything tonight, so no!"

She grunted and accelerated slowly enough that the pirate wouldn't try to latch on again. The tang of belladonna lingered her mouth, but it felt like all the berries in the world wouldn't help her now. She wanted to do so many things to the woman who had torn the Moon Sisters irreparably apart, but she knew she couldn't. All she could do was simmer angrily.

"This is fun! You're so awesome!"

Yin briefly rested her forehead on the dash. "I know. So you're the First's first mate."

"Mmhmm! She picked me!"

"That she did. Man, you smell like you jumped in a brewery. Why aren't you absolutely smashed?"

"Oh, most of it was spilled on me. But I had a lot!"

"I can tell," Yin said sourly as the pirate continued to giggle. "Who's the broad you were gonna go home with?"

"Who, Rajani? She was really interesting! She tags capybaras and pacaranas to study them! She was gonna show me all sorts of pictures!"

"What else was she going to show you?"

"Dunno! We were just gonna spend time together!"

"Between each other's legs, more like," she muttered.

With the helmet's visor up, Lyn's laugh was entirely unmuffled. "Silly Yin! You don't need sex to have a good time! Why, are you jealous?"

"As if. That's not my thing."

"What is your thing, then?"

"None of your-" She gave an irritated sigh. Being initially hostile wouldn't get her what she wanted. "Men. Not girls."

"Just men? Nobody else?"

"I haven't really gone for anybody else. Almost all of the non-binaries I know are Lovats, and I'd rather blow my own clit off before intentionally fucking one of them. But no matter what, definitely not girls."

Lyn tightened her grip ever so slightly, and Yin was more than tempted to fling her off and speed away. "Aww, but girls are so much fun!"

"The hell they are. The less I have to deal with chicks, the better. Before you ask, us Moon Sisters are different. What, are you gonna say that makes me a hypocrite?"

"Not at all. I don't like murderers, but my bestest friend kills people, my drinking buddy kills more, and my doctor kills even more. Does that mean I hate them? No, of course not. I love all three of them! I get how different things can be."

Well, Yin had to give her credit for that. Not out loud, but a small amount of credit nonetheless. "So what's your poison? Just girls?"

Lyn laughed even harder. "I like everybody! Nobody deserves to be left out for being who they are!"

"Oh really, now. Who've you gone out with?"

"That's a pretty long list."

"Mainly men, mainly women?"

"I told you, silly, everybody!"

"So what you're saying is you'll fuck anything with a pulse."

The pirate didn't rise to the bait. "No, that'd be dangerous and stupid. I can sorta tell what kind of person someone is. You act all tough and prickly, but I can tell deep, deep down you're a big softie!"

"That's not even remotely true, and even if it were, you've heard lots about me from the First."

"I'm an Alamentian novice. We know how people are."

Yin silenced her by making a tight turn that sent them skidding down the street. The bike leapt forward, just barely crossing the path before a snake train sped through. "So you think you can tell how people are?"

"Mmhmm!"

"When the First was barely five years old, she killed a man for the first time." She grinned as Lyn tightened up. "A man was put in front of her, and she was given a gun. She shot him through the eye and out the side of his head. Didn't kill him. She had to shoot him again. Not five months later, she was practicing on live targets. By her sixth birthday, she was nailing moving targets like she had trained for ages."

"That's not Captain's fault. Her family made her do that."

Yin laughed mirthlessly. "You want to play that game? Suit yourself. When she was… seven or eight, she paralyzed her sparring partner. He was twice her size, and he's been doing physical therapy ever since."

"That can't be true."

"Fourteen, killed everyone who saw her on missions. Fifteen, she got cornered, took children hostage, and started killing them off too. Sixteen, waterboarded her own family members."

"Stop."

"Also sixteen, put a girl's leg through a meat grinder. Eighteen, started murdering civilians. Nineteen, she asked for my help to blow up a coke compound her family owned. Twenty-"

"Enough!" Lyn shouted. "I get it! She's done a lot of bad things!"

"Bad things?" She almost lost control of her motorcycle as her body was wracked with laughter. "Xixixixi! She hasn't done bad things. You've done bad things. She's committed war crimes. If the World Government ever got ahold of her rap sheet, she'd get an admiral sent after her. Hell, if she hadn't done more for her family than against it, her father would have already given it to them. Chaos arises in her wake. You think you've seen her, but you really haven't."

"And why not?" Yin had no idea the pirate was capable of such a challenging voice. "You think I haven't really seen her angry? I have. You think I haven't seen her sad? I have. You think I haven't seen her make a decision that hurt us and really regret it? I have. It's true she was really mysterious and secretive at first, but she's really been working on it. You can't say I don't know who she is."

"Then why are you still on her crew?"

"Because she's my captain and my best friend. I'd never leave her. Is this gonna happen every time a Moon Sister drops by?"

Yin frowned. "Come again?"

"Jayjay said something like this on Brickwork. Don't worry; I'm not mad. She's your Sister. It'd be weirder if you didn't want to check up on her."

The bomber was temporarily lost for words. "Well, uh, then how'd a novice reconcile that when you learned who she was?"

Lyn paused, then laughed. "Well, she said she'd never hurt innocent people and showed how good a shot she was. Also, right after I met her, we met Damien and Alexander. Alexander really helped me deal with it, since he's more like me and Damien's worse than Captain. He talked with me a lot about it. I still don't like what they do - I hate it - but there's just something… I can't help it. They're my nakama, no matter what they do."

"Even if they kill children?"

"Captain's never done that since she was a pirate, and Damien hates bullying."

This time, Yin actually did swerve madly, and it took some serious driving skills to avoid being thrown. She snapped her fingers by her ears to make sure her hearing aids were working correctly. "Say what?"

"He doesn't like fighting people who are a lot weaker than he is. It's actually caused us some problems in the past."

She ran through her mental checklist about everything she knew about the First's crazy navigator. "Okay… that's… interesting. It could be worse."

"Yeah! He doesn't go on killing sprees. He just needs to let loose, which involves a lot of property damage. He doesn't intentionally kill a lot of people."

"You've seen this for yourself?"

"Ha! Even I'm smart enough not to go near him when he's in that kind of mood. That's what Alexander and Raven have said. Alexander might be super defensive about Damien, but Raven sure isn't. She keeps saying how he should be killed."

"The Seventh said that? And he's still alive? Why- oh. The First told her not to, didn't she."

"Mmhmm! Plus, Damien's super super strong! Raven's the only one who can stop him! Well, we sorta can when we work together, and I guess Miserie can too, but still."

Yin nodded absently. "I see. And how do he and Alexander feel about your liking everybody?"

"Them? Alexander's one hundred percent behind it, and Damien's… something too."

"The hell does that mean?"

"Well, he's Damien. I can't really explain it. He doesn't care, because he's also something."

The bomber shrugged. "Fine. What about Cain and Morgan?"

"Cain doesn't mind, and Morgan's a bit jealous. Whenever we go out, he always gets mad when I steal the girl he has his eyes on. It's pretty easy for me to get the curious ones or ones who just want company."

"I see."

"What, are you even slightly curious?"

Everything she didn't like about the woman came flooding back in an instant, and Yin braked hard enough to nearly throw them from her motorcycle. "Here's your stop. Gimme my helmet back."

"Okie dokie! Thanks for the ride!" She planted a kiss on Yin's headband and hopped off before the assassin had recovered enough to retaliate. Yin truly wanted to spin around and run Lyn over, but she knew she couldn't. She placed her helmet in its holder above the rear compartment, needing to feel the wind in her hair. She took off down the streets, keeping an eye out for her next target.

She eventually rolled to a stop beside a building that had been completely reduced to rubble. The dreadlocked man was striding away, rolling his shoulders to shake away dust and pebbles. He looked up as she dismounted in front of him. "'Oo're you?"

"You don't remember me? We met on the First's ship."

He stared flatly. "Oh. Waddya want?"

"I wanted to have some fun. Plus, it seems there's a tradition I have to uphold."

She lobbed a grenade at him, but he didn't react in the slightest. She snapped her fingers, detonating it right before it struck him. When the smoke cleared, she saw to her surprise that he had managed to put one of his metal wings between him and the grenade in the split-second before it had exploded. "Aye, some fun," he repeated with a fanged smile. "Fuckin' tricks won' work 'less ya try 'arder."

He was before her in a burst of flame, a flying heel kick aimed straight for her jaw. She raised her arms to block, but she was shocked to see him release yet more flames to spin him slightly in midair. She crouched to give herself more time to block and barely brought her arms over her head. One palm lowered to prevent his other foot from striking her chin. It was his turn to be surprised when she grabbed both of his feet to prevent him from pulling free. He folded his body forward to reach her, but she smashed him into the ground before his arm extended far enough.

She hopped backwards as he kicked out at her, waiting to see his reaction. He climbed leisurely to his feet and shook out his shoulders. "Yahar, yer not 'alf bad."

"Am I supposed to be flattered?"

His mad grin widened. "From tha'? Fuck no. Yer supposed t' live! Can' lissen t' Cap'n's bitchin' righ' now."

He surged forward, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. His strikes came fast and hard, and Yin was beginning to see why the Seventh was concerned about him. He used everything he had from his hands and feet to his head and wings. Yin could barely keep up with his speed, weathering a relentless stream of attacks, but she never took one step backwards. She was finally able to plant a solid palm strike on him, sending him tumbling away. He easily rolled to his feet and bared his teeth in a mad smile. "C'mon, gammon flaps, that it?"

She pulled her headband down over her eyes and plucked a small gas canister from her vest. Even though she couldn't see, she knew the air was thick and dark. Damien suddenly fell silent, and she strained her hearing to its limits. She dodged to the side as something rained down on her from above. The pirate landed heavily, and she instantly turned to face him. His attacks were just as accurate before, and she could feel the heat coming from his limbs. This time, she was the one knocked backwards, and she slid down the street.

She pushed herself to a crouch, her hand on her throbbing shoulder. She raised her headband to see him striding from the gas, his grin still on his lips. Regardless of how much his eyes stung, the frequency of his blinks was as normal as ever. She internally admitted she was marginally impressed, but it wasn't the time to express the thought aloud. "Let's try this, then."

Yin adjusted her headband and pulled it over the lower half of her face, making sure the half-black, half-white circle rested directly over her mouth. She pulled the pin from her next canister and let it slowly roll between them. Damien's interest dwindled away as nothing apparently happened. He focused on her, and she stared challengingly back at him.

The instant the canister stopped moving, the pirate leapt forward. If he was surprised that all of his flames were extinguished, he didn't show it. His strikes came even faster, and Yin did her best to weather the blows. She blocked the most powerful attacks with solid movements and made sure to move as little as possible, keeping her breathing slow and steady. The force behind each parry slowed him down somewhat, but he still appeared to have the upper hand.

He frowned as he began to notice the true purpose of her gas. Rather than deprive him of sight, it was designed to deprive him of oxygen. He tried to disengage, but this time, Yin was on the offensive. She never let him escape, even using another smother grenade to keep her advantage. She put on an extra burst of speed when his wings snapped out, not wanting him to blow the gas away. Rather than showing any sign of defeat, Damien gave a roaring laugh. Something invisible rushed by her, followed by a wave of actual fire. She punched him away, and they both stared at each other.

"Clever bastard."

"Y' ain' bad neither. Diavolo Leonessa!"

"Badaboom!"


	59. The More We Learn

"You're up!" Lyn said cheerfully as she flounced by her captain.

Cassandra knew she didn't need a physical exam, then realized what she was supposed to do. She descended to the lowest level and entered the rear room. She smiled as she appraised the medical ward. Cain and Raven had spent most of the night turning it from a slightly damaged storage room to something that would not have looked out of place in a certified hospital. Every bit of the walls and ceiling gleamed pure white, and the new beds were as neat as ever. She knew most of the cabinets were empty, but Raven had said she would purchase her usual stock of countless vials and containers.

The reason for Cassandra's presence was clear, as Miserie was huddled in her bedsheets. Not a speck of water could be seen on the floor, and Cassandra couldn't help but shake her head at her doctor's fastidiousness. She sat on the bed beside the quivering mermaid and interlocked their fingers. "It's okay. I'm here. Raven, remember what I told you."

The doctor dipped her head and flitted to Miserie's other side. "I will look at you as little as possible, but I must do a thorough examination to ensure your safety. We are both Black Glove Pirates, and it is my duty to keep you as healthy as possible, especially since you are another countermeasure against Damien. If you do not wish for me to disclose any of your information to anybody, including Cassandra, you are free to do so. I will not violate your confidentiality without your permission."

"Miserie understands. Raven can tell Captain."

Raven nodded. "We will begin with your heart rate and blood pressure, as they are likely to rise over the course of the examination. I will apply a sphygmomanometer, which consists of a stethoscope and arm cuff. Please extend your arm." The mermaid did as she was instructed, and Raven gently applied the measuring device. They remained silent as Raven listened and counted, before entering the information in her notes. "I will also measure your temperature. Please open your mouth and place this thermometer underneath your tongue. Do you know your base fish species?"

"She doesn't know."

"Please lie down on this scale and wait until I tell you to extend to your full length." Cassandra followed the mermaid down, never releasing her grip. She couldn't help but glance at the measurements, which confirmed her previous suspicions. "I will now examine your heart, lungs, and abdomen. This will consist of using a stethoscope and looking at your stomach. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, tell me or squeeze Cassandra's hand."

The mermaid easily complied, as she had been warned about the final and most frightening aspect of the exam. As quick as Raven could make observations, she would still need to look at Miserie's face directly. She adjusted her grip on Cassandra's hand as Raven lifted the bedsheets away from her stomach for a short period of time, but otherwise had no reaction. "You're doing great," Cassandra whispered. "You're doing fine."

"Do you have any loose, yet still healthy scales?" Miserie reached under her blankets and offered a scale to the doctor. "This mold is to make a copy of your teeth. Damien, Cain, Laocoon, and Rockstar have all had molds taken of their teeth as well. Please open your mouth, then bite firmly down. It will feel uncomfortable, but you must wait five minutes minimum to create a satisfactory copy. If you feel the urge to vomit, squeeze Cassandra's hand."

While Miserie waited and occasionally squirmed, Raven spent the time analyzing the scale. She tested its flexibility and sturdiness before placing a small portion beneath a microscope. Right when Miserie seemed like she could take no more, Raven appeared by her side and gently removed the mold. "Do you perform breast self-examinations?"

"Miserie doesn't think so."

"They are a way of testing for abnormalities in your breast tissue that all people with breasts must conduct on a monthly basis. As you are able to do them yourself, I will not do so. Check your breasts for visual anomalies before a mirror both with your arms and shoulders down and with your arms above your head. Press with your fingers to feel for physical abnormalities such as lumps or unusual pain, then do the same on your back. If you notice any abnormalities at all, report them to me immediately."

"Miserie understands. She will do one later."

"Do so. I will now draw your blood. This needle will be inserted into your arm. You may feel a small prick, but it will not otherwise cause you any pain. I have obtained waterproof bandages, which allow you to continue your aquatic activities without infection, although I do suspect your immune system is already resistant to any additional harm that could come to your injuries underwater."

The mermaid drew a shaky breath as they reached the final part of the exam. Her grip nearly broke Cassandra's hand, but the captain endured it without so much as a wince. "As you are not currently sexually active, the primary concern will be an examination of your head and neck. We will have a pelvic examination in the near future. I will examine as quickly as possible, but it will still take an undetermined amount of time that will last no longer than two minutes. Immediately obeying my every instruction will expedite the process. I will look in your eyes, ears, mouth, throat, tonsils, nose, sinuses, lymph nodes, thyroid, and carotid arteries. Are you prepared?"

Miserie hesitated before slowly nodding her head.

"Let us begin."

The instant the sheets were removed, the doctor sped into action. Her instructions were quick and clear, but Cassandra could feel Miserie's distress growing. The singer's murmuring grew louder, and Cassandra focused on keeping her own anxiety and anger in check. As soon as Raven was finished, the doctor pulled the bedsheets around Miserie's head and sped over to record her observations. Miserie grew quiet as Cassandra pulled her into a deep hug.

"That was fantastic. You were amazing. Remember, you're one of my pirates. She's one of your crewmates. She doesn't want to hurt you at all. She wants to help. Now she can help you better than almost anybody else can. That's great news. You're safe. It's okay. Why don't you go for a swim now? Nobody looking at you, just you, the fish, and the wide open ocean. That sounds nice, doesn't it?"

Miserie nodded and replaced her silver collar, before springing from the bed. Raven closed the door behind her before returning to her writing. Cassandra remained in her seat, comforting her broken fingers, and waited until she was sure everyone was out of earshot before talking. "How is she?"

"Her vitals are within the margins of humans her size, which leads me to conclude her nervous and circulatory systems are primarily humanoid. Her temperature is several degrees cooler than human body temperature, though not as extreme as Damien's is hotter. She is as physically healthy as as a humanoid would be, though her skin is much tougher than ours. This is likely to allow her to withstand the greater pressures of the ocean. Her respiratory system, however, is unlike ours. It would appear there is another organ in her chest that allows for the interior filtration of oxygen from water."

"So she has gills inside her?"

"In essence. You have said that she had not seen the sun before joining your crew, but as she is constantly exposed now, there should not be any problems with Vitamin D deficiency. There are signs of darkening as seen by the difference in the skin on her neck where she does wear her collar, but she has not sunburned."

"Yeah, I was wondering about that."

Raven moved so quickly that it seemed like the mold had just appeared in her hands. "Her teeth are pointed and sharp, which indicates her base fish species is most likely carnivorous. She has the capability to ingest vegetables, though I would assume by tearing and shredding them instead of grinding them."

Cassandra smiled. "This is why we need you. Anything else?"

"She has faded scars on her wrist and neck as well as a similar irregularity on her tail above her fin. These scars are most commonly seen on-"

"Prisoners or slaves, I know. She's not very vocal about her past, and I really don't want to press her. It's hard enough talking to her face-to-face without adding that distress into the mix."

"Indeed, she appears to have acute scopophobia. Has she voiced the desire to reduce its effects?"

"She doesn't like it, but she hasn't said anything about dealing with it. She's still new, though. It'll take a while for her to open up."

"In addition to the scars on her neck, wrists, and tail, she has very faint scars from the corners of the mouth across her cheeks."

The captain sat up straighter. She had never noticed those before. Granted, Miserie almost never gave her a good enough look, but she was sure she would have seen them. "Scars like what? Knife cuts?"

"No. They appear to have been abrasions of some sort."

Cassandra rubbed her healed fingers together as she stared off into the distance. "Definitely a prisoner or slave. Or both. Did you feel anything at all when she started singing?"

Raven shook her head. "There was an instant where something occurred within me, but it disappeared before I could analyze it."

"Perfect. I trust her, but she's not completely reliable. She actually made Damien mad when we were fighting Xiphos. That's where you come in."

"I will silence her the instant she poses a threat to the crew." Cassandra glared at her. "I will silence her for a period that will last for no longer than a minute the instant she poses a threat to the crew."

"Good. Now, her diet consists of-" Impatient knocking cut her off. "Come in, Morgan."

The prince strode in and shoved a piece of paper in her face. She scanned the paper quickly, then read it over once more. A dark look spread across her face as she realized why he had shown the paper to her. "That sneaky mother_fucker_. I just _knew_ something was wrong."

Raven appeared behind her and read the article as well. "What is wrong?"

"We had a meeting with the Merry Pirates two nights ago with John Wyntown. It wasn't bad, though we stayed a touch longer than we should have and wound up spending the night in some sketchy place near the train station. However, John Wyntown is not the captain of the Merry Pirates. That title would belong to somebody named Hode. Where's Alexander?"

"He said he needed to find Damien."

"Damn. Do you know where he keeps the bounty posters?"

"I don't think he changed the location."

The three pirates went to the men's room, and Cassandra quickly located the collected posters. She rifled through them and scowled when she found what she was looking for, picking it up from the pile. Cassandra stared at the picture as Raven perched on the side of the bed so she could read the backside. Most of the woman's face was obscured the shadow cast by her dark green hood, but Cassandra still didn't recognize her from any of the gathered Merry Pirates. She was positive the captain wouldn't have been absent from such a meeting, but she was absolutely positive she hadn't seen Hode before.

"This bounty was published five weeks and three days ago."

This confirmed Cassandra's suspicions that the other captain had had a brush with the law on Rime. She continued staring at the picture, trying to figure out why the captain had not been present. The face looked familiar, but she just couldn't place it. Her eyes slowly widened as she realized what had happened. "I have to admit, I am impressed. I didn't think she was there, but she was."

"Was she in disguise?" Morgan asked.

"No. Even better." Cassandra grinned nastily. "She showed how she's cunning. Now it's time to show how I'm insidious. Yin and Jordan got back, right? Yeah, they did. We need to have a little talk."

She crossed over to the galley to find Yin sitting at the table with a slab of meat attached to one side of her face. The Shandorian looked up from the messy sandwich she was eating and gave a grin that revealed a chipped tooth. "Yo, First! What's up?"

The pirate captain sniffed gingerly before adopting a pained expression. "Yin, what did I say?"

"That you have no sense of adventure?" she replied with a grin. "Something like that."

"Well, I'll admit I was wrong about the spatula bit. And the fact that you can walk."

"You look as if you've been raped," Morgan said.

Yin rolled her visible eye. "We spent three hours beating each other's brains out and another three fucking each other's brains out. That doesn't mean it wasn't consensual."

"Surely you're joking," the prince deadpanned. "You actually _wanted_ to have sex with him after you fought him?"

"You kidding me? That was the sexiest thing about him!"

Cassandra put her hand to her face. "Your eulogy will be truly impressive, I'll say that much. Anyway, I figured out how the Merry Pirates tricked me. I need Jay to pull a fast one on them in return."

"What do you have in mind?" Yin asked.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Damien yawned widely and scratched at one of the many wounds he had received the night before. Alexander shook his head, knowing his stubborn friend was as happy as he ever was with the way things had turned out. Even while from his fight with Xiphos and Raven's punishment, the navigator seemed completely content with also having to fight with Yin. After finding out more about the Lightningbug Pirates, Alexander had hastened to locate his friend, only to find him wandering around pantsless and covered in untreated injuries. Raven had arrived with a remedy to both situations, and they had taken the train to the next port to meet them before Captain could make an impression.

When they arrived at the ship, Alexander waved his hand, trying to attract the attention of a Lightningbug Pirate. Damien's following roar certainly did the trick, though not in the way Alexander had intended. It seemed like every weapon in the city was pointing at the two of them. All of the ships and buildings were covered in people armed to the teeth and ready to pounce. Alexander only sighed, and Damien looked around in boredom. "We mean you no harm. We just want to speak with the Lightningbug Pirates. This is Damien, and I'm Alexander-"

"If you're here for Bester, you best be steppin'."

"Believe it or not, he isn't the only person of interest on the crew. We are here to talk to your captain."

"Oh?" asked another. "And why would you want to talk to her?"

"She has twin sons, does she not?"

"And if she does?"

Alexander smiled. "This is about them."

Low muttering erupted, and the spokesman aboard the ship vanished. A curly-haired woman came to the bow and stared at them appraisingly. She was flanked by two men, both looking down at the two Black Glove Pirates with equal amounts of surprise and confusion. "State your business, prods," she commanded loudly.

"A meeting in a moment, perhaps, but we're more interested in talking about them with you."

"About what?"

"I saw their bounty posters, Henry and Evan Jones. All I'm wondering is how they got their surname. It isn't one to be used lightly."

Zoe leapt off the ship and landed before them. "They got the name at time of birth. Can't no one say they're untrue."

"Then it's you we really want to meet. After all, we're their… half-brothers."

The muttering increased, but the captain held up her hands for silence. She stared at them for a moment before drawing both of them in with a hug. Damien pulled away slightly, but Alexander warmly accepted the embrace. "Oh, it's scram good to see the traditions of old pirates bein' upheld. Any Jones is welcome aboard _Quietude_. Let 'em through!"

Damien wore a wide grin and allowed himself to be led onto the ship without so much as a protest. The instant they set foot on the deck, one of the twins ran over to them. "So you're Joneses too!" Henry's blue cornrows were as distinctive as the cross tattoo on his left cheek. "Son of a bitch, no offense meant! Where were you born?"

"Storm in West Blue," Alexander replied happily. "Damien the better part of a year later during a normal, overcast day."

"Nice! We're Southerners ourselves. What was the weather like, Ma?"

"Warm, but not too warm. Think of paradise on a beach."

Alexander nodded. "Glad to hear it. Gotta say, though, I didn't expect a Jones' mother like you to get wrapped up in a situation like this.

The pirate captain sighed and showed them to the galley, where part of a lunch still remained uneaten. "That there's the tuppin' truth if I ever heard it. By now, all I want's to hoof it to Fieldbush and put this mayhem over the stern. Regrettably, this shows no sign of dyin' down, and we can't be a-havin' this chase us down the Line."

"Our captain's worried about that too. She don't want to pick a side, but she knows she'll have to. Better one ally and one enemy than two enemies."

"That'd be my thinkin' too were I not the figurehead of one faction. It's a proper mess any way you slice it."

"Hey, it wasn't Bester's fault!" Henry protested. "He didn't do nothing wrong! It was that vamp Saffia who fictioned the whole thing when he didn't want to make it serious. Bester couldn't hurt a fly with a firethrower."

The musician kept his face blank. "And where's Bester now?"

"Hasn't been able to leave the ship," he said. "Hey, someone smoke Bester out. You won't hurt him or nothing, right?"

"We won't, will we, Hothead?"

Damien looked away from Zoe for a brief moment. "Yeah, wha'ever."

The captain turned to fully give the navigator her attention. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"A spar," he said instantly.

"A spar? Boy, you are a jumpy one. What's gone up your trousers?"

He laughed. "Ya birthed twins at sea an' still strong as th' rest of 'em combined. Tha's a mighty fine fight righ' there."

"Is he really throwin' Ma a glove?" Henry whispered behind his hand.

"There's a reason I call him Hothead. He won't go overboard. I think."

"Yahahar! 'S just a spar, Songbird!"

Alexander rolled his eyes. "If you're worried about him trying a sneak attack or judging your abilities for Captain, you're wrong. See how he's half beat up already? Captain's sister dropped by last night, and that's just how they said hello."

"I know the type," Zoe said. "Though I will say this first, boy. Don't be draggin' it out, and I'm responsible for none of the blame if you get hurt."

Damien waited until she was ready before throwing himself at her. Alexander gaped in amazement as the reason behind her epithet became clear. The sword she drew to block his punch seemed to be made of solid diamond. While Damien's fist did knock her backwards, he hadn't made so much as a mark on the weapon. His flurry of attacks was sharp and strong, but she blocked them all without getting touched. In a movement Alexander couldn't even see, she thrust her elbow forward and knocked him end over end. He sprung to his feet and made as if to lunge, then straightened out and gave a joyful laugh. "Fuckin' real deal, y'are! Yahahahar!"

The musician marveled at the sight. "'Awful Shiny' makes sense. Is that…"

"Diamond," Zoe confirmed as she sheathed her weapon. "It takes a lot more than might to break through this."

He couldn't tell her that Captain had been right not to immediately ally herself with the Merry Pirates. "I guess that's also why your bounty's so low. That's a reward in and of itself."

"What about you, Alexander?" Henry inquired. "What's your deal?"

"I ain't much of a fighter. I'm an alchemist myself. I didn't even know I had eaten a Devil Fruit until I was near dying of thirst and accidentally made a pool of water."

Henry thumped his chest. "When Ma found one, I beat Evan in rock-paper-scissors fair and square. Besides, the Washing Fruit fits me better."

"Only reason for that bein' your obsession with cleanliness," Evan spoke for the first time. He had been languidly picking out his short, orange afro while watching the others. "Else I'd have beat you with both eyes closed."

"Them's fightin' words, bro!"

The twins ran through at least ten rounds before Zoe intervened. "Children your age ought to be knowledged about manners regardin' behavior around guests by now."

"Aw, come on, Ma! Leavin' us tied like this is mighty cruel!"

"It's okay," Alexander said with a laugh. "Life aboard _Pandion_'s just the same. Poor Captain's always at her limits trying to keep everyone in order. Ain't that right, Hothead?"

"Dunno wha' yer talkin' 'bout," Damien shot back, his wide smile never leaving his face. "Ain' like Cap'n's a fuckin' gen'lewoman when she lets 'er 'air down. She's down 'n' dirty wit' th' rest of us."

"Is she a pirate mother as well?"

They both howled with laughter. "Not that we're aware of, that's to be sure! Oh man, Captain a mother? She'd make a great one if the time comes, but not right now. Ah, who's this?"

"Bester," the man said with a weak smile. Alexander kept himself from showing his contempt and looked the pirate in question up and down. His dirty blond hair came to his shoulders, and his partially-open shirt showed a few tattoos on his tan skin. The musician glanced over and grinned at his friend's expression of complete disinterest.

"The infamous Bester. I won't bother you with no questions about whether the rumors are true. That ain't for me to worry about."

"Thanks…?" he said tentatively.

Damien's grin was completely devoid of humor. "Songbird's bein' nice. What 'e ain' sayin' if Cap'n chooses t' kill ya, she'll do it 'erself, an' there ain' shit you can do 'bout it."

Bester paled. "Look, I swear I didn't do anything! You gotta tell her that!"

The navigator brushed his hands away. "I ain' gotta do shit, fucksack. Tell me wha' t' do one more time, an' I'll show you wha' I gotta do."

"But we'll be sure to tell Captain we don't think there's nothing to worry about," Alexander assured him.

"Thanks, man!" the pirate cried. "Thanks a million!"

"Though I feel I should be clear. It's not because of you. I trust her," he looked over to Zoe, "and I trust her sense of judgment."

"And why might you be doin' that?" Evan drawled. "Are you thinkin' you know us already?"

Alexander shook his head. "It's true the salt in your blood's the same as the sea's, but that doesn't make you good pirates automatically. Call it a feeling. We've grown up with pirates of all kinds. The air on this ship ain't that of morganeers."

"Aye, ain' tha' bad."

Zoe assessed both of them. "You, Alexander, seem to my eyes to be of the peace maine variety, but it would be my estimation that you aren't."

Damien's mirthless grin widened. "Ah? 'Ow you figger tha'?"

"You look to be on your third or fourth life, and you're havin' a touch of nothingness in your eyes. You been lampin' too long and too hard at somethin' that don't bear bein' lamped at."

"An' lookin' at mirrors get yer cheeks all clenched, don' they?"

The captain gazed at him before giving a slow smile. "It does so bring my heart cheer that there aren't bughouses plenty enough for them such as us."

"They do, Ma, only they go by the name of brigs. It ain't the space that's lackin' so much as the peoplepower."

Both Black Glove Pirates' faces darkened, though Damien's grin didn't diminish in the slightest. "Aye, but we're fixing to make sure they never have enough," Alexander said. "Every Marine off the seas is a step towards freedom. Don't get me wrong; I don't kill nobody. The same can't be said about beating Marines so badly they never want to so much as breathe sea air again."

"Sounds like you have quite a story regardin' the gulls," Henry said. "It'd be remiss of me not to say we have some of our own."

Alexander nodded. "Oh, have we got tales for you."


	60. Races and Games

Cassandra strode towards _May Day_ with a pleasant smile on her lips. It had taken the better part of a day to prepare for the meeting, but she felt it was worth it. She had traded in most of her outfit for a shirt fastened with a single button and a loose skirt, and her razor sharp moon pendant hung from her neck. She casually ran a coin through her fingers as she walked, whistling merrily.

"Hey, it's the blue-haired captain!" shouted one of Merry Pirates. "And who's this?"

"Damien. Pleased t' make yer acquaintance." A dark-skinned man bowed his head beside her. His dreadlocks were tied in a leather thong behind his back, and his tuxedo clung tightly to his muscular body. A few scar-like markings could be seen, including one particularly bad one that stretched up his neck and cheek. He remained exactly one respectful pace behind the pirate captain and kept his hands clasped behind his back.

"The pleasure's ours, surely. Please, come aboard."

The two pirates walked up the gangplank and patiently waited for John to come to the main deck. "Ah, Cassandra! How good it is to see you again! Did you receive our gift?"

"You know I burned it."

John's expression of joy remained the same. "Honest as well! And this is Damien?"

"I am." As accurate as Jordan's voice was, it just wasn't the same without the navigator's belligerence. "Navigator and 'elmsman. Aye, an' the bes' figh'er on th' crew too."

The wotan scrutinized him. "This is the Untamed Infernal?"

Jordan winced. "You mus' forgive me. I ain' exactly proud o' tha' kinda thing. Tha's not 'oo I am."

"To be clear, he did earn that bounty for a reason. He completely massacred a Marine crew that tried to hurt us."

"Cap'n, please. It wasn' tha' bad."

"They were scraping the blood off the docks for weeks."

"Damien…"

The impersonator sighed. "Look, it was their damned fault fer attackin' us after I 'ad a few."

"He's harmless when he's sober," Cassandra explained. "Not quite the same while he's drunk. Fortunately, he can handle his drink, but you never know."

John gave a great belly laugh. "Well, I shouldn't challenge you to a drinking contest, then!"

"Aye, tha' wouldn' be fun for either of us!"

The enormous Merry Pirate's amusement dwindled. "As much as I enjoy your company, to what do I owe this honor?"

Cassandra's smile remained as easy as ever. "I like alliances, John. Dealing with problems on your own isn't as fun, especially when your life on the line. It's always comforting to know you have someone you can trust guarding your back. But that's the thing, isn't it. People you can trust."

"I'm afraid I don't follow."

"You've never lied to me, John. I respect that. Hell, I respect you all the more for doing it that way. But if you think you can refrain from telling me things like this or misleading me without making me angry, you've misjudged my character."

"Cassandra-"

"Who's the captain of the Merry Pirates?"

He stopped with his mouth open. "I'm sorry?"

"It's not a fucking trick question. Who's your leader?" Her smile grew as he fought for words. "I'll be nice. The game's up, Hode. You can come out now."

"I don't-"

She turned and looked directly at the fox lounging about the deck. "'Cunning Vixen' Hode, ninety million. Hell, even without the epithet, I'd recognize you anywhere after having seen your face. Let's talk about this like human beings, okay?"

The fox evaluated her before hopping into the air and returning into her human form. The dark markings leading from the corners of her bright yellow-green eyes remained the same, as did her mischievous grin and triangular face. The hood on her bounty poster was present as well, part of a larger cloak that swept majestically around her boots as she strode forwards. "Not bad, not bad at all. I thought you might have figured it out sooner, Insidious Amaranth."

"I'm sorry if I disappointed you," Cassandra replied. "I was focused on the more dangerous crew, so I didn't have much time for much else. Damien got drunk and found a partner, so I had to deal with that too. I got around to you eventually, didn't I?"

"That you did," Hode said with a sultry smile. "I'm glad you managed to find the time. I know what a handful your crew can be."

"Sorry to in'erupt, but 'ow come you 'id yerself?"

"Oh, naughty girl!" Hode teased. "You didn't tell them about me?"

"I was only thinking of you. I'm sure you wanted to see at least one person's surprised reaction."

"That ain' funny, Cap'n."

Cassandra was glad Jordan had picked the role of the clueless crewmember even if the real Damien wouldn't have cared in the slightest. "Aww, but it's more fun this way. Remember all the times I've done it?"

"Come now, you, pulling tricks like this?"

"I do enjoy a jape or two," Cassandra said happily. "Not quite in the same league as yours, but I do my best."

"Don't worry, I'm sure yours are just cunning."

"Aye, Cap'n's smartest in all th' seas! Ain' nobody smar'er than 'er!"

She gave an embarrassed chuckle. "My crew says that because I thought my way out of a few tight jams. My crew's strong as hell, but not quite as blessed in the brain departments."

Jordan grinned. "But Cap'n's no' that good at fightin'. Tha's where I come in. Can' none y'all take me on. Even a beastie like Johnny can' do shit 'gainst me."

The massive wotan leaned forward. "Quite a boast, little man. Hopefully we won't have to come to that."

"Aye, be a damn shame. Ain' no sense when there's rapis's t' be butchered."

Hode looked back to Cassandra. "So does that mean you've chosen my side?"

The blue-haired assassin adopted a pained expression. "If it were only the cause, you'd have my support without a doubt. On the other hand, you did make a fool out me. I can't exactly lower my head and keep face in front of my crew. Damien's an exception; he just cares about people knowing he's not just a lunatic. The others don't know about this, and they won't know."

"It was just a small trick, Cassie. May I call you that?"

"If you wish."

"You don't like it? What about Sandy?"

"Whatever you want."

Her foxy grin widened. "Mara it is, then. So why can't you join me?"

"Fool me once. You haven't exactly proven yourself to be the most trustworthy one."

"But you're the insidious one. I don't think you're exactly one to be talking about being trustworthy."

"I'll admit I've lied to you, but that's because of before. With neither of us being honest, it's going to be hard to trust each other."

Hode laughed dryly. "And what kinds of lies have you told me?"

"Now now. That'd be unfair to me, wouldn't it? You've had your fun; it's time for me to have mine."

"But my caper was easy enough that you solved inside two days."

"I'm sure someone as smart as you can figure it out in one."

"I'm honored you think so highly of me," Hode smiled. "I'll do my best not to dissatisfy."

"Splendid. After you figure out what my little trick was, then we can talk about teaming up."

The Fox Woman pouted. "Are you really going to hold out on me like that? You know I'm in the right."

"Nonetheless, I have to salvage what little remains of my pride. You'll allow me that, right?"

"I suppose so. Let it not be said that I'm not gracious."

"I don't think anyone would say otherwise."

"How kind of you to say that. Is that all you've come here for, to say you've found me out?"

Cassandra shrugged. "Well, shouldn't two captains face each other and put their cards on the table? I did some digging on both you and Captain Elaine. As I've said previously, the safety of my crew comes first and foremost. The Lightningbug Pirates are pretty damn strong in their own right."

"I never said they weren't," said Hode. "If they were weak, all this business would have been quickly resolved. Shines isn't like you or me, but that doesn't mean she's any easier to get at."

"You have John. Why can't you just attack them at night?"

The wotan gave an ashamed cough. "I tried. The boy Henry has a mighty strange Devil Fruit."

"Don't be hiding things, Wee!" shouted a pirate. "You was delivered back the next day flat as a pancake!"

Cassandra raised her eyebrows and turned to the other captain. "It's the truth," Hode admitted. "Never seen anything like it. And it's not just Wash, either. They've got a walking artillery unit they call James, Doc Tan's a criminal mastermind, Burn's a goddamn pyromancer, and Yosef and Serran are creatures of sin. And that's not even getting into the thugs she has backing her."

"I've done my homework too. Saffia's a master swordswoman, Tuck 'N' Roll's a warrior in a wheelchair, and even Alandale's not as hopeless as he looks. And don't even get me started on Will and Arthur. Don't think I didn't see you checking me out when I visited last time."

Will crossed his brawny arms and raised his chin defiantly. "I had to ensure you weren't a threat."

"Oh, I'm very much a threat," she said with a predatory smile. "That's why I'm here, isn't it? To make sure I don't go against you?"

"We like to think of it more as ensuring a pest doesn't become a nuisance."

Of the two captains, it was Hode whose face instantly darkened. "Mind your tongue, Lock. Mara's our honored guest."

"Why?" he challenged. "All she's done is solve a piss easy mind game that any halfwit coulda seen through."

Cassandra quirked her lips. "William O'Hara, nickname Will, also known as Scarred Lock. Born in North Blue, joined with Hode as hunter when she helped you net a bounty to pay off your debts. Often mistrustful of strangers, but who isn't these days? Right-handed in all aspects except archery, where you favor your left. Not a fan of jumped-up nobles or people who think too much of themselves. Spent most of your time on Dewpon out and about before this whole incident, and now you almost never leave _May Day_. Ranked fifth on the Merry Pirates in terms of combat ability, constantly vying with TNR for fourth. Oh, and you have a bit of a bladder control issue after you drink too much. How'd I do?"

The pirate had gone completely red in the face. "L-lies! Those are lies!"

"A touch stubborn when his pride's hurt too," she said to Hode conversationally. "Like I've said, I've done my homework."

"That and more," Hode said. "I'm impressed, and I don't say that lightly."

"Fifth?" Jordan said with a laugh. "Tha's pretty fuckin' pathetic, even for a pipsqueak like you."

"Pathetic? I-" Will fell silent as Jordan stalked up to him. "You're a bit close there. Why don't you take a step back?"

Jordan leaned in. "Why don't you make me, sweatstain?"

"Damien, don't do anything I'll regret. I'd like them to consider us friends for the time being."

"Ain' gonna be a fight, just a friendly scrap twixt mates."

Cassandra remembered all of the other times she had heard something along those lines. "How about we don't wind up with one of you hospitalized and get back to business. You're both plenty strong. You both have plenty of strong allies. We've been here for two days, and there've been already two crews completely demolished in Wet Bulb. The Inkling Pirates have been giving us some funny looks, but they're yours. I'd hate for bad blood to come between us. Their blood, specifically."

"I'd hate for that too. Is there anything else?"

"Let's see. I'm still neutral, but leaning in your favor. No more tricks, and we'll see how things go. I guess it was a short meeting, but I wanted to do it in person. I have other things to do, but I thank you for your time."

"Whenever you want, Mara. Farewell."

Cassandra bowed her head and strode down the gangplank. Jordan waited until they were a suitable distance away before talking. "Shit, tell everyone you're on a new team and already flirting with some other chick? Whatever happened to Lynlyn?"

"Go fuck yourself. Thoughts?"

"She's not stupid. You think Willwill's only acting up cuz we were there?"

"Doubt it. I wasn't lying when he said he didn't take his eyes off me when we first met. He looked ready to interrogate me right then and there. I didn't see Bland Arthur there, but I bet he's doing recon."

"Who are the Inkling Pirates?"

"A poor crew that recently lost their captain to a sudden case of throat-cut-open syndrome. Nobody saw who did it, but a crude rendition of the Lightningbug Pirates' Jolly Roger was carved into his chest. They'll likely be caught up in that for a while."

Jordan nodded sympathetically. "Shit like that can happen in situations like this. I mean, take the idiots tailing us. Five grand says they'll try to shank us in that crowded intersection two blocks from the station."

"Unless we take a shortcut."

He grinned. "After you."

Cassandra ran over to a nearby building and partway up the wall. She hooked the tips of her fingers onto an ornamental protrusion and pulled herself high enough to dig the toe of her flat into a foothold. She boosted herself up half a story, then moved laterally to access the second part of her climb. She laboriously made her way to the top of the building and rolled over onto her back. Jordan landed easily beside her and crouched, shaking his head. "Girl, you are pathetic." He hesitated before continuing. "Coco'd be so embarrassed."

The pirate captain exhaled and gave a reassuring smile. "He would be. Going up and down rigging isn't quite the same as a building. Still, could be worse. This is a pretty advanced building. It helps us judge how good these two are. Voluntas Carnae."

The man who had followed her up the building found his head in Jordan's hands and subjected to a rather sharp twist. The one who had simply leapt after them fared no better. Cassandra locked one arm around his mouth and dug her throwing knife into his neck with her other hand. He thrashed about, but her adrenaline-fueled strength kept him from making too much noise. She pushed the bloody corpse off of her and rose to her knees.

"Say, what're your plans for after dinner?" Jordan asked.

She didn't stop rifling through their clothes for identification and loose change. "Nothing. Why do you ask?"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

"Listen up, lowlifes!" shouted the Changeling. "You all have one hour to reach that soft drink billboard what separates Wet Bulb from Dityin, the one with the surfing alligator or whatever. I'll be meeting you there along with Raerae, who will legitimately kill me if I don't swap powers in front of her. Rules are as follows: you can't touch the street, two partners cannot be touching different buildings, preferably minimal property damage and civilian casualties, and both partners have to be at the billboard. Oh, and don't be hanging off to each other to cheat."

"Believe me," Yin said acidly. "That will not be an issue."

Cassandra kept her face straight as Lyn giggled drunkenly. "C'moooooon, Yin. It'll be fun!"

"Wanna trade, First?"

The pirate captain shook her head. "Yeah, these teams are fine."

Yin shot her a meaningful look with her unswollen eye. "Are you sure you don't wanna trade?"

"Oh, pretty damn."

The smaller assassin crossed her arms in a huff. Although Cassandra occasionally disliked being the responsible older Sister, even Jordan acknowledged what a bad idea it would be for Yin and Damien to be on the same team. All that would remain between _Dusk Pandion_ and the billboard would be one large swath of rubble. Damien was fortunately in one of his better moods - if not impatiently seeking a butcher, a bar, or a worthwhile fight could be considered a better mood - but that still didn't mean he was in a good mood. Gripping his glove with his teeth, he was picking beneath a fingernail with an extended claw and ignoring the people beside him.

"Fine, looks like we're all set. Momo, you all set?" The elementalist waved a watery arm from his position on a nearby building. "Awesome. Well, enough circle jerking. Get going!"

Yin and Lyn instantly ran forward, but Damien remained calmly in place. Cassandra clenched her jaw. "Are you planning on actually participating?"

He shot her a baleful glance as he wormed his slightly uncooperative fingers back into his gauntlet. "Th' fuck you waitin' for?"

"I can't exactly go without you."

"Ground ain' a buildin', numbnuts. Git on up there."

She rolled her eyes and took a running jump. By the time she had reached the top, Damien was using a fang to pick at the same fingernail. "Are we going to actually race at any point?"

He began moving at a pace she could easily match, and she was grateful at first. She was very swiftly reminded why she so rarely felt gratitude regarding the infuriating navigator. She was in midair and prepared to vault a set of low chimneys when he bulled right through it. She was forced to rethink her course and right herself before she landed. She rolled uncomfortably through the rubble and sprang up to the edge of the roof first.

"Hey, shit-for-brains! If you're going to destroy things, make sure I don't need them first!"

"Ain' my fuckin fault y' can' move quick."

"I can move quickly," she snapped. "But this is supposed to be freerunning, not straight from point A to point B without care for what's in the way!"

"An' i's a cuntin' race. Straigh's faster."

She put on a burst of energy to beat him to the flagpole and swung around it just before it was dented completely out of shape. "Look, they aren't destroying anything, and they're winning!"

Just as she bounded off the building, Damien let loose an explosion that propelled her completely over the following two structures. She skimmed on the roof and would have fallen to the street had she not pushed off at the last second. Instead of reaching the next roof, she crashed into the story below. Adrenaline surged through her body, and she forced her way through the door in front of her hard enough to blow it off its hinges. She snagged a chair and flung it through the glass so she could kick off the windowsill. The extra strength enabled her to rejoin Damien on the rooftop, and she settled her system down to its regular enhanced state.

"That was real fucking helpful, Damien, thank you."

"We're winnin' now, ain' we? The fuck more you want?"

"Some fucking cooperation! Oh, for Mors' sake…" She sprinted before him and interwove her fingers, giving him a step to clear the storage tank. She grabbed onto his ankle as he soared to the next roof, not wanting him to get too far away. When she got to her feet, she rubbed her face as it regenerated. "Not helpful."

"Didn' 'ave t' do tha'."

"If that had been flammable and you had barreled into it, that would have been catastrophic."

"We'd 'a' been fine."

"I wasn't talking about us."

He lightly pushed her away. "'S 'ard enough slowin' down for your dumb ass."

"I'm sorry I'm not a pile of meat and metal. Hey, don't be jumping about. It's annoying if you're just soaring through the air all the time." Damien shrugged and hopped onto his hands. She kicked his head before taking a running jump. He was right on her tail, easily matching her pace. "Showoff."

"Temptress."

"Takes one to know one. What's your type?"

"O' wha?"

"Don't play thick with me. I know you and Yin had sex. So is it just anyone who can handle your uniqueness?"

"The fuck you even care? Y'own fingers an' toys ain' good enough no more?"

Cassandra snorted. "I don't know how desperate I'd have to be to even consider sleeping with you."

"Then wha's yer game?"

She swung off of him and over a wrought iron fence. "Why do you think I have some agenda?"

He stopped so quickly that even her reflexes couldn't prevent her from slamming into him. "Real fuckin' 'ilarious."

"Just idle conversation."

"Ooh, what kind of conversation?"

She scowled at the child sitting on Damien's upraised feet. "The private kind."

Jordan gave an infuriating grin. "Idle and private? Does such a conversation exist?"

Cassandra took off, Damien following right behind her. The Changeling easily kept pace beside them, though her aerial kicks left visible clouds of compressed air in her wake. Cassandra yanked the receiver from the snail at Jordan's waist. "Morgan, are you getting this?"

"Perhaps if you were to slow down, I'd be able to easily watch both teams."

She hung up and put on an extra burst of speed. They were approaching downtown Wet Bulb, and they needed to go around it, over it, or a combination of both. Damien made the decision for them by throwing himself at the tallest building in her path and begin to scale it. His hand- and footholds weren't spaced well for her, but she managed to keep up.

When Damien reached the top, Cassandra rested on a ledge below the roof. She watched the other team to make sure they were still okay. They had chosen to go around downtown, sticking to smaller buildings. Lyn was moving as fluidly as ever, gliding from rooftop to rooftop as if carried by the wind. Yin kept up by jumping behind her, her wings fluttering as she went. Cassandra smiled fondly as the first mate kept trying to engage her partner in conversation, only to have Yin refuse her every time.

"Oi, bint! We goin' or wha'?"

She flipped onto the roof. "I thought you didn't care about this race."

"Anythin' that gets you t' stop whinin'."

"Do you want to switch out for Morgan?"

"Think you can win with Princess if 'e don' use 'is fuckin' Fruit?"

Cassandra hopped on his shoulders as he launched into the air. She tried to keep up with his grueling pace, but she swiftly fell behind. Even without the rope she usually used, this was pathetic. She gritted her teeth and amplified her system even more. She had to work twice as hard with the debris raining down on her, but she didn't even stop when a bit of rock hit her directly between the eyes. Regardless of how loose her handholds were, she kept going.

The navigator was staring about indifferently as she finally arrived. She didn't even have time to catch her breath before he took off again. She shot into the air behind him, even more energy flowing through her system. Despite this, she still fell behind. While Damien didn't care about the race, she knew his inner competitiveness was stirring. She couldn't keep up with him at the best of times, yet he continued to accelerate.

"Come on, hon, you can do this. Think of it like crawling on the ground."

"I will actually kill you," she informed the impersonator. "And Cory never called me 'hon'. You should know that."

"And he'd still be crying if you were failing this hard after all that he's taught you."

A dark smile spread across her lips. "I bet I can beat Damien there."

"Easy money."

Cassandra nodded and prepared herself. She continued up the fall and arrived at the top almost as soon as he had. He chuckled and lumbered towards the edge. Boosting herself as much as she could, she sprinted and sprang after him. Without even looking, Damien had a forearm above his head to block her axe kick, but he still plummeted downwards. As she expected, he managed to catch himself on the building before he hit the street, gouging large gashes in the side of the building. Wild laughter followed her to the rooftop, and she could hear him rapidly charging up the wall. That provided her body with plenty of motivation to boost itself and escape his clutches.

She was once again acquainted with the hell that was being Damien's prey. The man was absolutely relentless. He was always snapping at her heels, his breath always at her neck. She had to kick, punch, and beat him to keep him off her. The worst part was that even though she was at her fastest, she knew he was still only toying with her. This was easiest to tell when he got in front of her for a direct attack, and her blocks cost her all of her forward momentum.

The pirate captain wound up winning her bet by the slimmest of margins. When he finally stopped dangling her upside down by her foot, she picked herself up off the billboard supports and collapsed against him. She tugged at her completely soaked clothes, but that didn't help in the slightest. After making sure it wasn't a shirt she actually cared about, she simply cut it from her body. It took her a moment to realize the wet drops sliding down her side was blood in addition to sweat, and she grimaced. While the shirt hadn't been that important, she had liked the bra. She debated keeping it on and ultimately decided on removing it as well. She held it up by the working strap, where it was neatly plucked from her finger by Jordan.

"Remind me why I ever bet against you?" the androgyne asked.

"Recurring memory loss. How'd Morgan do?"

"Since some crazy bitch thought provoking her significantly stronger navigator would be a good idea, he had to just watch Yinyin and Lynlyn."

"Poor guy, analyzing the movements of two hot women. I'm sure he's suffering miserably."

"Exactly. Oh, here they come now."

The other pair landed beside them, both also completely dripping with sweat. Upon seeing Cassandra's state of undress, they both instantly stripped off their tops and slumped against the billboard. "Fuck me for a week," Yin wheezed. "This weather does not fucking joke around. We should set up a training course on this godsdamn island. I can't imagine running on the beach like this."

Lyn nodded, her chest rising and falling as she tried to regain her breath. "Seriously. This is too much. We'll have to wait a few days to do it again."

"Yahahahar!" They all glared daggers at Damien, who annoyingly didn't show any sign of weariness in the least. "Y'all are pathetic!"

"Hey, fuckface," Yin snapped. "The rest of us aren't heat-resistant maniacs."

"And waterproof," Cassandra added. "Hell, that was a handicap. Yin and I are Users, you know. Oh, speaking of, how kind of you to join us. What did you think?"

Morgan splashed them all with water as he arrived, which helped somewhat, and landed lightly. Nobody missed his gaze flicker across their bare breasts, but Cassandra grudgingly accepted the speed with which he refocused on her eyes. "Most informative. In some ways, freerunning in an urban environment is similar to doing so in forest or rocky terrain. However, there are some specialized techniques that I had never seen before."

"Good. What else?"

"I think Yin's style is the closest to what I would use, and I admit that she travels much faster than I would."

"Hey, I'm faster than you even if we're counting Fruits. My bike's Fruit-powered; it counts."

"Fair enough."

Cassandra's lips spread as she watched the struggle on Morgan's face. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no problem." His eyes strained to remain on hers. "No problem at all."

Surprisingly, Lyn was too tired for her usual teasing. It was Damien who clicked his tongue in response, never facing away from the city. "'E's a right pervert cock'ead, Cap'n. Ain' no use tryin' t' change 'im."

"It's simply incredible how hypocritical you are."

"My dream ain' changin' meself t' somethin' else. Yer the bastard tryin' to change from spermbrain t' proper princess."

His cheeks flushed. "I am and have always been male."

"An' look where i's got ya."

"It's true," Cassandra said sagely as the others stifled their laughter. "You can get him a trip to the Fairy Doctor, right?"

The Changeling shrugged. "Yeah, easy. Say the word and we'll go."

"Go where?"

They all looked up at the black-clad pirate crouched on the flat of the billboard. "Hey, Seventh! Right on the hour, I see."

Jordan blew a huge fireball into the sky. "We're good unless you've somehow learned how to breathe fire. We're all staying in Wet Bulb."

Raven looked between them all, then vanished so abruptly they couldn't help but laugh. "Now, if we're talking slow changes," Jordan said between chuckles, "there's someone that beats out even you moons."

"Yeah!" Even Lyn's cheers lacked exuberance. "But she is changing, and that's what's important."

"You know who also changed? Cici. You used to be so good at this shit. What happened?"

"Only did it a few times since I left. Plus, I didn't have a rope."

Yin shrugged. "She's got a point, Fifth. She always had that rope." She frowned, then gazed at the eldest Sister. "No. Please tell me that's not why you dressed up like a cowgirl."

"Something something woman with pistols criminal, something something cowgirl with pistols cosplay," Lyn said wearily.

The captain smiled. "Both of those. Appearances deceive."

"Ain't that the truth," Jordan laughed. "So what's the plan, Cici?"

She joined her navigator in staring out over the city. "Now we begin to make our move. The Inkling Pirates were a start, but with four Moon Sisters, we can do so much more than that. Those bastards think they have the edge, but they are so very badly mistaken. Let's show them what we can do. It's time to stop running."

Yin slowly leaned towards Jordan and waited before whispering, "See? Total drama queen."

Cassandra reached over and swatted her Sister while the others broke down in laughter.


	61. Picking Teams

Cassandra watched Lyn lean back to avoid Morgan's slice and lash out with her own practice sword. He parried her attack and tried to take advantage of the opening, but she was able to block with the sword she held in her off-hand. The blow still knocked her off-balance, and she froze as Morgan touched her throat with his sword. "My win again."

"You still need to work on your form," Cain instructed. "If you want to fight with two swords, you need to shift your mentality away from what you're used to. It's longer than your broken sword and has a very different weight. You need to better balance yourself and focus less on your right side, or you'll always be caught like that."

"Okay. Like this?" She ran through a series of slowed attacks, and Morgan blocked her with a matching speed.

"Not exactly." He rubbed his lips in thought before picking up the scaled-up swords he had made for himself. "Dual wielding is used to amplify your offensive or defensive capabilities as the battle changes. Before you can get too fancy, you need to focus on the basic forms. You can get the most force if you attack, block, or do both at once. At the same time, you need to understand that without extensive training, this is a lethal technique. You're strong enough to use two blunted swords, but you still run the risk of killing someone."

The swordswoman idly spun the swords around her. "I know. I still feel like I should be able to do it. Michael's sword works as a parrying dagger, but it's not the same."

"I believe you can do it. I mean, you've managed to use rapiers without killing anyone yet, and that's not easy. It takes a pretty good swordsman to pull that off. You must have had a good teacher."

"Mmhmm! Teach was the best! Plus, she was really nice. She was a community outreach person, taught all sorts of self-defence classes, so the nuns let me go without being all controlly and stuff!"

"Yeah, I remember them being a huge fan of you running about on your own," Cassandra said. "I damn near had a heart attack when that nun talked to you."

Lyn heaved a huge sigh. "I'm still working on that talking thing. I'm getting better, though. It's just that I've been trying to do the memory reading thing like I did with Damien too, but we have no idea how it happened, and I can't do it with anyone else."

"I don't think we can help you there," Cassandra said. "Fighting? Easy. Spirits doing something with memories? Not exactly our area of expertise."

"Alexander can't help me either, for some reason. I can't figure out why."

"Well, let us know if we can be of any help," Cain said.

The novice nodded as she scrutinized him. "Maybe I just need to meditate some more. Anyway, I'm hungry."

"I'll make snacks." The chef took her swords and put them in their rack by the galley door before entering. Cassandra pushed off of the counter and passed him, finishing one apple and preparing to eat another. Lyn lunged at her captain, who merely tossed her fruit in the air and spun around to deflect the first mate. Cassandra intended the apple to bounce off Lyn's head, but Lyn lifted her chin and caught it in her mouth. She gave a cheeky smile around the apple, which quickly vanished as Cain lifted her by the back of her shirt. She opened her mouth to protest, allowing Cassandra to easily catch the fruit.

"Hey! What gives?"

Cassandra made a show of taking a bite and savoring it. "He has strict orders to make sure all apple thieves are apprehended."

"What? No you didn't! When the hell did you do that?"

The captain shrugged. "Cain, make sure all apple thieves are apprehended. This is a retroactive command."

"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled. "No apples getting away."

"What is it with you and apples, anyway?" Lyn asked.

Cassandra opened her mouth to respond, but paused as she detected a faint, yet familiar smell. She just knew her face was split by one of the most smug grins she had ever worn. She gathered her energy and propelled herself through the hatch Cain pushed open for her. She leaned on the railing and took a large bite of her apple. "Well, I didn't think I'd see you here."

Will glared at her from the docks, his hand resting on the large fox by his side. "May we come aboard?"

"Of course, of course. Would you mind coming below?" she asked as they strode up the gangplank. "Not the best weather today."

The hunter's expression darkened further, but the vixen dipped her head in acquiescence. Amusement sparkled in her eyes as she followed Cassandra into the ship, reverting to her human form before she hit the floor. Cassandra extended her hands grandly. "_Dusk Pandion_, my ship and home. So, Vix, to what do I owe this honor?"

Hode laughed lightly as she looked around. "You've been doing some reworking. Did you get hit hard recently?"

"Terribly hard. We barely managed to stay on our feet. I must say, I had the most extraordinary dream while I was taking a nap this afternoon."

"Oh? And what dream might that be?"

"Have you ever had one of those dreams that's so realistic, you could swear you were awake? I had one of those about an entire day."

Hode's laughter grew louder. "Okay, okay, I admit it. Your trick was also pretty good. Dear old Damien's not quite the mild-mannered, polite, courteous pirate we met day before last. I-"

"Hi!" Lyn exclaimed, bounding out of the galley. "I'm Lyn! Who're you?"

Everyone froze completely still. In response to Lyn's sudden appearance, Will had partially drawn one of his pistols, only to find himself the center of Cain's undivided attention. "I would really think carefully about your next move, Mr. O'Hara," he warned.

Only the two captains remained relaxed. "You'll have to forgive Lyn," Cassandra told Hode. "She gets a little over-excited. And no, I promise you this one isn't an act."

"I'm well aware of who Lyn is." Cassandra prayed Hode hadn't noticed her infinitesimal stiffening. "She and Achis spent much of yesterday together."

Cassandra glanced sharply at her first mate. "What did I say?"

Lyn heaved an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "You said to be careful not to favoritize one crew over the other, but that's not fair, Captain! You haven't even gone to see the Whateverbug Pirates! Oops, I wasn't supposed to say that."

The sniper closed her eyes and took a calming breath. "Now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way, I've met your first mate, you've met mine, Will and Cain have met, you've learned something or other about Damien, it seems Lyn wants us to get down to business."

"What? No I don't! Jay said Hode was really interesting and that I should definitely meet her!"

"Jay's also a colossal dick who exists to torture me. That doesn't mean you have to enable him."

Lyn threw her hands up into the air. "You are the most boring captain in the entire world, did you know that?"

Cassandra resolutely ignored her."So what did you come to talk about?"

"Would I be correct in saying that the Damien we met is actually not the Damien you have on your crew?"

"Right in one. How did you find out?"

"A simple tail. It's a shame you couldn't convince the real Damien to join in with your charade. It might have lasted much longer."

"You try convincing Damien to do something!" Lyn challenged. "Betcha a million Beli you wouldn't be able to do it!"

Hode's grin widened. "That sounds like a dare, my dear. You wouldn't mind if I took you up on it, would you?"

"Nope!" Lyn exclaimed. "You're definitely on!"

The Fox Woman glanced over to Cassandra, who simply held up her hands. "What're you looking at me for? She made the bet."

"One million it is." Hode spat on her hand and extended it. Lyn mirrored her actions, and they both shook hands. "It's a shame we haven't met sooner, Lyn. We could have had so much fun together."

The first mate beamed. "We still have tons of time! We're stuck here for two months, after all!"

Cassandra looked smugly at Hode, who flashed a shameless grin. "Would you have been as sympathetic if you found out that we could have left at any time?"

"Not as much, no. Still, staying to finish what you started wouldn't make me think less of you, especially with Saffia's honor at stake. How is she, by the way? I didn't get a chance to say hello when I stopped by."

"Still taking it hard, but she's soldiering on. She's a strong woman. I'm not too worried about her."

The sniper nodded slowly. "Yes, something like that can be truly traumatic. I'm glad Saffia has friends around who support her through times like these. Without anyone around, her fate would undoubtedly put a tear in anyone's eye."

"It truly would. We'll help her through this as best we can."

"Good, good. Let me know if I can be of any help in that particular area."

Hode held her gaze. "I may yet take you up on that offer. How about any other ways you can help me?"

"Cain here's got quite a stomach in him, so if you ever find you have any excess stores…"

She gave a light laugh. "Of course, Mara. What does he count as in terms of manpower? Twenty, fifty men?"

"Could even be a hundred," Cassandra said. "The gods know he's been invaluable in keeping us all alive."

"You give me too much credit, Captain Libera. I'm simply doing my job."

"And more besides," Hode guessed with a twinkle in her eyes. "Mara doesn't seem like the type to praise baselessly."

"And that's why I've only talked about Will's charming personality."

The hunter clenched his jaw, but otherwise had no reaction. "Oh, he's always awkward around pretty girls," Hode said. "Don't mind him."

"Ooh," Lyn cooed. "That's a shame. You're missing out on so much."

"Vix is just being a bit cheeky," Cassandra told her. "Will's more about ability than looks, and he doesn't think too highly of us."

"Now that's a shame with a face like his," Lyn said. "He could have any lady he wants for sure."

"Hode…" Will growled under his breath.

She smiled and patted his shoulder. "Fine, fine. Are you finally prepared to say you're on my side? You're just postponing the inevitable."

Cassandra pressed her lips together in mock thought. "I still have a few things in play that need to be sorted out, but you can feel safe in knowing that I will lend you my aid as best I can."

Hode clapped her hands loudly. "There she is! It's so good to have you on board, Mara, I can't even tell you. Mum's the word until you say it, right?"

"Exactly. Shouldn't take more than a couple days. I'll check in with you before then."

"Outstanding! Shall we have a drink to celebrate?"

Will leaned towards his captain again. "Do you really think it wise?"

"Mind your manners, Mr. O'Hara," Cain boomed. "Some might consider it rude to whisper in front of your hosts."

The hunter gnashed his teeth, then gave a forced grin. "Would you mind if I tested the strength of the people who want to help us, Hode?"

"It's up to Mara," she said.

Cassandra nodded in approval. "Play nice!" Lyn cheered. "Save the serious stuff for the other guys!"

Morgan emerged from the galley with a platter bearing two goblets of rum. He bowed his head as he approached and offered the drinks. They both thanked him and held up their cups. "To victory," Hode toasted.

"To victory." They touched their goblets together and downed the rum. After giving loud noises of satisfaction, they placed the cups back on the platter, and Morgan dipped his head once again as he retreated. "It's official. Do you want a bite to eat?"

"No, I've got more business hereabouts to take care of. Thanks, Mara. Nice meeting you, Lyn."

She leapt through the hatch, and Cassandra could hear the four furry paws land nimbly on the deck. She kept her easy smile until she was sure Hode was gone before letting it drop. "Are we really joining her?" Lyn asked instantly. "But Alexander said the Lightningbug Pirates weren't that bad."

"And she's lied to us previously," Morgan added. "And you're still lying to her."

"Yeah, but we really should pick a side, and I like hers better at the moment. Oh, thank you-" she paused as Cain reentered the enormous hallway, "thank you both for playing the part without even needing me to tell you."

Cain smiled, and Morgan gave a proud scoff. "I can't think of a single instance where you've been perfectly straight with strangers," said the prince. "I can personally attest to that. It only made sense for us to put on a show."

"Well, that's what you do as a prince, right?" Lyn chirped.

"Exactly. I'm not ashamed to admit Captain is far better at this than I am, though not perfect in her own right, if you don't mind me saying."

She shook her head. "I've never said I'm perfect. Oh, and thanks for staying out of it."

Jordan shrugged as he sauntered in. "Hey, I didn't want to make things awkward. I've got a pretty good read on Hodehode and Willwill now. Want me to go do some real digging?"

"Do that tonight, if you want. Right now, it'd be great if you and Lyn could figure out what other business Hode has in Wet Bulb. Together or separately, I don't care. She's a schemer, and schemers can't be trusted."

"You'd know." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek, then boosted his system and followed Lyn out.

Cassandra nonchalantly followed Morgan into the galley, quietly closing the door behind her. After he put the tray of goblets on the counter, she lifted him up by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. His eyes went wide with bewilderment and outrage, and he tried to pry her hand off, but to no avail. "Listen, Morgan, I don't know what you're playing at, but it's got to stop."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't pretend you don't know. I've seen you watching the crew more intently than usual. I've said you're free to target me using whatever scheme you please, but when you start involving the others, that's crossing the line. If you jeopardize their safety to get another crack in at me, you'll be losing a lot more than just a finger."

"You've got the wrong idea, Captain," he protested. "And while I'd ordinarily take pleasure in saying those words-"

"Then what are you up to?"

"I wanted to see if what Alexander said was true."

She frowned and released her grip, allowing him to slump against the wall and adjust his shirt. "And what, exactly, did Alexander say?"

"He said he thinks you're in love with Lyn."

Ice rushed through her veins as she processed what he had said. Without saying a word, she stormed out of the galley and into the men's quarters, where Alexander was currently dozing away. She hauled him into a sitting position and shook him awake. "What's going on?" he said blearily. "Are we under attack?"

"What makes you think I'm in love with Lyn?"

He blinked owlishly at her. "I'm sorry; what's going on?"

"You told Morgan you thought I love Lyn. What makes you think that?"

"I never told him…" He squinted at the prince for a moment. "Oh. That."

"Yes, that. Talk."

He rubbed his face before putting on his glasses and straightening his clothes. "Look, I was just saying based on your interactions that it wouldn't be an unreasonable conclusion. I've thought so for a long while, but I didn't want to say anything."

"You're wrong."

"As you say."

She frowned at his lack of argument. "Keep talking."

"Look, if you say you don't, you don't. I'm not going to argue with you about it."

She continued to glare at him, but all she could see was a stubborn refusal to defend himself. "Are you going to make an issue out of it?"

"Why should I? It's your business."

"What happened to everything being everybody's business?" Morgan asked.

"If Captain wants to be stubborn about this, I won't fight her. Just as she won't change her mind, I won't change mine. With an impasse like this, what's the point in arguing?"

Cassandra crossed her arms. "And why won't you change yours?"

"Are you joking? Please tell me you're joking." He sighed when she narrowed her eyes. "I'm surprised the rest of you don't think the same thing. I mean, Damien agrees with me-"

"Telling Damien what you think and him grunting in response isn't the same," she said hotly, "and don't even pretend like that's not what happened."

"Then tell me one more time you don't love her, and we can just drop the issue."

She looked right in the eyes, but hesitated as she was about to speak the words. His even gaze and folded arms indicated his complete seriousness, and she knew she wouldn't be able to lie well enough to fool him. Morgan was giving her an expectant stare, and she wasn't sure about her current ability to fool him either. Defeated, she closed her eyes and heaved a deep sigh. "I'm in love with her."

"There. Thank you for having the courage not to lie to us any longer." She flicked his forehead. "Raven, Jordan, and Cain all think so too."

The captain grabbed the receiver at her side and hit Spot's button. "Cain! Get over there this instant!"

_Dusk Pandion_ rocked as the enormous pirate touched down. He dropped into the main level and only took a few seconds to burst into the men's quarters. "What is it?"

"Did you know I love Lyn?"

If the situation had been different, it would have been comical to see him struggle in shifting from bodyguard to crewmember. "What?"

"Lyn. Did you know I'm in love with her?"

"You too?" His hand shot to his mouth, and he straightened in horror. His terrified gaze immediately went between Cassandra and Morgan, and he looked prepared to bolt.

The prince only looked perplexed. "You love Lyn too?"

Cassandra looked meaningfully at the large pirate, curious about what he would say. She knew that particular interpretation of his statement was false, but she wondered if he would accept the statement in lieu of what she thought he had meant. After several deep breaths, he sighed and put his face in his hands. "No."

"Then what are you talking about?" Morgan demanded. Cain waited even longer than he had previously, and when he spoke, his words were barely audible. "What was that?"

"I'm gay."

Everyone could tell Morgan had not processed the words in the slightest. "Come again?"

"He's gay. And I'm bi, not gay."

"You're gay?" Morgan said, his voice tinged with panic. "What do you mean, you're gay?"

As much as Cassandra wanted to discuss her topic, she knew comforting Cain took priority. "Thanks for telling us. Are you okay? Is there anything we can do for you?"

He sat cautiously on his bed, taking several deep breaths. "Well, this… isn't exactly how I intended to tell you. Either of you."

She put the pieces together and looked over at Alexander, who looked evenly right back at her. "You know?"

"He told Damien and I on the way to... Rime, was it?"

Morgan's voice was growing higher. "You told _them_?"

Cain's exhalation seemed to go on for an eternity. "Yes. Both of them."

"And wasn't it liberating?" Alexander said with a reassuring grin. "What did Damien say?"

He gave a shaky laugh. "Something like, 'You suck cock, but not at fighting, so it's all the same to me. Y'ain' changed a bit.'"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Well, thank you for trusting me. It means a lot. You know I still love you, right? If anyone ever gives you problems, you let me know. I'll punch 'em out for you, aye?"

"Aye," he confirmed with a relieved smile.

Seeing that his panic wasn't completely gone, she opened her arms and beckoned for an embrace. He knelt on the floor to accept the hug, and she could feel his anxiety slowly disappearing. She continued to hold him and whisper in his ear until he was somewhat calmed down. Nevertheless, she knew he was still dreading the confrontation yet to come. "Do you need some time alone?"

"No, no," he said. "I'm fine. You've known, haven't you, Captain Libera?"

She shrugged. "I couldn't say I knew for sure, but you dropped no few hints along the way. That said, there was no fucking way I would have said anything before you were ready."

Alexander held her accusatory stare. "Nice try, Captain, but you confronted me about this, not the other way around. Don't try to draw parallels between the two of you. Only in your case, you couldn't quite talk to Lyn about it, could you?"

"You are hilarious," she snapped, good mood instantly ruined. "Absolutely hysterical."

"Aren't I just. So what are you gonna do about it?"

"Nothing, and I'll tell you why," she said before he could interrupt. "We as a crew are barely treading water as it is. Even with Raven back, life's not easy for us. Sticking together is all we've got. Say I do tell Lyn, and she does the obvious thing and rejects me. I know she won't act any differently, Mors knows she's broken her fair share hearts, so she's used to it, but I know I'll act differently. It hurts, you know, loving someone who doesn't love you back. It's really painful."

"And suffering in silence isn't?"

"I won't be able to be as close at her if she says no," she said.

"The ambiguity won't do you any better in the long run."

"Being close and unsure is better than distant and sure."

He shook his head. "Whatever helps you cope with it, Captain."

"Fine, say she does say yes, and we inevitably break up. That would make things even worse. Do you think it'd be possible for both of us to remain on the same ship? One of us would have to leave, and let's face it: Lyn's an irreplaceable counterbalance to the dynamics of this crew, and all of you can't so much as wipe your asses without me around. I take risks, but not the kind that would completely tear apart the crew from the inside."

"Why do you think you two would inevitably break up?"

"Don't even try to pretend we wouldn't. We're too different. Our relationship couldn't last."

"I agree," Morgan interjected. "No offense, but you two are too dissimilar."

"I just said that; why would I be offended?"

His lips widened in a humorless smile. "Point taken. So what will you do?"

"Nothing. Alexander, I'm going to hazard a guess and say you talked about this with Raven?"

"No." She raised an eyebrow. "We were talking about love, and you are always the easiest example when it comes to explaining things to her. That's not the same thing, and you shouldn't be mad at her for it."

She knew the youngest Moon Sister was somehow partially to blame regardless. "Okay, in case I need to be clear, here's how it is: don't tell Lyn about this or mention this in passing, any communication whatsoever. Captain's Orders. Don't be smartasses. I can get pretty creative for people who try to pick apart my orders to try to bypass them."

"Bearing in mind Raven's presence on this crew due to such a loophole," Morgan said, "should Damien not be informed to keep silent?"

Everyone gave him looks of mild incredulity before Cassandra resumed talking. "Good. We're all on the same page regarding the rules and shit. Over and done with. Oh, and if Lyn 'accidentally' overhears this, I'm tying an anchor to the conversation participants and chucking them overboard. Are we clear?" She waited until they all gave signs of confirmation. "Fantastic. Alexander, you're with me. There's something we need to get sorted out."

He tentatively followed her outside, and she hauled the doors shut firmly behind her. "Am I in more trouble than that?" She nodded, but smiled and put a finger to her lips. She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, her hearing more than good enough to penetrate the thick wood. "Captain, we shouldn't be doing this."

"Then leave," she whispered.

"This is private-" She shushed him into silence.

They both waited until Morgan finally let loose. "You're gay? And you've never told me?"

"Look, Morgan, I-"

"How could you keep this from me?" the prince shouted. "You didn't think it would be important enough to tell me?"

"It isn't." Cassandra smiled at the firmness in his voice. "The fact that I'm gay has no impact whatsoever on my ability to guard you. My record reflects that, doesn't it?"

The prince fought for words. "Well… yes, but nevertheless..."

"But nothing. It wasn't important."

"You still should have told me."

"Why?"

"Well… because!"

"On a professional level, telling anybody would be detrimental. On a personal level… I don't have a lot of close friends, and you said yourself that we weren't friends. There are still times when you forget you're not on Winter Isle. You can't blame me for not feeling comfortable for telling you."

"You told _Damien_ before me!"

"Because I could spend my time counting individual drops of water and putting them into a bucket while talking in nonsense languages and his opinion of me wouldn't change one bit." Alexander couldn't hide his proud grin. "When I heard Damien had also slept with men, I had to find out more."

"But that's because he's… he's Damien! He _lives_ to do the unorthodox! One comparison-"

"And with Damien, I told Alexander. That was far more nerve wracking."

"Talking to Alexander was hard. Really."

Cassandra's fist tightened, only unclenching when Alexander put his hand on her arm. "It was. Believe it or not, I'm not as brave as you think."

"An entire elite raiding squad ambushed us, and you held them off until reinforcements arrived without any hesitation or sign of retreat."

"That's not the same thing. Honestly, this is the hardest conversation I've ever had. You're my liege lord, Morgan, and I have worked extremely hard to earn your respect. I've always known I'll be thought of differently because I'm gay, and I've always kept in mind that I will be your bodyguard until one of two things happen: one of us dies, or you personally dismiss me. Now, I've trained to do the former all my life, and I thank God that I've been given the opportunity to have heiresses of the main assassin families with me to hone my skill. As for the latter… well, there's a reason I was a candidate for one of the most coveted positions on Winter Isle. I'm by the book. I follow rules. I don't push the envelope."

"Being gay isn't pushing the envelope."

"Please don't try to deny it. Have you seen, I mean really seen, what Captain Libera goes through as a female leader? Her cool head thankfully overrides her hot temper for the most part, and I can say there have been a few times when I wanted to knock the chauvinists into the Calm Belt myself. I believe her when she says she's known about me for a long time, and that's one reason I like being a Black Glove Pirate. It takes bravery to move towards your goal knowing people will get in your way because of something that doesn't even matter. I don't have that bravery. She does."

The pair lapsed into a long silence.

"I know it's a lot to take in. I'll give you some time to think about it. Whenever you want to talk, I'll be willing to listen." He exited the men's quarters and paused below the hatch. Cassandra knew he was smiling without seeing his face. "And thanks," he said, not turning around. "You didn't have to be here."

"Of course I did," Cassandra said with a grin. "I said I'd punch out anyone who gives you problems. No exceptions." Cain laughed before climbing out of the hatch. When Morgan left the quarters as well, she held her arm out in front of him. "Give it a serious think, and be honest. I would be significantly more upset about you lying to appease him than telling him what you really feel. Everyone is entitled to their opinions." Her grin gained quite a few teeth. "So long as their opinions don't invalidate someone's existence."

"You're an assassin," Morgan retorted with every ounce of venom he could muster. "You are the last person I want to hear that from."

"Hey-" Alexander began, but Cassandra silenced him with a hand motion. Morgan pushed past her and stormed into the galley, slamming the door behind him. "That was uncalled for."

"No, he's absolutely right in feeling the way he does," she said. "At least, in this particular instance. Leave him be."


	62. Eclipse

"Okay, I'll admit it," Yin said. "This isn't half bad for your first time trying Shandorian food."

"Not half bad?" Morgan repeated. "The taste is excellent! Surely you can't deny that."

"I can't. The point is it's not really… Shandorian."

"Well that's hardly my fault, is it?" he snapped. "I've never been to Shandoria."

"Shandora, and neither have I."

He scowled at her. "You know what I mean."

"I think it's good!" Lyn praised, grabbing her third bowl. "Where'd you find all this stuff?"

"Dewpon is not as lacking in fresh meats and vegetables as I had been expecting. All Yin needed to do was get a list of ingredients and a recipe."

"A recipe you deviated from."

He curled his lip. "Because you didn't even know exactly what went into it. I had to make some adaptations to turn it into a servable meal."

"You're lucky Cain had something else to do or you'd have had to make some serious changes to it!" Lyn exclaimed. "No way could you find that much stuff on the fly!"

He nodded once in her direction. "That said, Shandorian cuisine seems to emphasize spiciness without demanding its presence in every dish. Would it be safe to assume your climate was a hot one?"

"We've always been in warm places. Our capital was on Jaya, a Spring Island, and when we got kicked out, we went to a relatively cool Summer Island. And no, I'm not telling you where it is."

"I wouldn't ask. What was this spice combination you insisted I use?"

"Newspice and moon dust. Got a kick, doesn't it?"

"Moon dust."

The corner of Yin's mouth rose. "I told you, I'm from the moon. Nothing like a good sprinkle of home to put some wings on your back. Well, hair, I guess?"

"Yours are so pretty!" Lyn moved around so she could get a better look, since she knew Yin was pretty touchy when it came to physical contact. "And they're natural, too!"

"Also can't stop bullets, so there's one thing Damien's have over mine."

Morgan folded his arms. "So they're largely vestigial."

"Not any more than your brain is."

His eyes instantly darkened. "I was the one who did you a favor, Yin, in cooking Shandorian food. Don't forget that."

"You want to go, little man? You know you couldn't take me."

"I don't have to fight. You've already been thrashed sufficiently."

"And we thrashed all night long! Oh!"

Morgan's face purpled, and he pressed his lips together. "I didn't think there would be someone so masochistic as to be involved with him carnally."

"Masochistic? Did you put the wrong herb in here? Do I look like a fucking bottom to you?"

"Your injuries say yes."

"And what do Damien's injuries say?"

"That he annoyed somebody. He tends to do that."

Lyn heaved a sigh before wiping her mouth and hands on her napkin. The problem with their come-if-you-want dinners was that she didn't get many conversation partners. Morgan was in one of those arguing moods of his, and she still couldn't figure out why Yin didn't like her. She stretched her arms as she went down the side hallway and kicked open the door. She hopped down onto Cain's enormous bed and bounced to the floor, but all she found was Alexander reading while sitting against the other side of the mast. "Watcha up to?"

He wordlessly held up his book.

"_Corsairs and Combat_. Why even?"

"I find it interesting. Do you mind?"

"Yeah, let's do something! I'm bored!"

He stared flatly at her. "I'm busy. Go bug Raven."

"She's doing her ninja info thing!"

"What about Cain? I know he's up there."

"Ugh! Fine!" She left and climbed stairs to the main deck. Cain was lounging with one arm on the forecastle deck and the other across his face. She could easily tell he wasn't sleeping and jumped onto the railing next to him. "I'm bored! Let's do something!"

Cain raised his arm, and his eyes got even bigger than they already were. "I was just taking a break," he said as he heaved himself to his feet. "I still have to deal with the plumbing and heating, particularly in the men's quarters."

"Yeah, but you're always doing that! Play with me!"

"Sorry, little miss. No can do."

Lyn looked overboard to make sure Miserie wasn't swimming around before crossing her arms and pouting. She hadn't really spent a lot of time with her crew lately since everyone had been so wrapped up with the whole MerryBug deal, but that didn't mean they couldn't act like a crew once in a while. "Well, have you seen Damien?"

"He's off shadowfighting with five hundred kilos strapped to each limb."

"Where the hell'd he get those kinda weights?"

"Xiphos had a whole stash of them."

"Fine. Where's Captain? Is she back yet?" Cain hesitated. "What? Is she out with Raven?"

"I don't… think so…"

"Well, where's your snail?"

He patted himself down. "Not on me, apparently."

Lyn narrowed her eyes, not buying his apparent lack of knowledge for a second. "Okay, okay. What's going on? You've all been acting weird since yesterday. Especially you and Morgan. I'm not dumb, you know."

"Nobody thinks you're dumb."

"I also know when you're deflecting. Tell me what you're not telling me!"

"I can't."

"Cain, you're my nakama. Don't make me order you."

His grin looked unsure. "Wouldn't help, I'm afraid."

She would not let him see her hurt and anger. "Did she tell you not to tell me where she is? No? Then tell me. Now."

He pointed desolately at the women's quarters, and she practically sprinted across the deck. She had no idea what Captain was hiding from her. She couldn't even stand the thought of the blue-haired woman doing something like that. Captain looked up from the papers strewn across her new desk and raised her eyebrows as Lyn stormed inside. "Well, hello to you t-"

"Is what they're saying true?" Lyn demanded.

"Look, the Inkling Pirates can't do anything to us. One of their shithead crewmembers tried to slug Alexander last night, but punching metal isn't that fun."

"No, not that. What the crew's been saying."

"I don't know. What've they been saying?"

"Don't lie to me, Captain. You know what."

"I'm telling you, I don't know what you're talking about."

"This isn't funny."

Captain's happy expression had completely disappeared. "I agree. Why can't you just tell me what it is?"

"Just answer yes or no."

"Stop beating about the bush and tell me what they're talking about."

"No, I wanted to hear it from you. But if you can't," she took a deep breath, "I understand. I just thought we could be honest with each other."

She turned to leave, but just before she put her hand on the door, Captain rushed in front of it. She straightened up and composed herself, and Lyn got even more worried when she ran her hand through her deep blue hair. She looked more uncomfortable than Lyn had ever seen her. Captain's eyes occasionally darted to the side, and she repeatedly took calming breaths. "Okay. Okay. It's true, what they're saying. I'll kill them afterwards, but it's true, and I'm really sorry you found out this way."

Lyn only stared at her.

"I…" Captain closed her eyes, then blurted out, "I love you."

The first mate's entire body went numb, her heart dropped into her stomach, and she knew her eyes had widened as much as they could. "What?" was all she could whisper, absolutely positive she had misheard.

"I love you, and I've been in love with you for a long time, and I know it sounds weird, and I know that the feeling can't possibly be mutual, and I don't want this to change anything between us, and-"

Lyn closed the distance between them with a single step and captured Captain's mouth with her own. She ignored the nose bumping against hers and Captain's noise of confusion, focusing entirely on the kiss. They were the only two people left in the world. Nothing else existed. Vague perceptions like the taste of pineapple and brine, the softness of the captain's lips, the smoothness of her hair, and the heat from their bodies all flickered through her mind, but never lingered.

Only the two of them mattered.

Eventually, one worry cut through her mind. She pulled back, silently praying she hadn't screwed up. Captain's eyes were glossed over, and one of her hands tentatively rose to her lips. She blinked slowly as she regained her breath and refocused on Lyn, her liquid eyes filled with wariness and confusion. "What?"

Lyn's laughter was filled with happiness and relief. She wrapped her arms around the pirate captain's neck and rested her forehead against the other woman's. "Silly Captain! I love you too! I've always loved you! I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you!"

It wasn't often she got to see Captain completely nonplussed. "But… why didn't you tell me?"

"What are you talking about? I told you all the time!" She giggled at Captain's flat look. "Fine. I was afraid, okay?"

"Afraid? Afraid of what?"

She slowly rubbed their noses together as she figured out how to say it. "Well, would it surprise you to know I've had problems with crushes on straight girls before?"

Captain finally gave a smile, and Lyn's heart felt like it was going to float away. "Not in the least."

"Plus, I was scared you wouldn't love me back."

"Lyn, you are the most amazing, incredible, wonderful person I've ever met. Why wouldn't I love you?"

The first mate could feel her cheeks flush with joy and pulled Captain into another kiss before she could see Lyn's embarrassment. The other pirate was prepared for it this time and tenderly cupped her hands around Lyn's face. This one was deeper than the last, a river bursting forth through a broken dam. Lyn desperately clutched her captain, hoping with all her might that she wasn't dreaming. Their lips slid apart and their teeth lightly clicked against each other as she shifted her arms. Captain moaned when Lyn pushed her against the door and pressed their bodies together, her fingers raking through Lyn's hair.

Lyn gently probed Captain's tongue with her own, then slipped it inside her mouth. Captain responded in kind, her hands slowly roving on Lyn's back. The first mate pressed her lips slightly harder before drawing back. As much as she hated it, she was still worried about going too fast. Captain followed her to prolong the kiss, a single strand of saliva connecting their mouths as they drew apart. They gazed at each other as they fought to get their breathing under control. Captain licked her lips and smiled nervously. "I'm sorry if that was-"

"That was unbelievable," Lyn panted, her widest grin spanning her face. "Now… why didn't _you_ tell me sooner?"

Captain looked down, and Lyn immediately took a step back, terrified she had done something wrong. "No, don't worry," Captain said hastily. "It wasn't you; it was me. I was worried. About you, I mean."

Lyn cocked her head to the side. "Worried about me?"

The blue-haired woman ran her thumb along her seastone ring. "There were… a lot of reasons."

"Like what?"

She took another deep breath. "Well, your safety, for one. If people know, they'd target you to get an edge over me."

Lyn stared skeptically at her. "It's the same thing anyway. Everyone knows I'm one of the weaker fighters, and you'll do anything to get any of us back or take revenge or whatever. You know that."

"I was worried that if you rejected me or broke up with me, we'd probably have to break up the crew."

"Whatever happened to taking risks?"

"Not risks like this!" Captain shouted.

"What's the difference. We gamble with our lives every day. Are you saying you'd rather us be devastated but alive instead of happy and dead?"

"Yes! No! That's not- I just-" She sighed angrily and ran her hand through her hair again. "I don't know. I don't want to be the one who broke up the crew. I couldn't take that."

"You won't have to. That wouldn't happen. Probably. Anyway, I guess I understand." Captain relaxed a little too much. "What?" Lyn asked.

"'What' what?"

"What else is there?"

Captain scrunched up her eyes and took another deep breath. "You deserve better than me."

Now Lyn was absolutely positive she hadn't heard correctly. "Huh?"

"You're a good person, Lyn. I'm not."

"What? No! How can you say that?"

"Please," she said with a pained smile, "you know I'm telling the truth. I'm despicable. I'm like Damien and Raven, not you. I've killed and tortured so many people. I've killed children, Lyn. I've ruined lives, families just because I've gotten angry. You've seen the backlash of what I can do to my own allies. My hubris nearly broke the crew on Reichmann Island and just cost us the _Knave_. I'm a murderess, a bitch, and a butcher, and those things won't ever change. I'm not a hero. I'm a villain with villain friends, and we've all committed inexcusable atrocities.

"And you? You're sweet and kind and always know how to make people happy. You're popular wherever you go. You care about everybody, and you're kind without thinking about it. You don't like hurting people at all. You actively avoid maiming and killing anybody. We're opposites. When we meet people, we both try to learn as much as we can about them. I see if there's anything I can use against them; you take a genuine interest in their lives and make people feel special. We're too different. If we hadn't met the way we had, you'd be the one trying to bring me to justice for what I've done. I would have killed you without a second thought. I'm nowhere near good enough for you. You deserve better than me, and being with me would only hurt you in the long run."

Lyn engulfed the woman in the strongest hug she could. She planted a kiss on Captain's cheek as she squeezed tightly. "You're looking at it all wrong, silly. It's not what you think. Yes, you hurt lots of people."

"Hurt?" Captain laughed dryly. "Yeah, sticking your hand in fire makes you a bit warm."

"But that wasn't because you're a bad person. You had a bad job, but you did it. You put your friends above that job when things came down to it. You haven't killed people who weren't trying to kill us since you made the crew. You do what you do to protect us, for the most part. You're just a little extreme when it comes to taking revenge. I still love you. You've done amazing things because you don't back down from getting what you want. Plus, I've met half the Moon Sisters, and I'm pretty sure it's considered a miracle that you got them to love you so much."

"All of them villains as well. You can't even imagine how many innocent lives some of us have taken. How can you love me even though I support them? For being one of them?"

Lyn honestly couldn't answer. She knew exactly why she loved Captain even considering the gruesome acts she'd done, but she couldn't figure out how to put it in words that would calm down the blue-haired assassin. "How can you love me even though I slept with so many people even though I was in love with you? It's not exactly a secret how possessive you are."

"That's not at all-"

"You also don't like people taking drugs, but I've done plenty of those."

"But you haven't-"

"I do dangerous things that make you upset and angry, especially when I'm Acting-Captain."

"It's not the same!" Captain yelled.

"And why not?" Lyn challenged. "A lot of people think that dying is the worst thing that can happen to someone. I've always disagreed. Living can be much, much worse than dying."

Captain gritted her teeth. "I've tortured people! Raven tortures people! Yin blows limbs off indiscriminately! Damien's Damien! That's not the same as promiscuity or drugs!"

"I mentioned those to make a point, not compare whose is worse. We both do things that the other shouldn't like, but we still love each other. You're right that it's against all odds that we met the way we did. Any other time and place, we wouldn't speak to each other. You'd be either an assassin or unapologetically Damien's friend, and I wouldn't get to know either of you. But aren't you the one who says not to dwell on hypotheticals? I don't like everything you do, and you don't like everything I do. That doesn't make us any less in love. Besides, love isn't always rational. That's part of what makes it love."

Captain laughed again and pressed their tear-stained cheeks together. "Yeah, I guess so." She exhaled deeply and moved Lyn away. "So… what now?"

"What do you mean, what now?"

"What do you want to do?"

"I dunno! I already said I'm never leaving you, and you promised not to leave me! What do _you_ want to do?"

The captain flushed and looked away, and Lyn's grin widened. She couldn't ignore an invitation like that. She pulled Captain into another kiss, savoring the heat coming from the other woman's cheeks. Their breath came in quick gasps as they clung to each other. Lyn slowly guided them over to Captain's bed and gently carried her down. The first mate lay down on top of her, never releasing her hold. Captain's hands moved up and down her body, occasionally squeezing to elicit a moan from Lyn.

Seconds or years could have passed for all Lyn knew. She wouldn't have been able to hold herself back had she not sensed that infinitesimal reluctance she had felt countless times before. She was dying to go further, but she absolutely didn't want to scare Captain off. She put up no resistance when she was softly pushed away and kept the disappointment from her face.

"We should…" Captain panted, "probably… tell the others."

Lyn didn't care about the others in the slightest at the moment, but she gave a small nod. She planted soft kisses on Captain's face and neck as the other pirate fumbled for her Baby Den-Den Mushi. "Raven, could you-" She stifled her moan with her free hand as Lyn nibbled on her collarbone, then smacked Lyn's head. "Could you gather everyone in the main hall? Don't keep those already on board waiting; just tell them when Miserie and Damien get here."

The instant she hung up, she turned to Lyn with fire in her eyes. "I swear to Mors, Lyn-"

"So you don't want me to do that again?"

Captain rolled on top of her and glared. "Not when I'm on the phone."

"Aww, c'mon, Captain!" she said with a disarming smile. "You loved it!"

The blue-haired woman gritted her teeth before initiating a fierce kiss of her own. Her fingers intertwined with Lyn's, keeping her from using her hands. Lyn's body burned, her face and lips a thousand suns captured in flesh. She sucked hungrily at Captain's lower lip, and her hands wandered down to squeeze the other woman's ass. As aroused as she was, she couldn't help but burst out into laughter at Captain's muffled squeak of surprise. The pirate sat bolt upright, her amber skin turned bright red.

"It's not funny!" she protested as Lyn shook with laughter. "Lyn, stop!"

Lyn could only imitate Captain's squeak before dissolving into laughter again. Captain tried to smother her with her hands, but Lyn twisted around to put her on top again. The movement was too strong, and they both yelped as they fell off the bed. Unfortunately, Captain's reflexes helped her right herself in midair, and Lyn was the one whose back hit the floor. She was still wracked with giggles, which only worsened when Captain slumped down onto her. "I understand, now," the pirate captain grumbled. "The gods made me love you so you can try my patience as much as you possibly can."

The first mate laughed and nuzzled the other woman's neck. "Silly Captain! That's not how gods work!"

"So I'm still Captain even though we're…"

"Girlfriends? Hmm. You're right! That's not special enough! You're Cee!"

Her loving smile quickly turned into a frown. "Wait, does that stand for Captain or Cassandra?"

Lyn just couldn't stop laughing. Cee really loved her back! Cee was her girlfriend! The only time in recent memory she had been so happy was when the pirate captain had come back from the dead. Just thinking about it made her shower her new girlfriend with kisses, and quickly Cee was laughing right along with her. They both sagged back down, staring deeply into each other's eyes. Cee leaned in and covered Lyn's mouth with her own. Lyn held her close, always making sure to keep her hands above her girlfriend's waist. She absolutely didn't want to ruin this moment. She wanted it to last forever.

It couldn't, of course, as Chief began burbling at the both of them. Cee tried to pull away, but Lyn refused to budge. The captain bonked her on the head, and Lyn continued to cling to her as she got to her feet. "Raven?"

"Damien and Miserie have arrived. Should I gather the others?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

Noticing the tiny tremble, Lyn embraced her girlfriend as she hung up. "It's gonna be fine, Cee! We all know you're gonna become Pirate Queen! Who cares if you'll have a queen of your own?"

"Hey, first of all, I'm going to be the only Queen of the Pirates until I abdicate or die. You can be Queen Consort of the Pirates or something."

Lyn laughed and gave her another quick kiss. "Shall we?"

Cee nodded and climbed to her feet. After straightening their clothes and hair, they left their room and slowly descended the stairs to the main hall. All of the Black Glove Pirates along with Jordan and Yin were waiting and staring curiously up at them. Miserie was in the galley, the top of her head poking out from behind the door frame. Cee waited until they were at the bottom of the stairs to take a calming breath. "Thank you all for comi-"

"We're girlfriends now!" Lyn announced, glomping onto the captain.

The moment of stunned silence was broken up by Alexander and Jordan's hearty laughter. Cee completely deflated, glaring angrily at her first mate. "I'm breaking up with you."

"Damn, Cici, that's gotta be some sort of speed record!" Jordan roared. "Even for you, that's quick!"

"And about damn time," Alexander chortled. "I thought you were going to do that foolish dance for ages."

"Miserie doesn't understand. Were Captain and Lyn not already girlfriends?"

Alexander grinned. "No. Well, yes, they are women and friends, but this is in more of a romantic sense."

"Romantic? Oh. Oh!" The mermaid flushed and ducked out of sight. "Miserie is happy for them!"

Damien turned to the pirate perched on the wall. "Tha's fuckin' it? Ya in'erupted me just for this, pukeface?"

"Cassandra ordered me to bring you back to the ship. I had no more knowledge of this declaration than you did."

"Shit, if tha's all, I'm outta 'ere."

"Wait, what about them?" Cain asked.

"Wha' about 'em? Got nothin' t' do wit' me."

"They're your captain and first mate!"

The navigator shrugged. "An' I don' care if they're playin' cards or muff-divin'. I was doin' shit."

"So spill!" Jordan shouted. "Who confessed to whom? How far did you go? Hey, lemme borrow your nose-"

The androgyne ran straight into Cee's boot and crashed to the ground. "We just talked is all."

"Yeah, bull_shit_. You think I don't know when two people have been doing the dirty?"

"Ease off, Fifth." Yin had her arms folded and an uncomfortable smile on her face. "If you two stubborn morons think this'll work out, then I have to say it will. Good for both of you."

Morgan's gaze lingered on them, and he eventually gave a grudging nod. "Yes, that's true. I can't imagine you backing down from the challenge."

"What challenge?" Alexander asked. "They're dating, not preparing for battle. And if you really think about it, nothing's changing. There's just less ambiguity and painfully hilarious lack of communication."

"And all-night-long fucking!" Jordan added. "Aw yeah!"

Cee hit him in the head again. "Hey, when I said stop sexually harassing my crew, that included me as well."

"Hell, Cici, it's not harassing if I'm cheering you lovebirds on! You want an instruction manual?"

Alexander swatted her shoulder. "Cheering them on is one thing. Being deliberately crass and lecherous simply to annoy people is another."

"Unclench your cheeks, man! What say we get drinks to celebrate?"

"First sensible thing you've said tonight."

"Pass," Damien said. "I wasn' finished. Can' believe got fuckin' in'erupted fer this."

"Miserie wants to celebrate too, but she does not want to go on land."

"Cain and I will go for a drinks run," Morgan said. "Are there any special requests that I couldn't already guess?"

Lyn beamed. "Nope! Just get what you think's best! Alex, ge-"

"Alexander."

"Alexander, get whatever you think's a good amount. We'll save some for you!" she yelled after the departing navigator, who responded with a casual wave.

"I also have business to attend to, unless you require my presence," Raven droned.

Cee smiled and shook her head. "I know you do. Take some time and enjoy yourself, though, to celebrate."

Raven stared at her for a moment before disappearing. "What does that even mean?" Morgan asked.

"I have no idea," the captain replied. "That's up to her. She probably won't do anything to jeopardize us. I think."

"You know the Seventh. She wouldn't do something to put you in harm's way."

"Intentionally," Cain said. "There might be unintentional consequences."

"Ah, we'll deal with them," Cee dismissed. "The whole crew plus two can take on anything."

"So why ally with anyone at all?" Jordan asked. "Fuck the both of 'em!"

Lyn knew her girlfriend wanted to focus on their new relationship instead of anything else. She kissed Cee just behind her ear and rubbed her face against the captain's neck. Instead of stiffening like Lyn thought she would, Cee simply relaxed and rested her hand on Lyn's head. "That's much less fun. Just because I'm teaming up with Hode doesn't mean things'll go swimmingly for her. In fact, it makes it a lot more interesting."

"So are you gonna stop flirting with her now that you're going out?"

"Flirting?" Even without looking, Lyn knew Cee was grinning. "That was just the two of us showing our respect for one another."

"Gonna be honest, Lynlyn, I thought you were the one who'd do the cheating. Seems like I was looking at the wrong half."

"Nobody's cheating on anybody," Cee told him. "And if that happens, we'll deal with it like mature adults."

"And we'll deal with-" Yin yowled when Jordan indiscreetly kicked her in the shin. "Fuck you, Fifth! You were the one who said it!"

"Said what?" Lyn chirped.

Cee remained as relaxed as before, but a sudden feeling of anxiety ran through Lyn's body. "Moon Sisters look out for each other," the captain explained. "We don't take well to people who hurt each other's feelings. Those who do the hurting get hurt. I understand that it applies to me as well, but we'll just have to wait and see how things turn out. Isn't that right?"

Jordan and Yin gave matching evil grins. "Of course, Cici. Just remember that you're not the boss of us just 'cause you're a little older."

"Two weeks, and don't forget it."

"Well, I'm older than all of you!" Lyn exclaimed. "So you all have to listen to me!"

"That's not happening," her girlfriend said instantly.

"The second lover's quarrel already!" Jordan whooped. "This should be good!"

Cee pressed her lips in a thin line and grabbed Lyn's hand. "We're leaving."

"Uh uh uh!" Yin taunted. "Moon Sister creed: all datemates must first talk with at least one other Sister."

"Who made that stupid rule?" Cee grumbled.

Lyn cocked her head to the side as she thought about it. "Sounds like something you would do!"

Her girlfriend put her hand on her face as Yin and Jordan laughed. "Right in one, Lynlyn! Now, dating one of us is very simple. Don't hurt them, or we hurt you. Now we know that the one doing the dating might be a bit blinded to the situation. Shishi's a nightmare in that particular area, and whether she likes to admit it or not, Cici's not much better. This rule goes doubly for you since you're the one Cici's changed her life for."

"Since we can't be with you all the time and the Seventh doesn't understand this shit, all we can do is promise we won't be very far. It's not a whole ton of trouble for one of us to track you down. I promise that as good as Cici is at covering her tracks and by extension yours, we will find out if you did anything to hurt her. So believe me when I say that _you do not want to hurt her_."

A dreadful, horrible feeling spread through every inch of her body. She knew that sensation far, far better than she would have liked to admit. Somebody wanted someone dead so strongly that it was palpable, and she knew without a doubt that Yin and Jordan were targeting her. She couldn't move an inch, could barely breathe or even think. She jerkily allowed herself to be pulled into Cee's arms and clutched the captain with all her might. Cee tenderly stroked her hair and rubbed her back in small circles.

"And now that we've got that clear," Cee said in a low voice, "let me put my own two Beli in. If you so much as lay a wrong finger on her… well, punishment goes both ways, doesn't it?"

That terrifying feeling suddenly increased tenfold, and the fact that it was coming from her girlfriend this time made Lyn want to cry. If it hadn't been for Cee holding her up, she would have definitely collapsed to the ground. It went on for ages, and Lyn felt like she had been dunked in ice water when it abruptly stopped. Jordan and Yin roared with laughter, Cee swiftly joining them. "All right, we're done," the bomber said. "We'll leave you two be until the others get back."

Lyn waited until the heiresses left before letting her tears fall. Her girlfriend never released her hold and murmured, "I'm so, so sorry you had to go through that. Are you okay?" The first mate began nodding, then shook her head. Cee's sigh shook her body. "Lyn, I'm going to give you one last chance. I told you I'm a bad person, and I meant it. Don't do this to yourself. There are tons of better people out there for you. We can just… say we were drunk or something. With my ring on, I'm no good at holding my drink and you-"

"NO!" Lyn screamed. "No! I want this more than anything. I want _you_ more than anything!"

"But you saw what just happened. That's what you're getting yourself into. I'm rotten to the core, and you'll only hurt yourself if you're with me."

She held Cee at arm's length and glared through her tears. "Stop saying that. I love you, Cee, and I want to be with you. You're not as bad as you say you are. I'm not saying you don't do bad things, but you do a lot of good things you're ignoring too. Like the fact that you're in love with someone like me!"

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I know I'm not very smart, I'm really loud, I do dangerous things without thinking, I make you worried and exasperated and annoyed and-"

"You're exaggerating," Cee protested, "and you're ignoring the good."

Lyn smiled. "Exactly. You're so much more than just that to me."

"How can you say that after being scared half to death?"

"Close your eyes and take off your glove." Cee frowned, but nevertheless did as she was told. Lyn slowly pulled off her own and intertwined her right fingers with Cee's left. Electricity shot up her arm at the touch, and judging by her girlfriend's sharp intake of breath, she had felt it too. Lyn had never felt Cee's left hand before. While her skin couldn't really be described as soft, it was still less calloused and rough than Lyn thought it would be. She slowly brought their hands up and kissed the back of Cee's hand, causing the captain to shiver. "Okay, open them."

Elation filled her body when Cee's eyes opened, then opened way wider as she saw Lyn's hand. "Gods, Lyn… When did you even… Why?"

"Because I love you, of course!" Lyn stated. "You have the moon on the back of yours, so I got the sun on mine! See?" She rotated their hands so Cee could compare the birthmark to the tattoo. "Isn't that awesome?"

"I don't know what to say. It's amazing."

"Yeah, it'd better be. I paid like twenty grand for it."

"Twenty grand?"

"I wanted it to be special!"

Cee gave some combination of a chuckle and a sigh. "And if we had never told each other?"

Lyn shrugged. "I always wear this glove, and apparently I was careful enough to hide it when I was asleep. Somehow. If you had seen it, I would have said it was something I got on a bet or something. I should be insulted about you not noticing it before now, actually. I know you have your bathing gloves and whatever, but I don't! You say you love me, but you never even look at me!"

"Oh, I look at you all the time." Her voice dropped. "You just never see me."

"I know when people are looking at me. You never have."

"You're one of the most beautiful, gorgeous, sexy, graceful, adorable, dazzling women I've ever seen. Trust me; I've been looking."

"Aww!" Lyn thought about Cee's words before pouting. "Wait, one of the?"

"Well, of course. I love you, but love isn't completely blinding."

The first mate cocked her head to the side. "Oh right, your sister! Fine, what about second-most?" She only got a grin in response. "Hey, no fair! Tell me! Get back here, woman!"


	63. A Bump in the Night

Cassandra was jolted awake by a nearby explosion. She tried to get up, but found herself trapped. She smiled and she looked down to find Lyn's arms wrapped around her. Contentment spread through her body as she remembered that the previous evening's events hadn't been a dream, and the woman she loved was in fact her girlfriend. The celebration had lasted well into the night, and Cain had surprised her by presenting her with a bed large enough for both her and Lyn. She had accepted the gift without a trace of embarrassment, having been just as happy as Lyn had been.

However, it was proving to be a mixed blessing. She knew she had to get up and figure out what was happening, trusting Yin to know better than to explode things near _Pandion_ without good reason. However, being in Lyn's arms was far too comfortable than it should have been. She loved everything about the experience: the warmth coming from Lyn's skin, Lyn's unique and intoxicating scent, the feeling of Lyn's breasts against her back, Lyn's breathing perfectly synchronized with hers, Lyn's leg hooked over her own, Lyn's face nestled in her neck…

Still, the sound of yelling and fighting filtered through her comfortable haze. She tried to shift out of Lyn's grasp, but the first mate only held on more tightly. Cassandra tried again, but she couldn't break free. "Lyn, wake up."

The first mate mumbled something unintelligible and nuzzled further in.

"Come on, this isn't the time. Up we go."

"The sky was painted by zoologists..."

"Lyn."

"They used grapes the size of grapes…"

Cassandra smiled tenderly. "Raven's leaving again."

"Wha'? No!" Lyn flailed around, allowing Cassandra to roll away and catch her girlfriend before she hit the ground. "Come back!"

"If we're gonna sleep together, we're gonna need to figure something out," the captain told her.

"Hmm? Why?"

"Busting out of jail was easier than escaping you."

Lyn tilted her head and stuck out her lower lip. "You want to escape me?"

Cassandra tried to hold a stern glare, but she had never been a match for her girlfriend's pout. She growled and leaned forward for a kiss. "I've got shit I need to take care of."

"Just give up being captain for a bit; let them deal with it."

"That would make you acting-captain."

The first mate beamed. "Then I order you to let the others handle it!"

"Abuse of power, and that still means you'd have to go deal with things."

"Let Morgan deal with it. Come back to bed."

"You know I want to, but some _very inconsiderate fucknuggets_ decided we couldn't enjoy our beauty sleep. WHAT?" she yelled before Cain could knock on the door.

The bodyguard waited in surprise for a moment before opening the door. "There's something going on, Captain Libera."

"Why of all nights did this happen near my ship?" she lamented. "Please tell me it's a MerryBug fight. Just tell Raven to get out her fly ribbon and pesticide."

"There's a slight complication. Damien's fighting on Captain Elaine's side."

Cassandra processed his words with a perfectly blank face. "Who else is up?"

"Raven woke me for watch half an hour ago."

"Good. Slap Alexander awake. Unless Damien's drunk off his ass, I think I'm gonna need him to explain why his halfwit best friend is fighting. Lyn, stay in bed."

"I'm coming with you! No buts!"

Remembering her words to her Moon Sisters the night Yin arrived, she bit back her instinctive argument. "Fine, get ready to fight. Don't get directly in the crossfire, though. This doesn't exactly involve us as of yet. Raven, situation report."

The assassin materialized beside her. "The Landlocked Pirates and the Harisen Pirates are engaged with the Pinecone Pirates. The sides as they are have similar combat strengths, but the Pinecone Pirates are currently retreating. It is unclear how long they will last."

"And if I want to continue to appear as Hode's ally, I need to side with the Pinecones. Against Damien."

"While he is primarily engaging with the Pinecone Pirates, he is just as much a threat to his allies as he is his opponents."

"Thank Mors some things never change. See if you can't sow some more chaos. If you can find Yin or Jordan to make things even more interesting. Also tell Damien I want to talk to him."

"He does not appear to be in a very cooperative mood."

"Then I'll see how far I can stick my foot up his ass. I'm right behind you. Lyn, wait for Cain." She rushed out of the women's quarters to find Alexander rubbing his eyes. "Good, you can help me with this mess and calm Damien down."

"What is this, the fourth time you've woken me up this week?" he said drowsily. "Do I ever get to sleep?"

"Nope. Joys of being second mate." She held up her hands and caught the saxophone Cain tossed at her. "Let's see how well you multitask. Walk and talk."

"I don't understand."

Cassandra strode into the melee without any hesitation, forcing Alexander to match her pace. "Two of Elaine's allies and one of Vix's are fighting. Damien's on the wrong side."

"Oh." He stopped in his tracks. "Well, in that case, I can't help you."

"What do you mean?"

"Sorry, more like I won't help you. Not in the way you want."

She clenched her jaw. "I don't have time for this, Alexander. As much as I enjoy it when Damien makes my life miserable, now's not one those times."

"Captain, I'll do what I can to help calm Damien down, but the most I'll do is convince him to stop fighting. That's it."

"Alexander."

He smiled apologetically and took the saxophone from her. The relaxing tune did nothing to lift her spirits, even as pirates nearby slowed to pay attention to his music. Rolling hills of long grass were swept by the wind beneath a beautiful dusk sky. A flock of birds soared towards the sunset, and evening stars twinkled merrily behind them. Cassandra was surprised to feel her stress dissipating, only to realize that Alexander had vocal accompaniment. She shook out her limbs and prepared herself for the finale. "Sax Sonnerie!"

Contrary to her expectations, he focused the attack upwards. A few pirates were clipped and flew away, but the majority of the force went clear. A bird composed entirely of flame reared up in the distance, a single stream of fire continuing from its beak. Damien hit the water with a splash that soaked them from head to toe, emerging a moment later with blood and brine dripping from his body. He lunged at Cassandra, but Raven appeared between them and stabbed her finger towards his eye.

"I'm amazed that worked," Cassandra grumbled. "Hey, mush-for-brains, I already told you we're on Hode's side."

He straightened, prompting Raven to stand down and stare blankly at him. "I don' give no shits 'bout sides," he snarled. "They're fuckin' insects."

"So go find some other place to fight. I can't have you messing things up for me."

Fire gathered in his mouth as he bared his teeth. "Tha's a fuckin' joke, Cap'n. I'm just 'avin' a laugh."

"Have a laugh that doesn't put our crew at risk."

"Yer panties ridin' too 'igh, cumdump. You already cut into my fuckin' trainin' with yer bullshit with Sunshine, an' now this? Crawl back to yer 'ole, an' lemme 'ave my fuckin' fun. What you care 'bout these snotspunks?"

"Your friend Zoe has two crews going against one of Hode's, and in case you had forgotten, we're nominally with Vix. You were targeting the Pinecones."

"They're stronger. Got some in'erestin' fighters." He grabbed a haymaker without looking back and casually broke the woman's arm. "Else I'm stuck with this dross."

Cassandra ran her hand through her hair and replaced her tricorne. "Miserie, if you would."

"What? Oh, right! Tuulahdus Rauhallinen."

Damien's muscles loosened as the song washed over him. He glanced down at the ghostly form floating in the water, then back to his captain. "This ain' over."

"It is for you. Get back aboard."

"Like hell." He turned on his heel and walked back into the melee.

"Damien. Damien! Fuck. Raven, keep an eye on him when he gets out of Miserie's range. Great job, Miserie, keep singing, but don't stress your voice. You three are coming with me."

"What's up?" Lyn chirped.

Cassandra didn't like that her girlfriend had chosen plain clothing instead of armor, but she could understand the rush. "Let's go. The man we're looking for goes by the name of Ruslan Babayev. No bounty, which is a miracle considering his crew's no joke. They play by the rules, but they play rough as hell. Baba's a paranoid nutjob who keeps tabs on his crew at all times, and he's nothing like me, Lyn, don't even start. As a matter of fact, I can assure you that there are at least five snipers aiming at us right this moment and a group ready to jump us if we so much as breathe wrong. So let's cut to the chase and send me one of your goons, Ruslan!"

A rail thin man with narrow eyes slunk over to them, a somehow thinner man trailing in his shadow. "What can I do for you, Libera?"

"Vix stopped by, and we're good friends now. We're on your side. Mind telling me who you are?"

"I believe Baba did say something about that. Do you want a gold star?"

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. Raven had told her about the lieutenant, but not about his recalcitrance. "Listen, Heath, I was trying to do you a favor as one of Vix's friends. I woke up from a very nice dream for this bullshit."

"Nobody asked you to. We can handle ourselves."

"Now, before this goes any further," Alexander said hastily, putting himself between Heath and Cassandra's outstretched pistol, "let's calm down a bit. Captain?"

She curled her lip, then grudgingly holstered her gun. "Now, I was offering to help you. The least you can do is be courteous."

"We saw you being courteous, all right," Heath snapped. "Or are you pretending the Infernal isn't one of yours?"

"He is, but he gets antsy when morons provoke him. I know the feeling." She didn't even blink when the sniper round skimmed her hair.

"Mind your manners, Libera. The next one will go through your nose."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "This is what's going to happen: you're going to take me to see Ruslan, and Cain won't knock you over to _May Day_ so you can tell Hode what you're doing."

"It was nice talking to you." Heath's dark smirk faded, and he looked around in confusion. When he focused on Cassandra once more, his face was livid. "What did you do?"

She just smiled. "Let's talk a little bit more, shall we?"

Just as Cassandra suspected, a handful of pirates detached from the fighting and charged over to them. Lyn and Cain ran to meet them, the weaponsmith ripping up an enormous part of the street for his axe. Alexander began playing again, and Morgan landed before him in a mass of growing vines. Heath lunged forward, only to be tackled to the ground by Miserie. Cassandra trained her guns on Heath's goon, who had his shotgun pointed squarely at her in turn.

"Get off me!" Heath shouted.

"Miserie has caught fish slipperier and stronger than him."

"Order your mermaid to release him," the goon told Cassandra.

"I take orders from nobody. I'm giving you three seconds to drop your gun. Three, two-"

Three triggers were pulled at nearly the same time. Cassandra staggered backwards, but managed to keep herself on her feet. Her hands stiffened around her pistols when she nearly dropped them. Her breath came in short wheezes, but she fought through the pain. Lead shot clattered to the ground as she straightened up. She wiped blood from the corner of her mouth to give her a gruesome smile when she crouched by the trapped Pinecone Pirate.

"Everyone gets one chance to kill me. If you're a friend, you get a pass. If not, we have problems."

"What the fuck are you?" Heath snarled.

"I'm trying to get Ruslan down here. I want to talk to him."

"He's not gonna-"

"Break his arm." The pirate howled through clenched teeth when Miserie unhesitatingly did as she was told. "I bet he's gonna come see me now."

"You're dead, whore," Heath managed. "You're fucking dead."

"Yeah, yeah, but here someone higher up comes. Miserie, take this lowlife into the sea, but don't drown him. Don't worry; I'll be fine."

This time, it was a face she had seen far too many times skulking about her ship. He looked over at Heath before analyzing Cassandra. "I see you've found a disobedient boy in need of a spanking. He should have been more polite. You know my name, of course."

"Nice to meet you, Danilo, though I'd have prefered to meet with Ruslan."

"Of course. Right this way."

"Thanks. Let Heath go. Seventh, go tell the others to stand down against the Pinecones."

Cassandra followed the man, always aware of her surroundings. Adrenaline was rushing through her body, and her senses were pushed to their limits. Hundreds if not thousands of heartbeats thundered around her and decreased in number by the second. Spikes of killing intent focused in her direction, and some of the watchers were too well-hidden for even Raven to find. She couldn't tell if they were strong enough to rile Damien's interest so he could get rid of them, but she couldn't trust him to listen to her right now anyway.

The big captain of the Pinecone Pirates was sitting on a crate with a person in scrubs stitching up a gash down his side. He turned to face Cassandra, and his beard separated to reveal a yellow smile. "Captain Libera! How good it is to see you."

"Please, call me Cassandra. I hope you'll forgive my navigator, Damien. He can't resist a good enemy, regardless of who it is. Think of it as his twisted version of a compliment. Small miscommunication with your man Heath, who'll surely recover after a few weeks in a cast and some therapy regarding merfolk. I've directed my crew to direct their efforts away from yours."

"Excellent. Your forces are few in number, but still quite strong. Could you organize a strike down by Bottoms Down, get the Harisens off our back?"

"Maybe a little farther away, hook around Broadway," she said as she scanned the battleground. "Bottoms Down is still a bit- Fucking hell."

"Your Damien is quite the firebrand," Babayev observed. "Those are my men he appears to be slaughtering."

"Yup. If you'll excuse me, I'll be going down and dealing with him myself." She boosted herself up and took a running jump into the fray. She drew her knives to parry swords and bullets, occasionally letting them clip her skin or hair. Occasionally, attackers would turn and try to fight her, but she could still evade them by ducking behind other combatants. One stray bullet caught her neck, and she staggered to the ground. Someone trampled on her leg, but she withheld her scream of pain. The next person who would have trod on her as well had the back of their ankle cut.

When her wounds healed and she climbed to her feet, she continued to press on. Damien whirled on his feet as she approached him, his wild grin spreading further. "Yahahar, Cap'n! Come t' stop me?"

"You're being a right pain in the ass, right now," she snarled, dodging his swipe and shooting him in the arm.

"Wha's the point? Why you soft on these cockdrools?"

His elbow cut her cheek open, but she completely ignored it. "You know I don't give a shit about them, but I've been looking forward to this night with Lyn for ages. You fucking took it from me."

He opened his mouth to reveal every one of his deadly teeth. "Aye, it seems I did. Watcha gonna do?"

"You know what I'm gonna do? I'll tell you what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna kick your ass. And to make us all happy, we'll make it a threesome. Schattenmond."

While she couldn't entirely blame the berserker for disrupting the night she had been anticipating, she did want to see the products of Raven's absence. She knew the doctor had gotten faster than she could see, which she suspected was intentional on Raven's part, but she hoped that wasn't all Raven had worked on. Damien's lightning-fast punch was knocked to the side, and Raven pressed herself against Cassandra's back. "Incapacitate?"

"Hinder."

Although his arms were moving so quickly that Cassandra almost lost sight of them, he might as well have been trying to catch a needle in a tornado. Blood began flying from shallow cuts on his body, but that only made him laugh harder. His discharge of flame forced Cassandra backwards, but Raven had her own way of dealing with them. She stopped whirling around him and spun in place, diffusing the flames around her. The tactic didn't turn aside the wave of heat he radiated, which was hot enough to toast Cassandra's skin.

Raven retreated until the heat had dissipated before flitting above him. She spun in place, and were it not for Cassandra's keen vision, she would have missed the flurry of barely visible crescents that rained down upon him. Having seen Raven perform the unrefined form of the technique, she allowed herself a small smile. Not to be outdone, she pushed her adrenal system past its limits and catapulted herself forwards. Her knife and pistol sought every weak spot they could, even as she could feel her skin start to blister.

Just as she thought she was proving her progress, Raven zipped in and did something Cassandra couldn't even see. Damien collapsed like all of his bones had vanished. The captain felt completely cheated. Her body was still prepared to fight for her life, and calming it down wasn't easy. She settled for heaving the fallen man onto her back and heading back towards _Dusk Pandion_. "What the fuck was that?"

"Pythia sent me a collection of toxins to test on Damien. This particular poison is based on the delta one isoform of the bungarotoxin found in her newly-acquired winding krait. She wanted to inform you that the krait's name is Shaylee."

"Raven, what did I tell you about- I never said anything, did I." She reflected upon Damien's most recent actions. "Okay, you can only test one at a time with my permission, and you have to be extremely careful when administering anything else until the poison is completely neutralized. I still want him in one piece, most of the time, and he'll be the best fighter in the world. Try not to do any lasting damage. And what's that new toy you've got?"

The assassin raised her right hand to show the claw attached to her index finger. "Dahamabu. They enhance krur piil and allow me to administer poison without the use of knives. Traditionally, only one dahamab is given upon the mastery of krur piil, but as I am not remaining with my family and my techniques occasionally require modifications to be optimally useful in unforeseen situations, I currently possess two for my right hand and one for my left."

"Good, good." Cassandra had complete confidence in Raven when it came to self-maintenance, despite not fully understanding the weapon, but still found the information mildly interesting. And, after all, she had asked. "How long's this toxin supposed to last anyhow?"

"Based on what I have extrapolated from Pythia's calculations, Damien should overcome the effects within twelve hours."

"Should? What if he doesn't?"

"Pythia has not synthesized an antivenom to the venom or an antidote to the poison, but I consider it highly unlikely that he will die. If he does not recover within twelve hours, he will need to undergo a rigorous blood cleansing treatment that will last for a minimum of three days, during which he would not be permitted to move at all."

It was at this point that Cassandra was convinced that while her primary goal was to become Pirate Queen, her crew unanimously shared the goal of seeing how much they could try her patience before she snapped and murdered them all.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

That thought in mind, it was with slight reluctance and hesitation that she pulled her musician aside after lunch. "Hey, Alexander, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Of course. What's up?"

Even though she knew nobody was close, she triple-checked to make sure there was no way she could be overheard. "You absolutely cannot tell anybody about this, and I thank you in advance for the restraint you'll have for not mocking me. Or laughing."

His face turned perfectly impassive. "You're welcome. How can I help?"

"What do… normal people do for dates?"

"Pardon me for a moment."

His efforts to prevent any amusement from showing took too long for Cassandra's liking. "Okay, here's what it is: this whole thing didn't happen at all like I expected."

"I don't know about you, but I knew from the get-go my captain would be caught in a series of misunderstandings and reveal both her bisexuality and her love for her first mate who very obviously loved her in return."

She smacked his forehead. "This night meant a lot to me, and not to point any fingers, but Damien didn't help things out. I want to, you know, make it up to her."

"Considering the circumstances, I'll forgive you for unjustly singling Damien out again. Besides, make what up to her? You got up earlier than you had to. Big deal."

"It is a big deal, Alexander. This was supposed to be a special occasion, and it wasn't at all. See, this is what I was worried about starting a relationship with her. There'd be too much going on with keeping the crew alive and everyone alive that she wouldn't get any attention at all and she'd get really sad and I couldn't do anything about it without sacrificing our safety and I don't want that and-"

"Captain, Captain!" He held up his hands while she regained her breath. "I get it. You and I both know that Lyn doesn't give the smallest shit about what happened last night, since your confession means more to her at the moment than anything. However, I do get that that's not how you feel and you want to do something to impress her."

She shifted from one foot to the other. "Yeah. That. Exactly. Thanks."

"As unnecessary as it is."

"Alexander."

"So what's this about how normal people date?"

"Well, obviously all of my past datemates were assassins in the Academy, so our dates mostly consisted of being together on assignment and afterwards having fucking so hard we couldn't walk easily for days"

He winced slightly. "Okay…"

"I know I'm supposed to go to restaurants and stuff, but that's for first dates. We're not exactly strangers. We've gone out tons of times together already, but that was as friends. I don't know what to do for real girlfriend stuff for Lyn. I want it to be special."

"Gotcha. You do realize that she'd be jumping for joy even if you asked her to pick up garbage with you."

"How about something we'd actually enjoy."

"And why are you responsible for this and not Lyn?"

"Because I'm trying to be a good girlfriend, dickhead. Do you have any ideas?"

She appreciated his withheld snappy remark. He stared off into the distance as he thought. "You could take a boat out to sea, just the two of you."

"Later maybe, but what about this afternoon?"

"I'm sure you could get yourselves into a spa."

"Oh, that's good," she acknowledged. She felt slightly more relaxed just thinking about it. "There's gotta be some spas around here. Anything else?"

"What, the spa isn't enough for you?" He idly scratched his ear. "How about you two make dessert for tonight?"

Cassandra's heart was buoyed by the mere thought. "Oh, that sounds good too. Before that, though?"

"You know, I thought Raven was the one we had to adjust from the assassin mindset. Off the top of your head, you could plan ten different ways to kill both Hode and Zoe personally and frame each other. Ask for one measly date, and- fine, fine!" He laughed as Cassandra moved threateningly towards him. "Read to each other, play board games, hit up a public bath, dress fancy for a night home, go restaurant hopping…"

"Good, thanks," she said as she sorted out the ideas by her perceived appeal to Lyn and their feasibility.

He watched her carefully before speaking. "Look, Captain, Lyn hasn't magically transformed into something else just because you're girlfriends now. She's still the same free-spirited scoundrel we met in West Blue. Admittedly, she's been exposed to the horrors of the world maybe too quickly for your comfort, but she's still Lyn, the woman we all know and love. Right?"

She hesitantly nodded.

"So all you need to do is think of what you think she'd like and you'd enjoy too, and not just because you're with her and she's happy. It's a bit after noon. I'm helping you for about ten minutes before I go hang out with Miserie like I promised. I say this because if I left it up to you, you'd spend the day obsessing over your idea of a perfect date and get nowhere. In ten, you just go with what we come up with, no ifs, ands, or buts. Deal?"

She gave a shaky smile. "Deal."

When they emerged ten minutes later, Cassandra felt more nervous than the time she had intentionally walked into a trap set up by Raven herself in an effort to gain part of the young Skri's trust. Alexander gave her a quick backrub and rapidly ran his hands up and down her arms in an attempt to ease her apprehension. "Raven's gonna be shadowing you every step of the way, and you know she'd rather die than let anything happen to you. This is supposed to be fun for you and Lyn. The rest of us will handle anything that comes along, so actually have fun. Acting-Acting-Captain's Orders."

"About time you started pulling your rank," she said with a laugh. "Let's do this. Raven?"

Raven appeared in front of them, stared at Cassandra for a moment, then whisked Alexander away with a loud yelp. The captain ran her hands through her hair as she ascended to her room and took one last breath before entering. Lyn was draped off their bed with her head near the floor and a book right-side up held in front of her face. She let her hand fall to the carpet, and her face lit up like a sunrise. "Cee!"

"What are you doing?"

"I was seeing if I could read easier upside-down if I was upside-down instead!"

"Can you?"

"Nope! Also, my head feels really fuzzy. Make it better!"

The door to the rear balcony banged open, and Raven materialized on the ceiling. "Do you feel ill or poisoned?"

"Raven," Cassandra growled through clenched teeth. "We're fine. Talk to Alexander. Now."

The doctor disappeared, the door slamming shut in her wake. The two pirates gazed at each other, then burst out into laughter. As their amusement dwindled, Lyn raised her head and allowed Cassandra to give her an upside-down kiss. After a few moments, the artist twisted around to right herself and pulled her girlfriend onto their bed. Just when Cassandra had gotten herself into a comfortable position, Lyn wiggled away.

"You're too stressed," she declared. "You're taking the rest of the day off. C'mere; I'm gonna Crehmon braid your hair."

"But I-"

"No buts! Here, now!"

Cassandra could see her carefully thought-out plans crumbling away as she looked at Lyn's insistent face. Unable to resist, she sighed and turned around. Her disappointment drained away as Lyn pressed her lips just behind her girlfriend's jaw. She could feel Lyn grin at her sharp inhale and tilted her head to give Lyn better access. She slowly pulled off her left glove, moving carefully so Lyn wouldn't see. When she caressed Lyn's cheek, the artist hummed happily and leaned into the touch.

"I love you," Cassandra murmured.

"Say it again."

"I love you."

"Again."

"I love you."

"Again."

"Olive hew."

"Aga- wait."

Cassandra's laughter started small and increased when Lyn began tickling her madly. She tried to squirm out of the artist's grasp, but Lyn was too tenacious. She contemplated dampening her senses, but decided it would ruin the moment. She was eventually able to turn the tables, and she could think of no sound sweeter than Lyn laughing. She stopped tickling and rubbed her nose against Lyn's, finishing with a quick peck on the lips. "Let's go out."

Lyn cocked her head. "Aren't we already going out?" She giggled when Cassandra rested her forehead on hers. "Fine, okay! Are you sure?"

"What do you mean, am I sure?"

The novice grinned. "I'm not completely dumb. You have a hard enough time taking a walk without suspecting an attack or someone watching you with Cain, and don't even think I didn't notice you were super extra paranoid when you were with me when I wasn't your girlfriend. How's it gonna be now? Oh, Raven's gonna shadow us instead of doing her own thing, isn't she. Plus Jordan?"

"He's not here," she grated out. "Do you want to go or not?"

"I'd love to!" Lyn hopped off their bed to search for her sandals while Cassandra pulled her glove back on. The captain reflexively checked her pistols and magazines, then her shoulder and boot knife holsters. She was in the middle of attaching her second pair of pistols when she saw Lyn standing with her arms crossed. She reluctantly put them down and lifted her moon pendant. Lyn's shoulders dropped as she gave an approving nod. Cassandra smiled and kissed her cheek as she left the room.


	64. Supernova

Despite her reassurances, Cassandra still felt slightly apprehensive as they walked down the street. Lyn helped by clinging tightly to her and frequently rubbing her arm. After Cassandra's hand twitched towards her guns for the third time, however, Lyn had had enough. "Raven! I know you're listening! Come here!"

The doctor appeared in a nearby alleyway, partially hidden by the fire escape. "Cassandra informed me that I am not to deviate from this task for any reason."

"See?" Lyn exclaimed. "And she's _Raven_. You _know_ that she won't let anything happen to us. Hell, Spot's with Cain, and he'll get over here in no time flat if Raven calls. I don't want you to be uncomfortable, but I do want to be able to go out with my girlfriend."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry." She exhaled shakily. "I'll try. I swear."

"Good. Let's go." Raven disappeared, and Cassandra closed her eyes as she breathed slowly. She tensed as Lyn gently brought her hands to either side of Cassandra's face and pulled her into a tender kiss. "You got this, Queen."

Cassandra leaned in for one last peck on the lips, and they left the alley arm in arm. "You do not tell the others about this," she mumbled under her breath.

"You bet your ass I'm telling the others!" Lyn said cheerily. "I'm gonna tell them about everything we do, especially today! If you think for a quarter of a second that I'm not gonna brag about having the bestest girlfriend ever to anyone who'll listen, you're even more frazzled than I thought."

"You know that's not true."

Lyn leveled a flat stare at her. "Cee, enough with that kind of thinking. You know you're amazing and incredible and-"

The captain laughed. "I'll allow that I'm second best, but not the best girlfriend ever."

"What do you… oh! No, you're the best!"

"Have you forgotten I'm a supergenius? I'm always right."

Lyn giggled and nuzzled her head against Cassandra's. "Not always! This is one of those extra rare times you're wrong!"

"I guess we'll have to both disagree even though you know I'm right and you won't admit it out loud."

"Silly Cee! Every bit of me knows you're wrong!"

Cassandra only smiled. "Only time will tell, I guess."

"Or… we could tie for best girlfriend ever! Yeah, I like that idea!"

"I'm fine with that."

"Imagine the stories that'll be told about us! A troublemaker novice is skipping out on chores for the gazillionth time when she sees a mysterious woman who takes her breath away!"

Cassandra thought about it. Her subsequent loud groan caused Lyn to erupt into a fit of laughter. "How long did it take you to come up with that?"

"No time at all! It was easy!"

"Of course it was." The captain fidgeted, and it had nothing to do with her concern for their safety. "So… I know this might sound weird, and I definitely understand if you don't want to or can't tell me, so you don't have to answer, but when did… you, uh, you know you were in love with me?"

"The day we met," Lyn answered without hesitation.

Cassandra pulled away to better look at Lyn. "Wait, what?"

"The day we met. I mean, I thought you were stunning when I first saw you." Cassandra hoped Lyn would misinterpret her slight stiffness for difficulty in accepting compliments from her girlfriend. "But you gave me a chance to live the kind of life I'd only dreamed of, and lemme tell you, I wanted to carry you to bed and make you forget your own name!"

The captain's face felt like a furnace, and she tried to hide by pressing it against Lyn's neck. "Good thing you didn't. I wouldn't have been very happy. How could you stand not saying anything?"

Lyn shrugged. "I didn't want to blow it. When I was a novice and had this huuuuuuge crush on one of the other novices-"

"Say no more. I can see where that's going."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

The artist snickered. "Don't play dumb, silly. When did you fall for me?"

Cassandra had been mulling that same question over for a long time. "I'm not sure, exactly. It wasn't right away, I'm sorry. It was sometime in West Blue, and it took me a bit to admit it to myself, much less anyone else. Plus, I'd only really been interested in a couple girls before, so I wasn't sure if it was just you being an amazing best friend or romantic feelings."

"Ooh, I've never heard about other girls!" Lyn squealed. "Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

"What, you won't be jealous?"

Lyn held her closer. "Hell no! You're mine!"

"Yes, I am." Cassandra turned to give her a lingering kiss. All of her enjoyment instantly disappeared when wolf whistles and catcalls erupted around them. Worse were the comments that were loud enough for even her girlfriend to hear.

"Disgusting, doing that in public."

"What a waste."

"Hey, isn't that one of the pirate captains? Why am I not surprised?"

"Daaamn, that's hot. C'mon, once more!"

"I doubt they're real lesbos. They're too pretty."

"They gotta be fishing for attention."

Although she had expected such reactions and more, her free hand repeatedly moved towards her pistols. Nevertheless, one particular conversation stood out from the rest. "Hey, I recognize that pale one. Yarrow fucked her brains out that night, remember?"

"Oh, right. She was all _over_ him. Man, she'll just whore herself out to anyone, won't she?"

Lyn was already hugging Cassandra too tightly for the gunwoman to grab her weapons. "Just let it go, Cee," she whispered in her ear. "Don't worry about it. Ssh, ssh, it's okay."

"It is not okay," Cassandra seethed. "Let me at them."

"They're not worth it. Just relax."

"They called you a whore."

The artist attempted a light giggle. "That's it? I've heard sooooo much worse. To my face, even."

"I'm not talking about Damien."

"Neither am I."

Cassandra froze solid. She hadn't even considered what Lyn had to deal with whenever she went out. She never hid her nighttime activities, occasionally visiting the same bar on the same island, nor did she hesitate to hit on anybody at all who caught her interest. She had always returned to the ship looking like the cat that had swallowed the canary. Not once had she shown any sign of weathering any sort of abuse, physical, verbal, or mental. Never had Cassandra thought that Lyn had ever been hurt.

Only when she felt Lyn squeeze tighter and stroke her hair did she realize she was leaking killing intent. She burrowed into Lyn's neck and inhaled deeply to try and calm herself down. She was almost as angry with herself as she was for the ones who had insulted Lyn. She nodded slightly to indicate she would no longer snap and lash out, and Lyn relaxed her hold into a comfortable hug. "I'm sorry," Cassandra breathed. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry-"

"Cee, please, it's not your fault. I was the one who kept it from you. I didn't want you to worry. Or, you know, go and kill someone."

The captain gave a shaky laugh. "You know me too well. What if I don't kill them?"

"No."

"Just one hit? I won't even amp up."

Cassandra could feel Lyn's lips widen against her ear. "Fine. Just one."

The captain grinned and led Lyn by the hand to the offending party. "Look, I'm not interested," the woman said before either pirate could speak. "Flattered, but not interested."

"Nor am I," Cassandra replied sweetly. "You're not my type. Oh, and my girlfriend would appreciate an apology."

"Oh, so you're the man in the relationship?"

Cassandra knew she wasn't going to get anywhere. Her jab sent the woman crashing into the wall, but her friend was skilled enough to catch her follow-up kick. The islander smirked right until Lyn's elbow smashed into her nose. Cassandra, having leaned back to avoid the swing, straightened up and admired their handiwork. "Thought you said not to hurt them."

"Violence doesn't solve everything," Lyn said, wiping at the blood on her arm, "but sometimes it feels really good. And shut up, you're not corrupting me or turning me evil or whatever. You know I don't like it when you get hurt, even with your Fruit. We're pirates; deal with it. If I were an angel, I wouldn't have left Alamentia. Fighting can be fun too. Take whichever excuse you want."

"Come here." Cassandra used the corner of her shirt to clean Lyn's elbow and glove. "As for the rest of you… Yes, I'm lucky enough to call this woman my girlfriend. No, I don't care what your views are so long as you keep them to yourself. If any of you have any problem whatsoever with us and don't know who I am, now's the time to speak up!"

One man got up from his chair, only to slump back down as a shadow flickered behind him and he fell unconscious. Hoping that Lyn hadn't seen the oddity, she nodded in satisfaction and resumed walking down the street. She still sent a few daring glares at some of the more interested individuals, but they seemed largely content to not badmouth the couple further.

"Oh, right!" Lyn said suddenly. "You didn't answer me! Other girls, now!"

Cassandra sighed. "There was Yin's cousin, Ming. Shandorians can't fly, you understand, but she was so graceful even when she was just sitting or walking that she seemed like a real angel. She had a voice like echoes in a hollow log and always pretended she was dumber than she was to fool people. That was before I had figured out the Moon Sister deal, and figuring out the difference between me liking her and the Moon Sister connection set me back for months."

Lyn waited expectantly. "That's not all. Keep going!"

"Why do you want to know? Aside from your usual curiosity."

The artist shrugged. "I wanna know everything about you, including about the kinds of people you liked. You told us girls about your boyfriends, but you never mentioned…" She trailed off as her eyes went wide. "Wow, you _are_sneaky! You didn't want there to be any hint whatsoever that you were interested in me!"

"Yeah, a fat lot of good that did," Cassandra grumbled. "Jay knew basically from the get-go, and Alexander's known for ages. Oh, and I'm sorry for not being entirely honest when we were playing ship, captain, crew."

"What do you mean?"

Cassandra felt her cheeks flush again. "Never mind. If you don't remember, it's not important."

"Cee…"

"I lied on Jay's question. That's all I'm saying."

Lyn put her finger on her mouth, and Cassandra refused to look at her when she started grinning madly. The first mate dragged Cassandra behind a building and literally leapt onto the smaller woman. Cassandra's body was set ablaze by the kiss, and her thoughts scattered to the wind. Lyn's legs closed around her waist before they bumped against the wall. She supported her girlfriend's back as Lyn ran her hands through her blue hair. The artist trailed kisses all around her face, finishing with a lasting one on Cassandra's lips.

"Well, you can get what you want," Lyn said breathily. "Wouldn't be so hard."

Cassandra faltered. "I, uh, kinda had a, uh, thing planned for us, you know, because this morning didn't really… go like I'd hoped."

"Oh. Okay."

The shorter woman smiled at the obvious unhappiness in Lyn's voice, placing her tricorne on her girlfriend's head as she kissed her again. "But don't worry; it's all a lead-up to tonight."

"Oooooh. Yeah!" Lyn blinked a few times in an attempt to dispel the desire from her eyes. "So we're not just walking together to walk together!"

"No, we are. I want to walk with you. But yes, we're also going somewhere. I have a plan. I mean, I have something planned, and hopefully you'll like it. To do it. With me. Together."

Lyn bit her gloved thumb to keep herself from laughing. "Yup," she strained out. "Anything you want! I promise I'll like it!"

"Good. Stop smiling like that, or we're going straight home."

"Fine with me!"

"And I'll be sleeping alone in the medbay."

Her bright blue eyes widened. "Nonono! Let's go do the thing!" She quirked her lips. "Uh, what's the thing?"

One brief snake ride later, Lyn was literally jumping for joy. She babbled excitedly as she bounced around her girlfriend, trying to decide what she would do first. The costume shop had been openly derided by Jordan when he had passed by it, but Cassandra was glad she had remembered. She laughed as Lyn dragged her in, snatching up as many costumes as she could before shoving the captain in a changing room.

"Do the witch one!" she commanded, already flinging off her shirt and skirt with her eyes on her cheerleader gorilla costume.

"I thought you'd be wearing a bra."

"Nope! Why, am I distracting you?"

"Yes, and the way you're bouncing about, you're gonna give yourself a black eye."

Lyn pulled on the mask and rolled her head ferociously. "You are such a _spoilsport_!"

"Fine, don't blame me." Cassandra ruffled her billowing black dress, the pulled on her false nose. "How do I look?"

The first mate ooked as she flourished her pompoms. "Cee hottest witch ever!"

"Fucking right, I am. I'm getting cooked alive in here."

"What Cee think?"

"Surprisingly familiar," she said with a laugh. "If I'm hot in this, you've gotta be baking in there. Here, lemme help."

Lyn gasped loudly as she yanked the mask off, "Shark victim! No making it realistic; we have to return these."

"Now who's the spoilsport," Cassandra shot back. "At least they give me a shirt that actually kinda looks bloody."

"Mmhmm! So, other girl crushes, gogogo!"

"Only three others. You've heard of succubi, right? Vienne could make them look like blushing schoolgirls. Her breathtaking method of killing was ingenious, and it was damn hard for her not to get to you. It took me a bit to make sure she wasn't targeting me, but I never had a chance. She was wrapped around her boyfriend's finger." The gunwoman wrapped the fake intestines loosely around her neck and planted her hand on her hip. "I didn't think you'd want me to try this one, considering how you react whenever I get a nosebleed."

Lyn shrugged. "I know the difference between fake and real, silly. Jungle frog!"

"You do know I nearly died to one of those, right?"

"And now it's time to stop being scared of them. Ta-da! I'm a water bottle!"

Cassandra nearly split her sides laughing. "Why… why on earth would you want to be a water bottle?"

"Water's important! You need it to live! Stop changing the topic, next girl!"

The assassin wriggled into the tight, multicolored outfit. "A woman ten years my senior, Tzigane. Couldn't fight worth a damn, but she could dig up dirt like a graverobber, and she knew how to pick out easily-overlooked details and connect them to show a bigger picture."

The novice gave a knowing grin. "So that's how you got so good at this stuff. You hung out with her as much as you could."

"Hey, that skill is imperative for spies and assassins," she said defensively, flexing her webbed fingers. "And pirate captains."

"No, just the ultra-paranoid like you. Ugh, this thing is impossible! Who wants to be a construction worker anyway?"

Cassandra kept her face perfectly straight. "I don't think it's designed for people with curves like yours. Obviously a manufacturing defect."

"Mmhmm! Ew, what the hell is a sexy teddy bear?"

"You were the one who picked it."

"Musta grabbed the wrong one! Get in the mob boss one. I'm getting the real teddy bear."

"Grab a good sexy costume, too," Cassandra said as her girlfriend rushed out of the changing room. Making a mental note to not be too harsh with Alexander during their next inevitable argument about Damien, she sifted through the costumes to locate the one Lyn requested. It was a cheap, simple three-piece suit with a matching fedora and shoes. She managed to find some sort of tie to put her hair in a ponytail just as Lyn returned.

"There we go, I-" Lyn went slack-jawed as Cassandra turned around and straightened her jacket.

The captain waited, a nervous smile dwindling with every passing second. "Good? Bad?"

Lyn gave a few slow blinks. "Is it tonight yet?"

"No, why?" Cassandra quickly remembered her promise and spun away, squeezing her eyes shut as her face heated up. "If you want to, we can go back early."

"Yes," Lyn said instantly. "Yesyesyesyesyes- No! No. You planned this, and I don't want to let that go to waste. Please, just… take that off before I change my mind. Quick. Now. Please."

Cassandra stripped down to her underwear as Lyn silently began putting on her costume. Feeling slightly bad for disappointing Lyn once again, the blue-haired woman stepped forward and embraced her girlfriend from behind. "You know I love you, right? It's just… I'm still a little… unsure. Not because I'm with you - being with you is incredible and amazing and fantastic and I'm so, so happy - or what the others will think. I just want you to think I'm not just into you for your body and I really appreciate everything you've done for me and I think-"

She stopped talking as Lyn shoulders began quivering. "Lyn, I swear to Mors, you had better be crying or scared. I will call this off if you start laughing; see if I don't."

"I'm sorry," Lyn squeaked. "I'm not laughing, I swear. Not… not laughing. Crying. Yeah, crying. I just remembered something really sad."

"Oh, yeah?" Cassandra murmured into her ear. "What was it?"

"You still haven't told me about the fourth girl."

"And that's worth crying over."

Lyn nodded in choppy movements. "Yup, yup. You should tell me about her so I stop lau- crying."

"Hmm." Cassandra rocked gently from side to side. "This girl, this woman, she was special. I truly thought she was someone sent to kill me, but she actually turned out to be pretty honest. She could be friends with anyone, from the incredibly wild to the incredibly timid. She was one of the prettiest, bravest, strongest, ditziest women I've ever met, and I nearly cried with joy when I found out she loved me back."

"Aww, Cee!" Lyn squirmed around to face Cassandra and rubbed their cheeks together. "That's so sweet! Hey, what do you mean, ditziest?"

"Huh? I never said that. You should probably get your ears checked again. I'm sure that Raven could help. No, that was a joke," she said without skipping a beat as the doctor appeared on the ceiling. She froze when she felt a drop of something roll onto her skin. "Wait, are you actually crying? No, please don't. I'm so sorry, I-"

"I'm so happy," Lyn told her. "I'm the luckiest woman alive. Fine, tied with you."

Cassandra gently pressed her lips to the bottom of Lyn's jaw, then slowly kissed her way up the trail left by the tear. She did the same for the novice's other cheek, finishing with light kisses on Lyn's eyelids. Lyn responded with a passionate kiss that turned the captain's legs to jelly. She was carried down by a large, fuzzy bear paw and rested on the pile of assorted costumes.

Only when someone banged on the door did they draw apart. "Oi! What's the hold up, then?"

Lyn was the first to recover. "Sorry! Just give us a sec!"

They put on their clothes with record speed and opened the door to find a salesman standing there with his arms folded. His grin widened as he saw their heaving chests and red faces. "Oh, I see how it is. I'm so sorry to disturb you. Please, continue. Mind if I watch?"

The entire front of the store burst outwards in a flurry of glass, wood, and fabric. Cassandra stalked through the wreckage to the downed employee, who was kneeling on the ground and coughing up blood. She kneed him in the face, savoring the feel of cartilage breaking, and pinned him to the ground with her boot. "We are not objects for you to jack off to when you clock out. I wager if we'd both been guys, you'd have thrown us out, aye? It's sick fucks like you that make the world a worse place."

"Uh, Cee…"

She held her moon pendant in her fingers, its tip drawing a drop of blood underneath his jaw. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't cut your fucking balls off and shove them down your throat."

"Cee, you're drawing a crowd."

Cassandra's head snapped up to survey the gathering onlookers. "Good. I'm doing them a service, teaching a free lesson on respect."

Lyn put her hands on her hips. "Yes, but this is supposed to be a date, remember?"

The captain growled as she calmed herself down. It was true. She was supposed to be making Lyn the happiest woman in the world. She put all of her weight on her boot as she stepped over the groaning man, taking care to grind her heel in. She stalked off down the street, flinching when Lyn wrapped her arm around the gunwoman's torso. Instead of heading directly to the train station, she took a detour to a park in an attempt to clear her head and dispel her crushing feeling of shame.

"Well, you didn't kill him," Lyn said at last. "You're getting better."

Cassandra laughed shakily. "I held back for you."

"Thanks." Lyn paused before continuing. "What happened to that boy you paralyzed during sparring practice?"

The assassin stopped breathing. Her head felt filled with static, her arms with lead. She would rather have faced all of the Eighth's assassins alone than her girlfriend at the moment. When she was able to speak, her mouth could only form one syllable. "Yin."

"Cee, sit down." Cassandra found herself sitting on the grass without any recollection of her ever doing so. "Look at me. Please." She jerkily turned to face her girlfriend. "I want to know everything about you. I love you, and I'll still love you tomorrow, and the next day, and forever after that."

"No, you wouldn't," the captain whispered. "I've done terrible things, unforgivable things. You'd hate me."

"Do you know why I brought that up? First, who you were is not who you are now. You may think you're the same, but people change. Second, I know you, Cee. You do have bad days, but you usually have a reason for doing what you do. What happened to that boy?"

"I broke his spine," Cassandra said woodenly. "Snapped it right over my knee. Broke his jaw while I was at it."

"And why?"

Cassandra took a shuddering breath. "He was being an obnoxious brat, mouthing off about me, my family, girls… I demanded he put his money where his mouth is and took him apart."

"That's the Cee I know. Yin said you took children hostages when you were fifteen."

She hugged her knees to her chest, still unable to look at Lyn. "There's no excuse for what I did. I took a mission and got way over my head. I panicked. I killed twenty two kids. You know my nightmares? Those twenty two screaming, crying faces are just a fraction of what I see at night."

Lyn tenderly rubbed her back and said nothing.

"I bet Yin told you about the time I started murdering civilians too. They were smuggling women, doping them up to the eyeballs and trading them with pimps in exchange for raw opium. I caught hell for going vigilante. What else was there…"

"Blew up your family's coke compound."

"Oh, that was easy. Jen was majorly addicted. I wanted to show her the lengths I'd go to in order to help her."

"What about waterboarding your own family?"

"Right. That. Six years ago, my mother disappeared without a trace, leaving my dad as head of my family. I got desperate trying to find out where she had gone. Helen and I worked out that someone in our family knew. We were young and dumb. We only got to waterboarding when my dad stepped in and put a stop to it. He's the one who knew, but he couldn't tell us. Something was going on, but he did nothing. Helen and I worked on our own, chasing every lead we could. Never got anything concrete, not even rumors."

The novice leaned in. "You've never talked about your mother."

"Because she's not my mother," Cassandra said harshly. "Mothers look out for their children. They care for them. Helen and I put together what little we had, and we figured out that she left voluntarily. Not blackmail, not threatened, because she wanted to. I _will _find her, even if it's her unmarked grave, and I'll… I'll…"

Lyn wrapped her arms around her rattled girlfriend. "Ssh, I'm here. I'll always be here."

"And I suppose Yin loved telling you about the man I tortured to death myself before I even turned twelve. Oh, she does love that story. My own uncle. Peeled parts of his skin off... cut off everything I could find, fingers, toes, ears, nose, cock…"

"Why did you do that?"

Cassandra closed her eyes. "My sister is, without a doubt, the most beautiful being in existence. Anyone even thinking about hurting her after seeing her is physically pained. But when she was a child, she was just incredibly attractive. My uncle Declan couldn't control himself. I…" No matter how tightly she squeezed your eyes, she couldn't prevent her tears from falling. "I walked in the room and saw him doing up his pants and her huddled in the corner. She looked so small.

"Next thing I know, he's unconscious on the ground, and everything's covered in blood. Helen's attached to me and shaking like a leaf. I've broken my right arm, six fingers, and my left knee, but I ignore them. I want to continue beating him and beating him and beating him again and again and again until there's nothing left, but I know how to make him hurt even more. I-"

Lyn lifted Cassandra up and held the trembling woman in her arms, lightly stroking her hair. "That must have been horrible. It was horrible. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I'm so, so sorry, Cee. Did you have any help afterwards?"

"Well, Helen helped me with him." The captain laughed darkly. "In truth, it took a long, long time. Say what you will about assassins, we have fucking amazing mental healthcare. After all, you can't do shit with broken tools. We healed. I no longer hospitalize anybody who gets near my sister. Helen graduates in a few years, and she's way a better assassin than I was. We're still scarred, but we refuse to let it hold us back."

"And that is the Cee I fell in love with. Well, the Cee I fell in love with had lovely brown hair and moved like a trained attack dog that'd just been released into the wild, but you're close enough."

Cassandra's laugh lightened. "I love you, you know that? I love you so much."

They sat with their arms around each other, watching the clouds drift slowly across the sky. Cassandra moved about to rest her head on Lyn's chest and closed her eyes. When the pirate captain felt sufficiently soothed, she got to her feet and brushed stray blades of grass of her legs. Lyn refused to release her hold, keeping her arm around her girlfriend as they walked.

"Oh, what about that girl whose leg you put in a meat grinder?" Lyn asked curiously.

The assassin smiled. "Okay, that was Shinobu's first girlfriend. Shi had spent ages working up the courage to ask her out. The bitch only said yes as a joke, then made fun of Shi behind her back and said how much she regretted it. When Jen found out, Pythia and I did what we promised we'd do. She was in Pythia's family, so she had to help so it wouldn't spark a war."

"Gotcha."

"Still think I'm the best girlfriend?"

"Yup!"

The train ride back was interesting. Along with the expected sideways stares, an old man came over with tears in his eyes, blessing them for being so open. Someone who Cassandra suspected was a member of the Inkling Pirates somehow caught his neck on a vine that hadn't been hanging quite so low a split-second before and was yanked out of his seat. One of the trains they passed going in the opposite direction was being raced by a certain navigator who seemed to have overcome the poison previously stopping his system in its tracks.

Although they returned to _Dusk Pandion_ slightly earlier than she had intended, she was pleased to find that Morgan was putting the finishing touches on the dinner she had requested. He bowed as he departed, and she could literally feel his joy when he discovered the seven thousand Beli she had slipped in his pocket. She was reasonably certain there was a clothing store he had been eyeing that was still open at this hour.

"So," Lyn said, idly twirling her fork, "what else do you have planned?"

Cassandra took a bite before responding and closed her eyes with delight, glad she had preemptively lessened the chef's punishment. "Why ruin the surprise?"

"Really? What else could it be?"

"Uh, how're you and seasickness?"

Lyn frowned. "We're pirates on the Grand Line with Damien as our helmsman. What kind of question is that?"

"Right. Sorry. Well, I'll tell you that we're making dessert after this, but I don't know what recipe Morgan left us. After that is another surprise."

"Uuuuungh, you're killing me here, Cee. Can't we just skip to the dessert?"

Cassandra leaned in to feed her girlfriend a piece of chicken. "You want to have plenty of energy for tonight, right? The finale isn't a surprise."

The first mate beamed. "Okay, but eat fast!"

"You know, you have the most radiant smile," Cassandra informed her. "I love it."

Lyn's face somehow lit up even more. "Aww, thanks! I love yours too! What besides me and your nakama and your Sisters and your family makes you happy?"

"You already know a lot of them. Outsmarting someone, getting my way, a good fight-"

"No, silly! The little things, the unusual things, like fuzzy blankets or the smell of bars!"

Cassandra stared into Lyn's sparkling blue eyes as she thought. "Warm rain. Not hot rain or humidity like this, but where it feels like the gods are washing everything clean. Looking through a sniper scope and seeing strangers happy. The moon, of course. Oh, playing games over huge areas."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, being in the woods or the city and playing Capture the Flag or Defend the Throne. Like that Bounty Hunter game we played on Brickwork."

"Super Awesome Hide-and-Go Seek Monster City Team Reverse Incredible Tag," Lyn corrected.

"Of course," Cassandra said with a smile. "How could I forget?"

"Mmhmm! Why aren't you done eating yet?"

The pirate captain smiled as she saw her girlfriend's empty plate. "I think I've seen Cain eat more slowly after docking than you just did. What happened to being patient?"

"Totally overrated! Here, you don't have to do any more talking. Me and Alexander were chatting the other day, talking more about life after the Marines hit. The group he and Damien were in was led by this woman Ingela, who was apparently there delivering stuff. She did all sorts of cool guerilla stuff, hit and run tactics, supply raiding, fire setting. I thought you'd think that's cool.

"You know what's weird? Damien was out for like a year! I mean, he was just a kid hit with a cannonball and had an entire building fall on him, but still, _him _out for a _year_? And that was _with_ the shamans that taught Alexander the healing magic, so that must have been super intense! I mean, I can see where Alexander was coming from on Reichmann Island when he was trying to help me. I thought you were dead for days, but Alexander wasn't sure Damien'd live for a year!"

Cassandra let her utensils clatter to her plate. "And once again, I won't forgive myself for putting you through that. Let's go make dessert."

Lyn bounced down to the kitchen level and plucked the recipe from the counter. "What are apple enchiladas?"

"Get up here and help me with the dishes."

"No, let Morgan deal with that! Help me figure this out!"

Having requested a recipe that was simple to make, Cassandra hopped over the railing and landed beside her girlfriend. "Oh, it's a local specialty. See, Morgan already made the apple filling, and he'll take care of the baking part. All we have to do is the assembly bit."

"Why couldn't we do it from the start? Not the shopping bit, but the apple filling making?"

"It didn't fit with the plan timewise. Also, that wouldn't really have worked."

"Oh. Right!" Lyn smacked Cassandra's hand that had been wandering towards the filling. "C'mon, let's do this! You do the sauce; I don't trust you with the enchiladas."

"Well, I don't trust you with the sauce," the captain responded childishly.

Lyn stuck out her tongue, and Cassandra did the same. This escalated into a series of increasingly ridiculous and grotesque faces, which finished with both pirates nearly collapsing from laughter. Cassandra composed herself as her sauce began boiling and carefully lifted it from the stove. As she poured the sauce over the enchiladas, Lyn gently put her arms along Cassandra's to steady the saucepan. When they were finished, the first mate gently bit her girlfriend's earlobe, eliciting a sharp intake of breath.

"What's the last surprise?" she murmured.

Cassandra gathered herself enough to say, "We're going for a boat ride."

"A boat ride?" Lyn repeated in confusion. "Isn't _Dusky_ a boat?"

"She's a ship. I'm talking a boat ride."

The artist followed her up to the main deck and curiously peered over the edge. A two-person boat was sitting beside _Dusk Pandion_ with a secure rope ladder leading down to it. "I don't get it."

"Trust me a little, okay? Get in, and don't splash me."

Lyn was still skeptical as they both settled into the small craft. She squawked in surprise as the boat suddenly rocketed away from the island, Miserie's tail never even breaking the surface. Although initially disconcerted, she joined Cassandra's amused laughter. They quieted as the lights from the city dwindled in the distance and the reason for their trip made itself evident. The sky was absolutely filled with stars untouched by light pollution. Lyn gasped in amazement as she looked all around her, not resisting at all when Cassandra pulled her onto her back.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

The blue-haired woman bit back her corny compliment, simply content to stare at the heavens with their fingers interlocked. She pointed to the skies and spoke just above the sounds of the ocean as she showed Lyn the constellations she had learned. The novice listed a completely different set of constellations, including quite a few Cassandra suspected she had made up on the spot. Their conversation slowly lapsed as they gazed into the universe.

Cassandra was struck by deja vu as Miserie near silently told them their apple enchiladas were done. She relayed the information to Lyn, who nodded and braced herself. The mermaid brought them back to their ship, where Alexander was standing with four of the six enchiladas. Although his excuse was he and Morgan had taken two as payment for their services, she knew the two pirates had simply been checking to make sure the dessert had turned out well. Lyn bounded over to him and instantly scarfed one down. Cassandra followed suit, absolutely loving the dessert. She delayed slightly while eating her second enchilada, still slightly nervous about what was yet to come.

Still, she had to swallow her final bite sometime. Lyn unexpectedly took her hand and slowly walked with her into their room. She closed the door behind them and rested her arms on Cassandra's shoulders. "Before we do anything, I wanna make one thing clear: the thing you can do to make me the most happy is to make sure you're totally happy. I don't want you uncomfortable at all. If there's anything, _anything_, that you don't like one hundred percent, you have to tell me. Don't worry about me; I'd be ecstatic just snuggling with you for the rest of the night. Okay?"

"It's not like that," Cassandra mumbled. "I've dreamed of doing this with you. A lot."

"Then what is it?"

"Well… you're gorgeous and beautiful, and I know I'm not, and I don't want you to think-"

"What?!" Lyn yelled. "How can you say that?"

Cassandra pulled away. "You said it yourself. I don't have much in the way of boobs or hips, I'm mostly hard muscle, my skin's too perfect-"

"So?"

"So?" Cassandra repeated. "What do you mean, so?"

"You are beautiful. Everything about you is beautiful." She slowly removed Cassandra's overshirt, then took her hand and kissed her wrist, sending shivers up Cassandra's arm. "It doesn't matter if you're as soft as Alexander or as hard as Damien. You're still beautiful." She trailed up the captain's forearm and placed a lingering kiss just inside her elbow. "Doesn't matter if you're fatter than Constance or flatter than that bodybuilder we fought. You're still beautiful." She paused. "You're gonna have to explain 'too perfect' to me."

Cassandra glanced down at Lyn's faint scars and stretch marks. "I don't know. I just don't feel feel human. My Fruit got rid of all of my blemishes, scars, spots, and such. It's not normal."

"You ate a Devil Fruit. They're not supposed to be normal. Plus, Alexander said there are tons of Devil Fruits that do weird things to people's bodies without even activating their power. It's just a side effect. It doesn't make you any less or more beautiful than anybody else. Except Helen," she said at the same time as her girlfriend.

"I guess," the captain admitted.

"Besides," Lyn said, her voice dropping in tone and volume, "even all that aside, I think you're exquisite."

"I don't think I've been called beautiful before, muchlessexquisite." Cassandra's words blended into a moan as Lyn sucked on her neck.

The artist pulled back with a frown. "Wait, you're right. Your Fruit does suck. How'm I gonna cover you with love bites?"

Despite her agitation, Cassandra couldn't help but chuckle. Lyn laughed too and rubbed their noses together. "Relax, okay? We're going to have mad fun tonight, no matter what we end up doing. If you're unsure of what you're doing, just leave it to Professor Lyn. She'll take care of you. But you have to promise me two things."

Cassandra licked her lips. "Anything."

"Whenever we're doing anything like this, you have to wear your ring."

"Done."

"And you have wear it tomorrow during the day unless you absolutely have to take it off."

Her face instantly flushed. "Come again?"

"You will, and what part of I intend to show off my girlfriend to anyone who'll pay attention didn't you get? I'm so lucky and proud and happy that we're together, and I want everyone to know!"

The captain's hesitation was no match for Lyn's pleading look. "Deal. Not every time."

Lyn grinned and drew her into a warm kiss, soft and sensual. They kissed again and again, each time pressing ever so slightly harder, until Lyn lightly brushed her tongue against her girlfriend's. Cassandra moaned loudly, her fingers working themselves into Lyn's hair, slowly twirling, smoothing, raking. Lyn's hands glided down her back and pulled her closer as they meandered over to their bed.

When the backs of Cassandra's knees met the edge of the mattress, she made as if to lean back, but the first mate kept her upright. Lyn gathered the bottom of Cassandra's shirt and pulled it up her body, fingernails softly scraping her side. Cassandra obligingly raised her arms above her head, their mouths only briefly separated when her shirt went over her head. Shudders went through her body as Lyn ran two fingers down and up her spine, and she nibbled on Lyn's lip in response.

Her moans turned into a loud cheep as Lyn snapped her bra against her back. Lyn howled with laughter, tears beading at the corners of her twinkling cyan eyes. Cassandra refused to be embarrassed again and reached up Lyn's shirt to pinch her side. The swordswoman gave a squeal of her own, and Cassandra loved how adorable and hilarious the sound was. She finally understood what Alexander had been telling her. Lyn was Lyn and forever would be.

"I love you," Cassandra murmured.

Lyn's lips widened. "I love you too."

"How much?"

"With all my heart."

"Show me."

She had spoken the magic words. Lyn had the captain's bra off far faster than Cassandra could manage on her own and lifted her onto the bed. The red- and black-haired woman leaned forward, tenderly pressing her lips to her lover's neck. Cassandra tried her hand at removing Lyn's top, and the first mate only helped when she was done licking. She gave slow kisses down Cassandra's chest, but stopped right above her nipple. Cassandra inhaled sharply as Lyn moved to the other side of her neck to repeat her actions. Once again, infuriatingly, she stopped just short.. She continued to hover over her girlfriend's breast, simply breathing hotly on her nipple. When Cassandra raised her chest, Lyn made sure to remain just a hairsbreadth too far away.

"And I thought I was good at torture," she groaned.

She shivered as Lyn ever so lightly flicked her tongue across the captain's areola. "Do you want me to?"

"Yes."

Lyn looked into her eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

The pale woman grinned evilly. "Even if you regret it later?"

Cassandra never begged, but there were rare times she wasn't above pleading. "I won't, Lyn, _please_."

Lyn kissed her lips, then moved down and sucked on her nipple, tongue teasing, dancing. The artist tenderly closed her hand around Cassandra's other breast and began playing with it. She bit lightly on the nipple in her mouth before putting her lips to the captain's ear. "Yours might be smaller, but they fit perfectly in my hand. Beautiful."

"Mmm. Yours are better."

The first mate pulled at her girlfriend's earlobe with her teeth. "You just think that because they're mine."

Cassandra gently stroked Lyn's back. "Of course."

"Then let's compare." Lyn deftly unclasped her bra and cast it to the floor. She stretched against her girlfriend, rubbing her breasts against Cassandra's, and as their nipples touched, the blue-haired woman became acutely aware of the heat gathering between her legs. She hooked her leg over Lyn's to pull the pirate even closer to her.

"Oh, no you don't," Lyn said when Cassandra's hands left the novice's back and moved towards her own pants. "Let me help."

After holding Lyn so tightly, the absence of Lyn's skin pressed against hers was almost shocking. While Cassandra focused on undoing her belt and removing her jeans as quickly as possible, Lyn slowly helped with amusement in her eyes. The pale woman grabbed her hands before she could remove her panties. "Not yet. First, you're going to show me."

"Show you?"

"Show me what you do to get yourself off when you're thinking of me." Cassandra grinned widely. She almost moved up to give Lyn better access, but her girlfriend stopped her. "No, show my hand. Gloves off."

Lyn rolled onto her side and slowly slipped her hand inside Cassandra's panties. The amber-skinned woman slid her hand over her lover's, guiding her into place. "You're so wet," Lyn murmured lustily.

Heat spread through Cassandra like a wave at her lover's words and like an electrical surge at her touch. It was as if Lyn's fingers knew what Cassandra did without even needing guidance. She danced across Cassandra's clitoris, and the captain cried out in ecstasy. She tried to push Lyn's fingers in harder, but the first mate effortlessly resisted. Lyn's movements were light and playful, the exact opposite of what Cassandra wanted, what she needed.

"Oh, you want more?" Lyn's evil grin returned. "Grab the sheets."

Cassandra's breath came in exhilarated pants. "What?"

"No touching. Only hold onto the sheets. Or do you want me to stop?"

"Don't you _dare _stop. Keep going."

Lyn moved down and pressed her nose against her lover's wet panties with agonizing slowness. She inhaled deeply and gave a satisfied sigh. She extended her tongue, but drew it back just before touching the soaking fabric. Cassandra cried out as Lyn moved further down to kiss the side of her knee. "No, Lyn-"

"I said… you'd regret it…" Lyn mumbled in between kisses up her leg. "You gave… too easily… with your breasts. No touching, remember?"

"You are just mean, you know that?" Cassandra bit her lip as Lyn paused right at the inside of her thigh, then whimpered when the first mate continued upwards to suck at her stomach. "I thought you loved me."

"I do, and I'm making sure you never leave me again." Cassandra nearly lost herself when Lyn unexpectedly brushed her fingertip against her panties, crying out a curse in her native tongue. "I told you that the only name you'll remember when we're done is mine."

"You… you… are… a… no, nonono-"

Lyn smiled, the top of her girlfriend's panties in her teeth. "I'm a what?"

"Cruel!" Cassandra shouted. "A wicked temptress!"

The artist released the underwear, letting them snap back against her amber skin, and kissed her stomach. "See? We're not so different, you and I. _Now_ I'll show you how much I love you."

She hooked her thumbs over Cassandra's panties and pulled them completely off, then pushed her lover's legs apart. Hoping that Lyn was finally done teasing her, Cassandra shifted on the bed and readjusted her grip. The first mate locked eyes with her captain and slowly ran her tongue against Cassandra's slit in one slow, broad lick, moaning all the while.

Cassandra screamed softly as Lyn's tongue passed her clit, her fingers nearly tearing holes in their sheets as she almost came. "Gods, Lyn," she gasped when she was finally able to form words, "right there. Don't stop. Captain's Orders, don't you fucking stop."

Lyn gave a loving smile as she continued to leisurely lick and lick. She eventually used her lips to push her lover's away and pressed further in. Her tongue flitted out and rhythmically touched Cassandra's clit, sending pulses of heat rolling through the captain's body. Cassandra pushed herself further against her girlfriend's mouth, needing more, wanting more. She lessened her vise grip on the sheets when Lyn resumed slowly licking, only to tighten as the artist slipped a finger inside her.

"Right there! Right there! Don't slow down!" Her breasts throbbed, begging to be played with, but she didn't dare release her hold, not when she was so close. Lyn sucked the captain's clit into her mouth, flicking it with her tongue, and slipped in another finger next to the first. Cassandra's cries grew louder and louder, her legs began quivering, and her breath hitched in her chest. Her head began spinning. Her muscles tensed. Her scream locked in her throat.

A star collapsed inside her body, unleashing a wave of energy that radiated from her core to the tips of her extremities.

All other feelings melted away beneath the intense heat. Another wave spread through her entire being, then another. She hadn't felt this in a long time. She wasn't sure she had ever felt this way before. The star slowly coalesced in her pelvis, a glowing remnant of what it had been. Her body was simultaneously full and empty. As she stared past the world she lived in, she saw two large eyes and a serene smile. It was one of the only times in her life she had seen the head deity of life. She swore one of those vivacious eyes winked at her.

Her return to reality was gradual and calming. She blinked several times to clear her gaze and closed her mouth. She unclenched her fingers, only vaguely feeling torn sheets around her fingers. She looked down to find Lyn still between her legs, her tongue simply resting flat against the captain's labia. Cassandra's chest rose and fell, drops of sweat trickling down her body. They gazed into each other's eyes, too enraptured to move.

Finally, Lyn pushed herself up and brought her face over her captain's. She flicked her hair to one side and ran her dripping fingers along Cassandra's jaw. When they drew up across her lips, Cassandra didn't hesitate to suck them into her mouth. Her tongue circled the fingers, licking them clean. She was mildly surprised when Lyn pulled them out, only to offer another pair of fingers. Cassandra was convinced the second fingers tasted better even before she saw that Lyn had removed her own pants at some point. She sucked at them for longer, savoring the taste of her lover's juices. Lyn laid down on top of her and pinned her to the pillow with a wet, passionate kiss.

"So," the first mate said breathily when they finally drew apart, "what's my name?"

The blue-haired woman smiled. "Lyn."

"And yours?"

"Cassandra."

Lyn gave a toothy grin. "Then I didn't do my job right. This time, you're coming twice. Then three times, then-"

"No, don't you fucking dare," Cassandra said instantly. "It's your turn now. No arguing."

The artist rolled to the bed beside her and pulled her girlfriend's hips against hers. "Oh, it's my turn, is it?"

"It wouldn't be fair otherwise."

"What do fairness and sex have to do with each other?"

Cassandra rubbed her thumb in the small of Lyn's back. "You know I always remember everything, so making me get even close to forgetting my name will take all night. I, on the other hand, bet I can make you forget yours in two tries."

Lyn moved her thigh between the captain's legs until it rested against her wetness. "Two tries for your first time with a girl? That's cocky even for you, Cee."

"I'm going to be Pirate Queen. Nothing's too cocky for me."

"Then why don't you put your mouth where my money is?"

Pressing their lips together, Cassandra held her in a steamy embrace and thanked the gods for blessing her so graciously.


	65. Fishy Circumstances

Miserie slowly swam along the bottom of the docks, searching for the specific kind of crabs Morgan wanted. She plucked a big one from the ground and flipped it over. She didn't see the pattern of squares inside other squares, so she put it back down and continued on. Something shiny caught her eye, and she swam over to look at it. The top half of a sword was stuck in the sand and had green algae growing on it. She pulled it out to look at it, but there weren't any carvings on it or anything interesting. She put it back and moved on.

She smiled when she saw that one of the nearby lobster traps had caught a few. She had been unsure about trying lobster, but Morgan had told her it was very good. He had been right, and he had explained that lobsters were expensive to buy and that catching fresh ones was helpful. He also told her to make sure nobody was looking if she wanted one that had been already caught by somebody else. That was no problem for Miserie.

She was checking around when she saw a gigantic shape headed in her direction. She darted out of sight, unable to see much but a few rows of glowing circles. She frowned when the shape turned out to be some weird fish-human combination, and she was more surprised when she saw it was heading towards _Dusk Pandion_. She darted in front of it and crossed her arms. "What is it?"

"Excuse me?"

She quickly circled it, admiring its size and muscles. "It doesn't look like a merman. What is it?"

"No, I'm not a merman," it said with a deep laugh. "John Wyntown, at your service. I'm an obese dragonfish wotan."

"What is a wotan?"

"Half fishman, half giant."

"Oh! Her name is Miserie, and she doesn't know what kind of mermaid she is. What pronouns does John use?"

The large wotan looked surprised. "He, and it's a shame you don't know your base species. Your scales are simply stunning!"

Miserie giggled. "Thanks! She thinks his glowing parts are very cool too. And his teeth!" She swam closer to get a better look. "Are people afraid of his teeth?"

"Some people are, but others aren't. Doesn't stop my friends from making fun of me, that's for sure."

"Oh. Like bickering? Miserie's nakama like to argue and call each other names, too. But she knows they like each other."

"Is that so? Where are your friends now?"

The mermaid squirmed. She wasn't sure if she should tell or not. "All over the place. Why is John here?"

"I have business with one of the crews nearby."

Miserie looked back at _Dusk Pandion_. "With the Black Glove Pirates?"

His smile grew wider. "Indeed. Are you one of Cassandra's crewmembers?"

"She is!" she exclaimed. If he already knew about Captain, she didn't think she needed to hide it. "Captain is the best captain! At least, Miserie thinks so. What does John want with her?"

"Don't worry; it's nothing serious. I just want to convey Hode's, my captain's, congratulations regarding Cassandra's new girlfriend."

"Captain and Lyn were girlfriends before. Now, they are girlfriends in a romantic way. Alexander told Miserie that."

"Exactly, and I have a small gift to mark the occasion."

Miserie looked at the box he showed her. "Is it dangerous? Captain does not like things that look like presents but really aren't."

John's grin was extra wide. "Don't worry. We're really happy for her and what she's done for us. This is just our way of expressing our compliments."

"What is it?"

"Well, it's a surprise, isn't it?"

The mermaid thought about it. Captain also didn't like surprises, but Miserie was pretty sure that was about sudden surprises. The mystery kind of surprises was different, though. Captain liked those. "Okay. Miserie thinks John is too big for _Dusk Pandion_, but if he waits next to her, Miserie will get Captain for him."

"Thank you."

Miserie nodded and jumped onto the ship. She was about to knock on Captain and Lyn's door when she remembered that Alexander had told her not to bother them until they came out. She knew that most of the crew was away, but she knew at least one person was on board. She went into the main hallway and down into the lower hallway. Carefully hiding behind the doorframe, she reached out and knocked a few times.

"I am listening."

She smiled. Raven was not scary after she had promised not to look at Miserie without asking her first. "An obese dragonfish wotan named John has a present for Captain, but Captain has not left her room yet. What should Miserie do?"

"While your existence is largely unknown due to your lack of interaction with those outside our crew, mine is intentionally kept hidden. I will retrieve Jordan, and he can pose as Cassandra for the time being." Raven left without making a sound, only to come back a moment later. She was crouching on the wall next to Miserie, but her back was turned. "Damien is returning. You must distract him."

"How? Raven knows Miserie cannot go on land."

"I have asked him to meet you at the end of the docks clockwise. Cassandra does not want him to have any contact with John Wyntown whatsoever, and I agree. Now is not the time for him to interact with the Merry Pirates. Go, now."

Miserie nodded again and sprang out of the hatch. After going up to the main deck and overboard, she stopped in front of John. "She will meet you soon. Miserie has to go meet one of her nakama now. Please don't disturb Captain until she is ready."

"I won't. Thank you, Miserie."

"He is welcome!" She swam away, smiling to herself. Meeting fishpeople was so interesting! She wished she could have met the lobster fishwoman her nakama sometimes talked about. She suddenly remembered that she had been looking for shellfish when she passed near the lobster traps, but she also remembered that Raven wanted Damien distracted. She was okay with Morgan being mad at her, but she was not okay with Raven being mad at her. At least she felt safe telling Morgan to stop.

She slowly drifted near the surface when she got to the end of the docks. Damien was already waiting for her, sitting on the slope of large rocks. His arms and legs were crossed, and his eyes were closed. She felt warmer just being near him, though Alexander explained that it was just because he was using his spirits to monitor his surroundings. She smiled when he finally did. His teeth were like hers. She thought they were cool.

"Blackie tells me ya got somethin' fer me."

She also admired how he could tell she was there even though his senses were worse than Captain's. While she didn't have anything planned for distracting him, she always had questions. "Why does he want to be the strongest fighter?"

"Cuz I wanna. Fightin's fun, an' there're tons o' cockgobblers out there wit' all sortsa crazy shit up their sleeves."

"Like Xiphos?"

"Yar, 'e 'ad nothin' too crazy, but fuck if 'e wa'n' good at what 'e did."

"Miserie doesn't think Captain was very happy with her when she made Damien mad."

He threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Yahahahar! Mebbe no'. Made things real fuckin' interestin' though! Aye, an' what about tha' shit you pulled night afore las'?"

"Oh, that?" Miserie didn't think Captain wanted it to be kept a secret, especially with Raven back. "Captain says if he is getting too angry, Miserie needs to sing to calm him down."

Instead of looking upset, he only laughed harder. Rocks crumbled as he repeatedly slammed his hand against them. "Crafty fuckin' wench, ain' she? Ah, the same on Jar'ead's boat, aye? Fuckin' 'ell!"

"Is Damien mad at Captain?" She shrank back away from the surface. "Is he mad at Miserie?"

"Fuck no! Tha's why Cap'n's fit t' be Queen o' Pirates! She covers all 'er fuckin' bases, no doubt! Ain' you 'eard abou' th' plans Cap'n 'as t' stop me when I'm 'avin' fun?"

"But why does she have to have those plans against him? Should nakama not fight each other?"

"Ain' an issue o' nakama, tramp. I ain' never backin' down from a good fight. Cap'n's smart as all 'ell an' don' 'old back neither."

She thought about this for a second. "So if Captain were not as strong, he would not fight her. But if she were too weak, he would not follow her."

Damien's grin slowly got bigger. "Tha's right."

Miserie rubbed her collar. "But Captain is Captain. If Damien does not like Raven, why does he not not like Miserie?"

He rested his elbow on his knee as he leaned forward, but his eyes were still shut. "Tha's different. Th' tain'sniffer's too fuckin' good at fightin' fer a cuntin' slayer like 'er. You ain' the same. It'd take me th' blink of an eye t' scale, gut, an' eat ya."

"Thanks! She was worried he wouldn't be happy with her since she helped stop him."

"Fact o' the matter, I got a pitch for ya."

"A pitch?"

"'Alf a deal, really. Cap'n told you t' sing t' stop me, aye? I wan' you t' do it too."

She wasn't sure why he had asked, but she was thrilled he had something she could do for him. "Okay! She will!"

"I said 'alf a deal. I don' owe nobody nothin'."

The singer grinned. "What would Lyn say? Right. Silly Damien, it's a favor between nakama!"

"Yahar, tha' so? A favor it is, then."

"And she has a question. Why does he destroy things? Yin said he was making buildings fall when she found him."

He shrugged. "'S fun. Why d'you ask?"

"Has Damien heard of leviathans?"

His smile showed all of his teeth. "Aye. World breakers, ain' they? Last one sank th' lands an' rose th' fuckin' Red Line. What of 'em?"

"She thinks they are just sleeping. She wants to wake one."

"Yahahahar! Ain' gonna be easy! Findin' one'll take some serious fuckin' patience an' wakin' it'll take some real fuckin' guts!"

Miserie laughed. She was glad Damien didn't think her dream was weird or bad or anything. "So he thinks she can do it?"

"You fuckin' better! Now tha's a proper fuckin' fight! Yahahar!"

"As long as he does not win right away! Hihhihhhih!" She clapped her hands over her mouth. She had not laughed so hard in… longer than she could remember. She carefully watched her nakama for a sign of anything bad.

To her relief and joy, he only laughed more loudly. "Yahahar, now tha's a favor I c'n do, Toro!"

She smiled happily. "Toro is Damien's nickname for Miserie, yes? Can Miserie give a nickname to Damien?"

"I don' fuckin' care."

As much as she tried to think of one, her mind came up blank. "Can she wait to think of one?"

"Like I said, concubine, don' fuckin' care! Yahahar!"

"Hihhihhihhih!"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Cain hefted the curved section of wood and stared at it critically. He was reasonably sure it would work, but there was a considerable difference between the hypothetical and the real. The doors in the makeshift hull were supposed to lock sturdily without affecting the level in the bilge. He was glad he didn't have to design an airlock, as hooking up the pumps would be a nightmare. Nevertheless, he was more than willing to try his hand at an underwater door. He had gotten plenty of space to move around in _Pandion_, and he wanted Miserie to feel comfortable as well.

He looked away from his model as Yin's motorcycle cleared the fence surrounding the work area and skidded to a stop in front of him. "I mean no offense, but you don't seem like the type of person who wears a helmet."

"I still have traumatic flashbacks of when the First learned I wasn't using one. Watcha up to?"

"A door for Miserie so she can enter and exit the bilge without being seen."

"You're not worried about her sneaking away or anything?"

Cain chuckled. "Not any more than I'm worried about Raven feeding information behind our backs."

"Fair enough." Yin gave a half-grin. "So I have a question. How did a bandit bodyguard reconcile being a pirate assassin's underling?"

He lowered his sandpaper and wiped his brow as he thought. "Well, firstly, Captain Libera isn't exactly your typical pirate or your typical assassin. It's also taught me a lot. Pirates come in all shapes and sizes. Some pose a threat to Winter Isle; some we might even be able to recruit under the table should the need arise. As for assassins, except for one family, they're only human. Humans can be frightened or intimidated."

"You think the Academy only sends hatchlings after people like Morgan?"

"Of course not. However, we take pride in not exactly being weak ourselves."

"Not to mention relatives of World Government royalty fetch a higher price. Still doesn't mean you get a free pass, eh?"

"I was never a huge fan of Commander Otto." Yin's grin was undoubtedly provocative. "What?"

"Come on, Cain. You're not stupid. Just think about it. In the meantime, do you realize you'll be the most qualified bodyguard on the planet when you go back to Winter Isle? Inside training on the seven main assassin families and their skills. Won't help you with the 'randos with guns' type of security, but still pretty damn comprehensive."

"Won't do me much good against the Eighth's Assassins either, but any help I can get is greatly appreciated."

Yin pounded her fist into her palm. "Xixixi! I can't help you much there. Even inside families, every assassin does things differently. Take any Breakthrough Assassin. Hell, take my brother. Now, you know my Devil Fruit, right?"

"I'll take extra care vetting my surroundings from now on."

"Won't make a difference, but that's the spirit. However, this Fruit, the Pop Fruit, wasn't supposed to be mine. I didn't get tricked like the Second into getting the wrong one, though. I was a jealous and feisty little brat. I didn't know what Fruit it was. I just knew Yang was getting one and I wasn't. I burst in and took a bite before he could. You know what the problem was? I didn't need the damn thing. I know more about explosives than you could ever dream of. I can make, arm, and detonate a bomb that could wreck everything in a two-meter radius in about thirty seconds in a blindfold given the half the ingredients most 'experts' would need."

"I'm impressed, but bear in mind that I'm a Winter Isle soldier. Making weapons from nothing is what I do."

"Right. Anyway, this Fruit is useful for me, but not truly enhancing. Yang, though, he's hopeless. Couldn't tell TNT from T4 if they were labeled, and a toddler could point out a bomb he left behind. What he can do is cook up gases so complicated I can barely explain what they do, much less how they work. He hasn't invented any yet, but he's an artist. His smother bombs have a unique touch that make them cover ten times the area of others', albeit lasting nowhere near as long. Half of my inventory is his make. He needed my Fruit. I accidentally took it from him."

Cain chuckled. "He can't have been very happy."

"He didn't really care, actually. Said it meant less time on missions and more time holed up home. Not really an outgoing kind of guy, my brother. Useless most of the time. But if he got one of his bombs into your throne room, he could kill just your king without hurting anyone else. One or two other casualties, tops. My point is that I can't give you tips on everything. You know the basic deal with all of the families, right?"

"I do."

"Are you sure?" She pulled a pin from a grenade and tossed it at him. He knocked it into the air, then squinted as he tried to see it in the midday sky. He saw Yin move again out of the corner of his eye and knocked that grenade away as well. When neither exploded, he carefully caught the first one and looked at her. "What's my family's specialty?"

"Explosions and gases," he responded instantly.

"Wrong." His brow furrowed. "That's what we _use_. That's not what we specialize in. Just like the Fifth is about infiltration and the Third complete lack of detection, we have our own style of doing things. Not everyone in my family uses bombs and the like. Some use guns; some use knives. We have people who don't use weapons at all, only their voice. It just so happens my direct relatives prefer explosions and the like. So again, what's my family's specialty?"

Cain stared at the grenade in his hand as he thought. "I don't know."

"And that's why you're damn lucky nobody's put a price on Morgan's head. Any real assassin could get through you. Well, maybe not now, but before you met the First."

"Are you going to tell me or not?"

She smiled disarmingly. "Easy there, timber wolf. I'm just telling you how it is. One thing I will say is that my family doesn't really do one-on-one things like this. Sure we have gas masks and all that, but we're not precision strikers. What we do is crowd manipulation. You can hire us to do targeted attacks, sure, but we're not so good on the collateral damage front. If, however, you're in a crowd…"

"Riots," he said suddenly. "Stampedes. You cause chaos to distract the guards."

"There you go!" she praised. "That grenade you're holding? Bababang!"

He recoiled slightly when they burst apart, expecting a painful explosion, but was only splattered with liquid. When he reopened his eyes, he saw that his left arm and torso had turned dark red. He gingerly sniffed his wrist before raising his eyebrows. "Fake blood."

"You get a lord giving a speech and suddenly twenty people covered in blood? People are going to freak out. They're going to try to get away. Position the bomb in a particular place, and you can direct them as you want. I can say I've gotten no few targets trampled to death by their own subjects."

"That's actually pretty ingenious," he said as he wiped his hand on his vest. "But there will be civilian casualties."

Yin rolled her eyes. "We Breakthroughs don't promise otherwise. You want one single person taken out? Hire an Eighth, if you can afford that much. We don't take that much time to set up, and our success rate isn't bad. Of course, we can also guarantee shittons of casualties if you want to make a statement. One of my friends can rig an entire street overnight. So let's try some of this again."

She pitched a grenade at him, and he knocked it towards an unoccupied section of the workyard. The next one he smashed into the ground with his foot and used it to jump away. Too late did he see the three small orbs flying in the air, and the blinding light caused him to fall awkwardly to the ground. He took a swipe in Yin's direction and missed entirely. He was surprised when he was bodily lifted up and smashed back down.

As his vision cleared, he found the tiny assassin sitting on his chest, spinning a grenade by its pin. "Ow."

"Fun, isn't it?" she asked merrily. "Even the First doesn't have toys and tricks like me. Then again, cheating bitch that she is, she learned enough to make her pretty damn good, then directed her attention to whatever she wanted to learn next."

"She does that." He sat up when she hopped off of him. "You have quite an arm."

"The Seventh's the best killer, but if you want a fight, the rest of 'em can't beat me. Except for the Second when her blood gets boiling."

"Now where have I heard that before?"

Yin joined him in laughing. "That bastard's one of us, no doubt about it!"

She attacked him without warning, and he barely had time to make a staff out of a nearby beam. A few workers ran towards them to interfere, and Cain decided to move their conversation elsewhere. He fended Yin away and took to the air. He landed hundreds of meters away in a less crowded area. Soon enough, Yin arrived on her motorcycle, a proud grin on her face. "Reflexes aren't bad either. I guess all that time with Damien paid off."

"Which means it shouldn't surprise you that Alexander has situationally better reflexes than Captain Libera does." He chuckled at her bewildered expression. "You can see for yourself, although don't use anything close to your full strength."

Yin's grin slowly grew. "The First did always have a habit of collecting surprising things. Well, we're not done. Can you survive this?"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

As much as Cassandra simply wanted to lay with her head in Lyn's lap and the first mate's fingers playing with her hair forever, she still had to be the leader of her crew. She had intentionally delayed leaving the room, but she knew people had approached and left the ship since she had woken up. Plus, she was hungry. "Sometimes being captain sucks."

"Nah, you love it," Lyn said with a smile.

"You're right, I do. So whom should I upset today?"

She laughed when Lyn seriously thought about it. "Jayjay's gonna be all over us. Let's mess with him."

"How do you propose we do that?"

"Iunno. Say we didn't have sex or something, you're biromantic but not bisexual. You love me, but your body doesn't."

"Sure, why not. The bastard's still here, and we showered pretty well."

Lyn giggled. "We definitely did. We were very thorough."

The captain nodded as she put on her tricorne. "Ready to rejoin the rest of the world?"

"I should be asking you that. You're the one who's gotten laid for the first time in ages."

Cassandra flicked her forehead. "Smartass."

Sure enough, Jordan was waiting for them outside, a cigarette in one hand and an unknown pink Baby Den-Den Mushi in the other. He glanced over and bid his conversation partner a hasty farewell. "So!" he shouted, arms spread wide. "They emerge at last! That good, eh?"

"We made out, got some hickeys, but nothing further. What do you have for me?"

"Yeah, I know you think it's all sunshine and rainbows, but that's just the love talking. I bet you were fumbling around like a newborn chimp. There's nothing to be ashamed of, Cici. Getting around a vag is harder than a dick, right? You're not flexible enough to eat yourself out, and practice makes perfect." They stared at him expectantly. "What the fuck do you mean, you didn't do anything? You two have been itching to screw each other senseless, but you didn't do anything?"

"That's right. I know we got visitors."

Jordan eyed them for a moment, then laughed loudly. "You're just fucking with me. I get it; your business is none of mine. Hilarious segue, I actually had to be you so you could do your business. It seems the word's gotten out."

Cassandra blinked. "Come again?"

"Johnjohn swung by with a gift for you from Hodehode."

The captain cut off the wrapping paper to reveal a white lily preserved in a cube of glass. She rotated it this way and that, a smirk tugging at one corner of her mouth. "How considerate of her. Is that all?"

"That's the boring one. Over there's the interesting one."

She followed the impostor's finger to a most peculiar sight. Some piece of cloth was pinned to a line of rope, flapping in the wind. What puzzled her was the striking similarity it bore to a very familiar pirate, and she was stunned when she realized the cloth was somehow producing a heartbeat. "What on earth?"

"Some guy with a shepherd's crook on his face stopped by and delivered that. It's freaking me out."

"Orange afro? Tattoo on the right cheek?" She laughed when Jordan nodded. "Those Lightningbugs don't give up, do they? Zoe's sons got me the Inkling Pirates' quartermaster. Now that, I say, is a present."

"So…" Lyn said slowly. "Are we switching sides?"

"Heavens no. I'm still on Hode's side. Problem is, I'm so busy with everything, spending time with you, keeping us safe, organizing things, that I just can't constantly supervise Alexander and Damien all the time. I'll do my best, but I can't say they won't get up to no good."

Lyn laughed and kissed her cheek. "That's my Cee!"

"That's _my_ Cici," Jordan said.

Cassandra climbed the rigging to unclip the flattened pirate. "Now the more pressing question is what to do with you?"

"Hey, I know him!" Lyn exclaimed. "He tried to give Morgan the wrong kind of fish!"

"That's right," Cassandra said absently. "Well, I don't particularly want to kill you, Prasert, but I don't particularly like your friends. Or you."

"It was just… for money."

His voice was barely audible, yet it startled them like he had shouted. "Money?" Cassandra repeated. "Someone paid you? Also, I won't hesitate to throw you in the ocean if you lie."

"Better… price…"

Jordan laughed. "Not daring, just greedy. Momo'd be fine with that."

"Sounds good to me," Cassandra said. "Anyone know anything about furoshiki?"

Lyn tilted her head. "Will that kill him?"

"Hell if I know. Throw him in a laundry basket and give him back to the Inklings."

"Won't that make them mad at us?"

"They already are. I'm running out of patience with them. If they were halfway competent, I'd have sunk them already. Sadly, they're nothing more than minor annoyances on Vix's side. Oh, I'm sorry, Prasert, are you still here?"

"Bitch…"

Cassandra only smiled. "I'm serious. Stop messing around with my crew, or I'll have Damien reduce that scrap heap you call a ship to cinders. We've dealt with much larger problems than you. We are dealing with much larger problems right now. Back off. Jordan, you take him back."

"Will do. Let's go, flatass."

"What's their deal, anyway?" Lyn chirped.

"I have no idea. It's not important. What is important is the 'Bugs know I'm not fully on Vix's side. I don't know what Alexander has been telling her, but it's weakening my reputation. The Inklings have never liked us, but now other Merry supporters won't like me as much either. The Pinecones accepted our help yesterday, but they might not be so friendly in the future. Fuck, why am I so stupid!"

"What do you mean?"

She ran her hand through her blue hair. "I didn't do enough digging. Vix fooled me before we even got our bearings. Damien and Alexander went to the 'Bugs, and I thought they just had the stronger crew. Apparently, Zoe's no idiot either. Yes, there was a certain windfall because of that connection with our boys, but she knew how to take advantage of that. Everyone knows Burn, and I'm sure the word's spread that he and Wash gave us Prasert. I couldn't even pretend it was a threat. Everyone knows the Inklings have been on our case. It would have been stupid to pretend otherwise."

Lyn merely looked at her.

"Okay, okay, I was being cocky. I underestimated Zoe. She's severely weakened our position, and I have to acknowledge her for that. We never had Zoe's friends on our side, and now we're going to lose a lot of Vix's."

"Are you worried about it?"

Cassandra exhaled. "No. Yes. A little bit. Not much more than I usually worry. You know how it is. I don't trust anybody."

"And I don't blame you. What're we gonna do?"

"Kill everyone." She gave a humorless laugh. "No, I'm going to give Captain Elaine the respect she rightfully deserved. I've left her mostly alone and dealing with Damien and Alexander, but no longer. I'm going to want Alexander to come with me to meet her, which would be nice if I knew where he was."

"Well, why don't we go together? They gave us a gift, after all. Plus, I want to get another tattoo."

"That... works, actually. Get ready; I'll be right there."

Lyn giggled and quickly kissed her lips before hopping up to their room. The captain descended to the medical ward, where her doctor was a literal blur as she flitted along both counters. Every sort of glass container flew back and forth, filling and emptying with incredible speed. Everything came to a halt when she noticed Cassandra, and she solidified on the stool closest to the door. "Damien's ribs have healed."

The pirate captain frowned. "What? How?"

"My hypothesis is that his spirits have somehow melted and resolidified his bones into a similar structure to they were before. I was not able to bring my seastone saws, so I cannot directly verify how exactly this came to be."

"Fascinating. Let's go over that later. We need to talk."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

"But that can't be," Zoe said, crouching on the floor to get a better look. An enormous map of Dewpon covered the floor with a wide variety of items sitting on top of it. An uncut diamond was surrounded by blue dinosaur figurines with Jolly Rogers sticking out of them. Roughly a quarter of the way anti-clockwise was a fox surrounded by red dinosaurs. Scattered around the coast were a mix of red and blue figurines, with a few white ones and purple ones mixed among them. She was staring at a cluster on her side of the island that needed updating. Serra carefully cleared nine blue dinosaurs away from the lone red one and placed a red dinosaur in their place. "What happened?"

"Got no idea, Zo," Serra said. "Don't know how or why, but the Vignalis pulled a flip on us and bushwhacked the bunch of 'em. We've ruled out the exchange of coin, so maybe Hode's got their scrotes in her claws."

Zoe glanced about the map as she twirled a dinosaur with by the tail. "Drop the Genuflectors and the Shalecheas a line. If we want to take back Faypond, we're going to need their help."

"The distance 'tween the Sorters and Faypond is smaller," Serra pointed out.

"But the Shalcheas have better pull on the other crews near them," Zoe said.

"And the Sorter Pirates got trouble brewin' down below," Mayor added. He was leaning against the wall with a concerned glare on his pale face. "They're holdin' onto Encharcado by a spider's leg. I'd say shift the Pand Pirates there but-"

The captain scoffed loudly. "Turn the Pands purple. Their restlessness won't be workin' to our advantage, and they need those who'll watch 'em. They stay where they are."

"No…" Mayor scratched his chin. "No, if we can somehow lure them to Cumaro, the Dodil Pirates and the Gutierrez Pirates could bring them back to us. The three of them are from a same region of North Blue. Let's say…" He walked onto the map and pointed to one of the blue dinosaurs. "Gutierrez may have fertilizer 'tween the ears, but she knows her own way around a fight. What did she want again?"

Zoe stared the Jolly Roger. "City leader for our side in Cumaro."

"Dodil should be amenable to that; his taste's gold, not power. His price'll be steep, but we should have the capability to scrape it up."

"Pay Dodil, get Gutierrez to to pay a visit to the Pands, we got them back," Zoe finished. "It's a start, but we're gettin' away from the Vignalis. I-"

"Ma! Ma!" They all turned to Henry, who was leaning on the door frame and completely out of breath. "Bester's eaten dust!"

"What?!" Wash headed the rush from the room, Zoe and Mayor right on his heels. The door to the galley bathroom was open, revealing the deceased shipwright. His swollen purple eyes stared sightlessly at the ceiling, and vomit trailed from the corner of his open mouth. Thick orange blood crusted around the scratches in his neck, giving him a particularly horrifying appearance.

Mayor's flinty eyes were sharp. "Definitely poisoned. My first guess would be hebenon. It ain't unicorn tears, but it don't grow in sidewalk cracks neither. It's illegal for druggists to dispense. It ain't subtle, but it works scram fast. Anybody sight someone suspicious?"

"Just the crew," Henry said quickly.

"You came straight to us," the doctor snapped. "You ain't exactly a star witness."

"Well, catchin' the guy's important," Serra said, "but that don't change nothin'. Only one thing t' do."

"You ain't lying." Zoe turned to her present son. "Rally the troops as quietly as can be done. Tellin' the important captains shadowlike will take time. We move the day after tomorrow."


	66. Spilled Ink

If there was one thing Cassandra loved above all else about quiet days aboard _Pandion_, it was the ease with which she could detect hostile activity. She silently uncrossed her legs and collected Raven's notes. She stood up with practiced calmness and went to the door leading below. Her walk turned into a sprint as she headed towards the only other crewmember on board and fumbled with the snail on her belt.

Morgan looked up from the vegetables he was chopping as she rushed into the galley. "Situation?"

She slammed Chief onto the counter and hit the emergency button. "Thirty people armed to the teeth with blood pumping quickly. Raven, where are you?"

"I will be at _Dusk Pandion_ in three minutes."

"No, get Lyn and Alexander back here."

"We're at the Bulba Cafe," Alexander said. "Doesn't seem like anything's heating up here."

"I will be at the cafe in one minute."

Cassandra didn't have time to communicate her appreciation for the doctor's reliability. "Cain?"

"Sorry, Captain Libera, I'm inland. Twenty minutes is pushing it."

It wasn't ideal, but there was no helping it. "Fine. Half an hour so you won't tire yourself out."

"But-"

"Pace yourself, that's an order. You can be our fresh reinforcements. Are you with Yin or Jordan?"

"No."

"Somebody find them. Damien, are you here?"

Only a combination of background sounds came from the snail's mouth.

"Outfuckingstanding."

"Should I locate him as well?" Raven asked.

Cassandra looked up as faint footfalls resonated from the main deck. "No, we're not leaving quite yet. He'll be fine. Miserie shouldn't be back until later. Stay safe."

She hung up and ducked behind the counter. Without her pistols, her primary advantage was surprise and knowledge of terrain. Morgan had left and was in the men's quarters, presumably retrieving his battle necklace. Despite the abruptness of the incoming fight, his heartbeat was moderate and steady. She would definitely have reprimanded him if he hadn't gotten used to such situations by now.

She carefully lifted the knife Morgan had been using and tested its weight. It was no good for throwing, but she could still wield it. The door above quietly swung open, and the intruders split up for the dining area and galley. The third to last step gave a loud creak, followed by a collective intake of breath. Seconds ticked by with painstaking slowness. The intruders began moving again, more cautiously than they had previously.

Shouts and shots sounded out, drawing everyone's attention. Most of the intruders immediately ran to their friends' aid, leaving only a few in the food rooms. Cassandra sprang over the counter and clapped one hand over the intruder's mouth, the kitchen knife pressing into his throat. "Who are you?" she hissed.

Her hand eased away from his mouth so he could respond. "Fuck you."

"Last chance."

"I'd rather die than-"

She cut his throat open, lowering his body as he bled out. She darted forward and kicked off the wall, easily clearing the railing around the dining area. The man evaded her knife swing by grabbing her forearm and pushing the blade away. Her knee collided with his jaw, but he reacted as if she had only slapped him. He slammed her into the floorboards hard enough to fracture them, driving the wind from her lungs. He twisted her arm, forcing her to release her knife, and crashed his other fist into her cheek.

As dazed as she was, she had the presence of mind to twist her torso when he tried to plant his knee on her chest. She grabbed the other side of his neck and yanked him off-balance enough to push him off of her. She rolled to her feet with her throwing knives in her hands, only to find herself staring down the barrel of a pistol. He pulled the trigger without any hesitation, catching her in the shoulder as she dove over the railing. She sprinted through the galley door, lowering her shoulder to knock over the woman directly in her path. She slid through the rock elemental's legs, then leapt onto its arm. "Up!"

Morgan pushed open the trapdoor and hurled her through. A generous handful of people were waiting for her, and she had two more bullet wounds by the time she landed. She staggered into her room, where a single man was waiting to fight her. His assault rifle fired but three times before she crashed into him. They tumbled to the floor, and she made sure it was his head that struck the mizzenmast. The adrenaline surging through her body helped her cave his throat in and hoist his body up to protect her from the bullets whizzing through the doorway.

She cursed loudly as she tossed the dying man at his compatriots and ducked behind the mast. Her body ached as it healed, and she rested her head against the mast. Splinters flew this way and that with deadly velocity. She largely ignored them. The instant the shots let up, she leapt for her pistols, but didn't have time to grab them. The first person through her door had a helmet protecting her head and a lance she stabbed at the pirate captain.

To make things worse, the man who followed her immediately opened fire. Cassandra dove directly at them, taking bullets to the thigh, pelvis, chest, and side of her jaw. She continued forward unimpeded, catching the man around the middle and shoving right through the wall of her room. She cleared the railing and crashed to the docks, her body operating automatically at this point. She pulled the machine gun from his hands and kicked him into the water.

A fearsome warcry rang out as she sprayed her ship, half of her shots hitting targets. The magazine was empty almost immediately, and she threw the gun aside. Her leg wasn't healed enough to jump back onto her ship, though she was able to push herself away when a sword nearly cut her head off. She punched the next swipe aside, fighting through the pain in her arm. She dodged the upward slash with a neat sidestep and threw out her arm. The attacker paused for a fraction of a second when her palm slammed into the pommel of his sword before he could build up any momentum, giving her all the time she needed to land a kick on his side.

The man wasn't done, however. He hopped backwards and swung his sword horizontally. More focused on defeating him than avoiding damage, she moved forward and let part of her stomach be cut. She drove her knee into his groin, then smashed her elbow into the side of his head when he buckled over. Taking advantage of his disorientation, she pinched his sword blade in her fingers and drove it into his neck.

Sensing more people behind her, she grabbed his pistol and whirled around. Every muscle in her body froze when she realized she was holding Lyn at gunpoint. Much to her surprise, Lyn only smiled and put her hands on her hips. "See, Alexander and I were perfectly fine on our own. You should have let Raven come back sooner."

Cassandra dropped the gun like it had stung her and backed away in horror. She knew how she must look, half-crazed, riddled with bullets, and covered in blood. "I nearly shot you," she whispered.

"Nah," Lyn said, catching the pirate captain as her legs gave out beneath her. "You didn't. What did I say about overdoing it?"

"Lyn-"

"Just shut up for a moment." Lyn tore off part of her shirt and used it to wipe at Cassandra's face. "There. That's a bit better."

"I could have killed you!"

"Nope! You know better, and I know you know that you know better. I know you're gonna keep agonizing over it, but that'll never happen. I'd kiss you to remind you that, but you need a bath. Up we go!" Cassandra was surprised at how mild Lyn's reaction was to the many dead and dying men scattered about the deck. The first mate carefully stepped over the bodies and went right into their wrecked room. "I'm not fixing this."

Cassandra extracted herself from Lyn's hold. "You can't simply ignore this."

The artist dragged her to the bathroom. "Ignore what? That we got attacked? That you and Raven killed them all?"

"That I nearly shot you!" Lyn whirled on the ball of her foot and pulled up her hair. Cassandra couldn't remember seeing the thick scar hidden in the smooth, black strands, and a tiny part of her made a note to be more explorative with her mouth and fingers from now on. "What am I looking at?"

"The night after we met Damien and Alexander, you were having a nightmare. I tried to wake you up, and you slashed me right there." Cassandra's breath caught in her throat. "Raven said I was lucky you were still healing from that Slatch guy. Any other time, and I would have died."

Dread numbed Cassandra's limbs as she realized the implications. She had tried to kill Lyn before. Repeatedly. Lyn had loved her, and Cassandra had almost killed her countless times. "How did I not notice that? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I told Alexander was just a wound from that fight with the Marines that reopened and asked him to stitch it. I guess he was too focused on Damien to ask too many questions. My point is that you know me. Now more than ever," she said, tenderly washing her love's face. "You're not gonna hurt me. You said so. You love me, and I love you. That's all there is to it."

Cassandra still turned away, unsatisfied by Lyn's words. She had tried to kill Lyn. She had almost killed Lyn. Were it not for chance, Lyn would be dead by her hands. The words kept spinning around in her head. The first mate snaked her arms beneath her girlfriend's, but Cassandra refused to move. She only jumped when Lyn unexpectedly squeezed her breasts, her face immediately heating up. "Gods, don't do-"

The artist laughed uproariously when Cassandra cut herself off. "What was that?"

"Absolutely nothing."

Lyn turned her girlfriend around and beamed brilliantly. "Relax, Cee! We just got through a fight! Well, you managed to stay alive until Raven came to the rescue, which is pathetic when you think about it, but still."

"Excuse me, how is that pathetic?" Cassandra protested. "Raven's better at fighting than I am! Plus, I didn't have my guns."

"Mmm," Lyn hummed as she stared at her girlfriend's lips. "No excuse."

Cassandra finally smiled before kissing Lyn. "I love you," she said when they drew apart. "I know you might get tired of hearing it-"

"I will _never_ get tired of hearing it," Lyn said with utter seriousness. "You don't say it enough, actually. Say it as much as you can."

"I love you, but there are duties to attend to."

Lyn nodded and threw her arms around Cassandra's neck. The captain reciprocated warmly, savoring the embrace. She gently rubbed her thumb on the scar she had given Lyn, the reminder of a mistake for which she would never forgive herself. Lyn refused to let go, holding on for dear life. Smiling, Cassandra hefted the pale woman onto her back as she exited their room. The last of the corpses were being thrown overboard, Morgan commenting on how bloody the kills were.

"There was no need for discretion," Raven droned, watching him from the underside of the yard. "Time was of the essence."

The elementalist wrapped water around his arms and torso, then used it to hose down the deck. "Well, consider this your welcome back fight, Raven. Oh, it appears you fared well."

"I'm alive," Cassandra snapped. "Who were they?"

"The last of the Harisen Pirates," Raven stated. "Damien removed their captain's head during the fight yesterday."

Jordan landed heavily on the deck and slipped head over heels. "Fuck! What's this, spring cleaning? Shit, what happened to you?"

Cassandra looked down at her destroyed clothes. "Thought I saw a wasp. What's up?"

"Besbes got snuffed."

The trick, Cassandra knew, was keeping her voice perfectly level. If she started out shouting, any escalation in anger could only be screaming, and that would be extremely counterproductive. "What the fuck do you mean, Bester's dead? When did it happen?"

"Yesterday," Jordan said. "Yes, before you met with her."

Cassandra carefully nodded. "Well, fuck her with a fork. How am I just now learning this now? Who the fuck beat me to it?"

"She covered it all up. Only her most trusted of allies were told. She's on the move. Both _Quietude_ and a land force."

The captain rubbed Lyn's arm. "Vix has to be moving too. Raven, fly and see if you can see anything. Does anyone have a fucking clue where Damien is? Cain, I told you to take it easy!" she shouted as he slowed next to the ship.

"I interpreted it as a suggestion rather than an order, Captain Libera," he said between gasps for breath.

"Fine time for you to start doing that. Sweep the area for any other crews that might want to ruffle our feathers. Gods, I need a drink."

"No, what you need is rest," Lyn said.

Cassandra shrugged her off. "I'm nowhere near out of this. If there's a fight, I intend to be part of it."

"What's the plan?" Jordan asked.

The captain regarded him questioningly. "What, you want to be part of Black Glove Pirate matters?"

"No, I intend to be part of one of your cockamamie schemes. You always stick me in fun places, and don't even think about pretending you didn't have a plan for this situation."

"Of course I do. Several, in fact. It mostly depends on…"

She trailed off as Cain strode off down the dock with an angry look she had rarely seen before. The rest of her crew joined her in watching him stop at the Inkling Pirates' ship. Some of the pirates looked at him warily, but he ignored them. He reached out and grabbed the anchor chain. Their shouts increased in volume as he hauled the anchor out of the water and wrapped the chain around his fists. With a loud bellow, he ripped the front part of their ship clean off.

Everyone in the vicinity was spellbound by the flying mass of wood. He swung the chain around and smashed it against what remained of the stern of their ship. After a moment of shock, there was a struggle between the people who wanted to get at Cain and the people who wanted to get away from him. Cassandra quickly ordered to be brought over to her shipwright, and Raven had her there in no time flat.

"This has gone on long enough!" he thundered. "You have been harassing our crew ever since we docked, and we will tolerate it no longer! Even our navigator who loves to fight above all else knows not to pick a fight with those far stronger than he is. Your foolishness has cost you your ship. Care so it doesn't cost you more."

"Have I mentioned how much I love you recently?" Cassandra wondered, shifting on his shoulder to get a better seat.

"More than Lyn?" Raven asked from her position in the shipwright's shadow.

Cain's angry scowl cracked at the innocent question. "I thought Alexander went over different kinds of love with you," Cassandra said. "The amount doesn't matter right now. Oh, looks like we have a taker!"

The newly-promoted captain of the Inkling Pirates was quivering with controlled rage when she landed in front of him. "Don't even pretend you're blameless in this, bitch. We're punishing you for your mistake."

"Merritt, please. I may be a bitch-"

"Not all the time!" Lyn shouted from somewhere behind her.

"But you say that like it's a bad thing. What was my mistake?"

"Your crew name is too long. It's a mockery of real pirate crew names."

She stared at him. He seemed completely serious, but every bone in her body told her he had to be telling a joke. She stared some more. The fire in his eyes was real. The iron in his spine was real. She could find no trace whatsoever that he was being sarcastic or playing around. "You what?"

"Your crew name. 'Black Glove Pirates.' How do you not realize the audacity of your decision?"

Cassandra could only stare. Sounds had been coming out of his mouth and forming phonemes that, when assembled, sounded an awful lot like words. However, her brain just couldn't process those sounds. There were two syllables that stuck with her, so she just repeated them in the hope that Merritt would clarify them for her. "Too long?"

"Yes, you have seventeen characters and two spaces! Do you not see?"

"Uh… no."

"Okay, black is spelled B-L-"

It was at this point that she knew she couldn't kill them. Their excuse was so mind-bogglingly idiotic that it would have felt like killing toddlers. She retroactively felt terrible for having Raven kill their first captain after they had so rudely rebuked her offer of collaboration. She closed her eyes and slowly raised her hands. "I'm done. This is too much for me. I can't do this. So long as you don't hurt any of my crewmembers, I'll leave you alone."

"Leave us alone?!" one of the pirates yelled. "Look what you've done to _Squillpot_!"

"And for that I am truly sorry," she said with a completely straight face. "My man was out of hand. I'll make sure he's punished accordingly. Just please, don't do anything more. You seem like smart people. Just quit while you're only a little behind. Cain, let's go."

Angry shouting grew in her wake, but no shots were fired or projectiles thrown. After reuniting with the rest of her crew, who were wearing similarly dumbfounded expressions, Cassandra pulled Alexander closer. She wasn't superstitious, but there were many pirate rules she knew could not be broken and aspects of piracy of which she was unaware. "What's this about crew names?"

The second mate shook his head. "I mean, all of the crews I can think of off the top of my head have less characters if you include spaces, but I'm almost positive that just has to do with creating a snappy crew name. 'Banished Killer Princess Pirates' doesn't have the same effect."

"What are you talking about?" Lyn asked. "That's an amazing name! Why didn't you call us that, Cee?"

"Not going to dignify that with a response. Just making sure it wasn't an unwritten sacrament like having a ship and Jolly Roger."

"Hey, would I have let you break any true blue pirate rule?" he asked.

"Perish the thought." She rubbed her brow. "Well, that was certainly an odd aside. Back to significantly more important matters, we need to get ready. Raven, you've been ready since the last time you've slept, so you can get a start on sorting out what was shot to shit and what's still usable. It's not our fight, but let's get fully prepared."

She sighed as she viewed the bullet holes marring her room and furniture. Her tricorne was pinned to the wall by a sword, and one of her gun magazines had broken open, littering the ruined carpet with bullets. She stripped off her clothing and searched for an outfit that looked halfway decent and wasn't already destroyed. She didn't even care about being seen through the hole she had bashed in the wall. Lyn scattered bullet casings about as she walked in. Cassandra couldn't help but glance at her as she located her rapier and broken sword.

"What?" Lyn asked.

"Nothing," she said hastily.

Lyn chuckled. "We fight until we can't, Cee. I'm not suddenly made of glass, and my new ink doesn't bother me right now. Plus, you forget that I've had to deal with you taking on Damien and people like him."

"So? I'm a worrier."

"And you know how much I hate you being hurt, no matter if you can heal it away."

The captain gave a half smile as she helped Lyn with her armor. "With adrenaline, I barely feel a thing."

"That's not the point. What happens when your healing can't keep up?"

"I'm immortal." Lyn stared flatly at her. "Just as you said, we fight until we can't. Besides, you know that my body's getting better adapted to my Fruit. Remember how I negated Andres' strike? There's no way I could have done that when I first ate it. Besides, I have two true monsters who'll back me up if I really need it."

"I guess so."

Cassandra laughed. "So you're allowed to be worried about me, the Regeneration Woman, but I'm not allowed to be worried about you?"

"You take on way stronger guys than I do."

"But you still take on people with the more relative strength. It's just that my opponents tend to have some kind of bizarre quirk that makes fighting them that much harder. And that's just how things are. Plus, you know I'd never leave you behind."

Lyn turned to give her girlfriend a fierce kiss. "You'd better not. You think I'm kidding when I said we'll drag you back. Between Alexander, Damien, and I, we'll find a way."

"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that." She swung her sniper rifle onto her back and checked her pistol and knife holsters. "Ready?"

"If you are!"

"Good. Then you can help me with one thing."

The first mate tilted her head to the side. "What's that?"

"I need to be mean to Alexander."

"What?"

Cassandra didn't elaborate, simply walking out of the room. The musician was staring at the city as if trying to see everything. He turned to her when she cleared her throat. "Yes?"

"I have a plan for the fight we're about to have."

"Will wonders never cease."

She lightly bopped his head. "This is a rather unusual plan. Out of the two idiots I found on the Charred Island, Damien's usually the one who operates outside my command. However, in this case, our dearest firebrand has an important role I need him to fulfill, and I'm confident he will. You, on the other hand, are ordered do whatever you want. As of now, you are officially my rogue pirate."

A wide smile spread across his face as he realized the implication of her words. "Thanks, Captain."

"You understand I can't lend you any of my crew."

"Of course not. I'll be fine. I may be the weakest Black Glove Pirate, but I'm sure the strongest wouldn't let me get killed."

"Definitely not. All set to go?"

"As I'll ever be."

She abruptly grabbed a fistful his tie and shirt, then hoisted him onto the tips of his toes. "Then you'll do as I say, whether you like it or not."

Lyn shouted, but Alexander flashed a strikingly familiar smile. "With all due respect, you and your crew of snot-eating bilge rats can go to hell."

"Mind your tongue, or I'll cut it out!"

"Such hypocrisy, Captain. Would you mind removing your hand?"

"Gladly." She hurled him onto the docks, knowing he had taken worse hits from Damien on a regular basis. "Go cool your head. If you do anything stupid or rash, I'll shoot you myself."

He dusted himself off and gave a sarcastic salute before leaving. Cassandra stared after him with her arms folded, a displeased scowl fading as he walked away. Lyn flounced up and rested an elbow on her captain's shoulder. "Sometimes it's easy to forget they're blood brothers, but they really are."

Cassandra nodded absently. "That's one of the stubborn idiots down. I need to make a call for the other."

"I thought Damien wasn't picking up."

"He isn't."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

It came to Damien's attention that people were running about. This didn't stop him from walking on his fingers down the street. It was one of the few exercises he could only do with his right hand, but that didn't mean he could ignore it. Regardless, he did try to figure out whether the insects were running to or from something. He honestly couldn't tell. They were strong enough to call themselves fighters, but not strong enough to be amusing. The occasional person of interest ran by him, but it wasn't enough to get him to stop.

Even when the familiar sound of a motorcycle filled his ears, he continued to move forward. "The fuck you want?"

"How the hell are you so hard to find sometimes?"

"Y' ain' lookin' 'ard enough."

"At least leave a trail of fire in your wake. Anyway, let's play a game."

"Not in'erested."

He twisted around to avoid her kick. "You should be. I'm pretty sure you'll like this one."

"Aye? Why?"

"We raced your way before. It's time to race mine."

He paused as he thought it over. "Th' fuck does tha' mean?"

The assassin laughed. "You don't have a clue what my bike can do. I guarantee you'll like this."

"Like wha'?"

He heard her snap her visor down, then pushed himself into the air to avoid the explosion. He grinned as he saw her speeding away. This might be fun after all.


	67. Views on Pirates

Hode lay on John's head with her paws crossed beneath her chin and surveyed the battlefield. She really had lucked out when she had convinced the wotan to join her crew. Of course, it hadn't taken much except a humiliating loss, but that was in the past. He obligingly turned his head so she could see more of the city. There were few pirates brave enough to engage John directly, and those that were found that TNR was no less dangerous despite his missing legs. This left her and her first mate alone to better look at how the battle was progressing.

And progressing, it was. She had chosen to meet Shine's attack at Paranamiri for a reason. She had been getting to know the city for weeks, and she was fairly confident that she could completely outmaneuver any of Shine's forces using the sewers and back alleys. She had a few of her own teams scattered about Paranamiri, and her allies were everywhere. She had complete awareness of everything that was going on in the city.

Her lips drew back like a wave as she caught sight of a nearby rooftop. Evidently, she didn't know everything. "I thought we had Mara monitored."

Even John's mumbles rung in her ears. "We did."

"Get better watchers." He crouched down to give her better access to the blue-haired captain. "Mara! How nice to see you! I take it you heard what happened to Bester?"

"Hebenon poisoning's nasty business," Mara said solemnly. "Nicer than what I would have done if I had gotten my hands on him, but not painless either. I'm not complaining too much."

"Agreed. Where's your lady friend?"

"She'd be too distracting if she were here with me," she replied easily. "We just started going out. I wouldn't be able to fight with her at my side."

Hode cocked her head. "But you're not worried about being separated from her? What if something happens to her?"

"She's not just my girlfriend, you know. She's first mate of the Black Glove Pirates. She didn't get that position just by being pretty and charming, although that certainly did help. I have faith that she'll be able to hold her own, and I'm counting on her to distract some of Zoe's forces."

The vixen gave a barking laugh. "And here I thought you were going to say she was guarding the ship or entrenched in a secure location."

"That would be lying. I don't like lying to my friends."

"That's true."

"Incidentally, if you've sent anyone to _Pandion_, that was probably a bad move. Miserie may be a mermaid who hides away from everyone, but that doesn't mean she's a dainty flower."

"Please, John's met Miserie. I wouldn't try something so foolish." What she had done was ask one of her allies to see what they could do. The crew in question wasn't wholly on her side, but they hadn't needed much convincing. It seemed that Mara was exceptionally talented at making enemies. "And are those your bandits working together?"

Mara didn't turn around, already aware of the two metal-clad pirates. "You want reliability, you ask Cain and Morgan. Speaking of, I truly haven't been able to get in touch with Damien. He goes wherever he can find the strongest fight. I asked a friend to keep him distracted, but that will only work for so long."

"My wager with Lyn still stands, no? I'm sure it will be resolved by the day is out. What of Alexander?"

"We had a small spat. He's trying to find Damien, but to help us or hurt, I don't know. I'm fairly certain he'll see reason."

"You don't seem to have the best control of your crew," John boomed.

The pirate captain didn't physically react in the slightest. "I'm not an overlord, Wee. I don't stop them from doing what they want. My crew's philosophy is freedom to do as one wants. All of my pirates have pasts they wanted to leave behind. I offer a clean slate without boundaries."

"Too much freedom is a problem for crew cohesion."

She flexed her fingers. "And we all wear black gloves. We are who we are and do what we want to do, but we're still one crew. Does that make you uncomfortable?"

"Yes."

"Good. What about you, Vix?"

Hode had turned into a human again and was reclining with one leg crossed over the other. "Come now, Mara, you know I'd never feel uncomfortable around you."

Mara grinned cheerfully. "I'm so glad to hear that. What do you want me to do? Your wish is my command."

The hooded captain clicked her tongue. "So subservient. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you have an ulterior motive."

"Anything for you, Vix."

She smiled foxily. "Anything?"

"Anything."

"Don't you have a girlfriend you just recently started dating?"

Mara's grin widened. "She doesn't have to know."

Hode threw her head back and howled with laughter. "Amaranth is too kind for you. You should have been called Oleander."

"So am I still Mara?"

"No… how would you feel about Summer?"

"Yeah, Dewpon is a Summer Island… But that's not what you're talking about, is it? Crocus doesn't make for a really good nickname."

Hode's smile matched the blue-haired captain's. "Still insidious, though. You're not one of my crew, so you can stand by your philosophy and do what you want."

"Then I'll be on that building with a smile and a rifle. Eraser's been itching to put some rounds through skills."

"Have fun!"

John watched the pirate depart with not undue wariness. "Are you sure about her, Hode?"

"Did you not hear she'd do anything for me?" She scowled at his lack of humor. "Lighten up, John. Saffia's nearby. If Summer does anything funny, she'll find that the third strongest on our crew isn't someone to be taken lightly."

The wotan shrugged his massive shoulders. He remained silent as he watched the city, then cautiously prompted, "That banter between the two of you…"

"You know my one and only love is _May Day_."

He grunted, still unconvinced. "If you say so."

"Besides, I have a contest to win."

"Contest? Oh, right. The contest." He offered her a sinewy longbow far taller than she was and a more suitably-sized composite bow. "Which will you want?"

"Plathubis. There's no need to be modest."

She increased in size as she accepted the large longbow and donned its accompanying quiver of arrows. Hair lengthened on every part of her body, and her nose grew into a long snout. Her ears poked through the top of her hood, and her bushy tail emerged beneath the base of her cloak. Two furry, clawed fingers drew an arrow from its quiver and nocked it.

"Now what are you looking, Summer…" The sniper had finished setting up her rifle and was working herself into a comfortable position. When she glanced over and saw Hode's hybrid form and longbow, she smiled and saluted. Hode hefted her longbow in response. The challenge was on. Hode licked her fangs before uttering her customary pre-battle catchphrase. "_May Day_, _May Day_. You're all going down."

She drew the arrow back as far as she could before letting loose. The bolt struck the man's pelvis and pinned him to the ground. She paused as the arrow exploded into splinters and the person beside him lost their foot. So that was the game Summer was going to play. Hode had been meaning to have a simple killing contest, possibly with number of shots factored in, but Summer wanted to play. Hode could play too.

Four fingers curled around the ends of three arrows, and she changed her grip when she nocked them. The shots weren't as accurate, but three people were definitely taken out of the fight. One took an arrow to the bicep, another to the stomach, and another to the shoulder. They all staggered backwards, one of them getting stabbed while they were distracted. Satisfied with the shot, she looked over to Summer to see how the sniper would react.

Obviously, the rifle couldn't fire three bullets at once. Summer contemplated this for a moment, then pulled three bullets from her bandolier. After carefully sighting down her rifle, she tossed the bullets into the air. With astonishing rapidity, she plucked them from midair, slammed them into her rifle, and fired them off. The shots were sloppy, but they still hit people. Although one barely took an ear off, the other two inflicted quite damaging wounds. Summer continued to stare through her scope as she inserted another bullet. Then, she looked up at Hode and gave a sure smirk.

"Oh, no," Hode said with a smile. "You aren't."

Without breaking her gaze, Summer nodded and fired her rifle. The butt slammed into her chest at an awkward angle, but the captain showed remarkable resilience. Hode didn't need to check to verify the shot had found a mark. She contemplated getting a sure hit as well, but she couldn't resist trying to one up the gunwoman. She held Summer's gaze as she drew an arrow and aimed it in the direction of the conflict. The Paramecia raised an eyebrow as the Zoan fired, and they both turned away simultaneously to see where the arrow had gone.

Hode clenched her fist in triumph as she saw she had pinned one of her enemy's hand and axe to the ground. As she expected, Summer wasn't put out in the slightest. She was laughing and applauding, knowing just as much as she did the luck that had gone into the shot. John shifted slightly as he dealt with someone trying to reach her, giving her an idea for her next challenge. She sprang into the air and quickly fired, a trick she had done countless times before. Her first mate easily caught her again on his head and gave a bass chuckle.

Summer got to her feet and stretched, wringing out her limbs. She hefted her sniper rifle and stared contemplatively at it. She slowly backed up to the far edge of the roof, then braced herself against the edge. With a push that left cracks in her wake, the captain sprinted forward and leapt into the air. The shot she made definitely found its mark, replacing someone's eye with a gaping hole, and the knockback from her rifle sent her flying backwards. She landed back on the roof, and her backwards slide just barely stopped before the edge.

"Okay, that was cool," Hode admitted. "Now let's see if you can do this!"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Zoe knew she differed from her rival captain in many ways, the most salient of which was her willingness to be in the thick of battle herself. She knew Hode was quite a skilled hand-to-hand combatant in her own right, but the Fox Woman preferred to stay removed from the fight. Zoe had no such reservations. It helped that beneath an obscuring cloak was her eponymous diamond armor, which protected her from most physical attacks, but she had been that way since the day she was born. She could handle guns, to be sure, but she had to be the leader.

Her sons were elsewhere leading their own groups of allied crews, and she was confident in their ability to hold their own. The woman at her side, on the other hand, could be trusted to intimidate or obliterate opponents and not much else. It was difficult to see James beneath all of the weapons she had on her person. The pirate was a staunch believer in both quantity and quality. She looked as if she had run through a gun store wearing a giant magnet.

As bizarre as her appearance was, James moved through the battlefield with the unstoppability of a siege engine. One would think trying to use so many weapons would be inefficient at best and impossible at worst, but James lived to prove people wrong. Her shouts were broken up by bursts of automatic fire, shotgun blasts, and the hollow plink of the occasional grenade launcher. Everyone including her captain kept a cautious distance, not wanting to be anywhere near the mad pirate.

"Zoe!" called one of her nearby allies. "Captain Cassandra's approaching with Lyn!"

"Let 'em through. James, keep clearing the way. I'm but a heartbeat behind."

The blue-haired captain slowed as she approached, her hand firmly in the grasp of… The bead-wrapped sheath and multicolored hair streaming from beneath the helm certainly indicated that Lyn would be inside the armor, but Zoe had some trouble imagining the first mate's breasts crammed behind a chestplate that didn't much protrude from her body. Zoe knew tits were made mostly of fat, but Lyn's were not exactly small compared to her frame.

She put her curiosity aside and greeted them. "Cassandra, Lyn. I see you've come prepped for a scuffle. Not, I hope, with me."

"Nope!" The joyful chirp further confirmed Lyn's identity. "We're here to fight with you!"

"Alongside," Cassandra said, lightly hitting her girlfriend's helm. "I'm afraid you aren't getting the full cadre of mine. Cain and Morgan are more easily moved by a woman's tears than my words, and Miserie's staying back to guard the ship."

"What of my stepsons?"

Cassandra's smirk grew a touch strained. "Alexander's assisting some of your crew nearby. Damien's… being himself."

Zoe knew what that meant without elaboration. "Where is he?"

"I met a biker who took an early interest to him. She said she wanted some one-on-one time, and I think she'll keep him entertained. They should be tearing up Hode's side right about now, but he isn't exactly easy to direct. He goes where he wants, when he wants."

"And this is supposed to be a shocker to me?"

"Being culturally related doesn't mean all of you act the same."

"Wasn't talkin' of him."

The amber skinned pirate laughed. "Birds of a feather. I have to have some common ground with each of my crewmembers, no matter what that common ground may be."

"And that's why you'll be understandin' of my skepticality on account of your alleged allegiance with yon vixen."

"When did I say you have to trust me?" She turned to her girlfriend. "I never said she had to trust me, did I?"

Lyn scratched the top of her helmet. "I don't think so."

Zoe scowled. As unsurprised as she was by the other captain's theatrics, time was not doing her a favor and slowing down. "Your point, if you'll be kind enough to reach it?"

"You don't need to trust me to consider me your ally. Hell, if you know me half as well as I think you do, you know I'm the one trusting you in helping me look after Lyn. Don't let her sunny demeanor and set of armor fool you; she's not exactly the most trained combatant. Yes, even this far in the line. She's on my crew more for…"

"Girlfriendly reasons!" finished her girlfriend.

"Exactly."

Zoe looked them both over. While she disagreed that Lyn was not a trained combatant, she knew that Cassandra spoke of experience and skill. An ordinary person could go through all the training in the world and still be wholly useless in a fight. Mayor was the living embodiment of this fact. The obvious threat lay in the coiled viper beside Lyn. Like her navigator, Cassandra was unpredictable and dangerous. Unlike her navigator, Zoe had absolutely no clue where Cassandra stood. All she knew was that the other captain was enacting some sort of scheme that Zoe had a high chance of not liking.

In the end, that was okay with Zoe. She had spent a lifetime being part of the plots of others. She continued living because she refused to break.

When she reached her decision, she began striding towards the enormous wotan in the distance. "Then you'll be doin' me the honor of stayin' at my side."

"Sounds good. Where are we going?"

"To face Hode directly."

A flicker of pleasure danced through her brain as Lyn glanced sharply at her captain. Cassandra showed no reaction. "Is this a 'if you want things done right, do it yourself' kind of deal?"

"Indeed. What I have in mind, I can't trust none other with."

"Does that include sharing it?"

"You're a big fan of games, as I recall. Think of this as one."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "I get it. I'll have your answer before you even see Hode. Man, when James clears the way, she really clears the way." Shell casings scattered about as their feet crunched through the fragments of uncertain origin. "Have she and Damien met?"

"They made their acquaintances."

"And there wasn't any fight? Are you sure it was Damien?"

Hode sighed. "They played catch."

"That definitely wasn't Damien."

"James used Zebra. Her grenade launcher."

"Ah."

"Why's it called Zebra?" Lyn piped up. "I didn't see any stripes or anything."

The blue-haired captain rubbed her forehead. "I really wouldn't be talking about names if I were you, love."

"Hey! What's wrong with my names? They all fit!"

"They're absurd, and you know it."

"Name one."

"Glorious Star-Chasing Motorless Quiet Super Stealth Tiny Romantic Private Little Boat Supreme?"

"And just what the hell's wrong with that?"

"It was a boat we used once for an hour tops. Cain dismantled it when we were done."

"Doesn't mean it doesn't have a name!"

Zoe tuned them out in favor of focusing on her surroundings. James' gunfire was painfully audible, as the weapons master had had to stop to take out a particularly entrenched group of enemies. The standard protocol in a gunfight was to take cover, but James had never fully internalized the concept. It was her belief that if people could shoot at her, that meant she wasn't shooting at them enough. Bullets flew away from her in a neverending flurry, reducing her surroundings to rubble.

She only stopped when the buildings suddenly sported a fresh line across their fronts and slid to their ruin. "Tuppin' hell, Zoe. If you wanted to join in, all you had to do was ask."

The captain brought her diamond sword back around. "Share the air, girl. Some of us have a need to breathe it clean."

"A touch of saltpeter's good for the lungs."

Zoe grabbed James' cigar and took a deep puff. "It ain't saltpeter that's gonna be the death of you so much as the lead you're getting.

James rolled her bleeding arm. "Doc'll add it to his box of trophies."

"He does so look forward to them."

"Don't he just?"

"I'm still taggin' in." Zoe rushed past the gunner with her sword upraised. Bullets slammed into her diamond armor, but only succeeded in slowing her charge ever so slightly. She moved down the street without stopping to face any individual opponent. She had business with Hode, and she would not let anything get in her way. James respectfully aimed her weapons elsewhere, though the occasional burst zipped by Zoe from behind.

A large man she recognized as the captain of the Houghton Pirates stepped into her path. She prepared to face him, but was surprised when the two Black Glove Pirates surged forwards to confront him themselves. The couple had an odd way of attacking, Lyn keeping the man just within the range of her rapier while Cassandra alternated being a melee combatant and shooting from behind her girlfriend.

Zoe nodded and continued on.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Ordinarily, there was nothing Evan would rather do than sunbathe with food in one hand and weed in the other. He nevertheless had a duty to his crew and hadn't particularly minded Bester. The shipwright had been a bit slow-witted and had often exaggerated the difficulty of the work he had to do, but he hadn't been a bad person. He hadn't deserved to die the way he had.

Like his brother, Evan was leading a company of pirates to attack Hode from a different angle. His route took him by the docks, for despite his nickname, Burn operated just as effectively near water as he did otherwise. Plus, Henry had a bad habit of getting overexcited and was a mite too easy to knock into the sea. Thus, Evan was strolling down the street with a bag full of gel slung over his shoulder.

He smiled beneath his breathing mask as he spotted a familiar pirate. Alexander was rallying more of their allies with encouraging shouts and music. Evan had a brief image of navy crews flowing off their ships to confront a diabolical figure before the group parted in front of Alexander. Before he could wonder what was happening, a loud trumpet blast rang out, and a shockwave ripped through the opening the other pirates had provided. They quickly formed to enclose the musician once more.

The pirates weren't as cooperative when Evan tried to push his way through, but he managed after a few reminders of who exactly he was. He knew he didn't leave the ship much, but not to recognize him at all was ridiculous. "Well, it looks to me as you've been tryin' to upstage your half-brother."

Alexander stopped playing to laugh. "No, just trying to be as useful to the cause as my own brother. He's off raising all kinds of hell. I ain't quite that offensive."

Evan nodded. "So you've been contributin' in more of a supportin' manner."

"I do what I can."

"Well, absorb your group into mine so's we can work together."

The musician bowed his head. "It'd be my pleasure. What's that you've got there?"

"Sea fire. Melt right through most things without givin' water an extnguishin' chance."

"Never heard of it."

Evan made as if to adjust the shoulder strap while actually disengaging the safety button for the dispenser. Exactly one cc of gel oozed onto his afro pick. He raked the tines against the dispenser to catch for leftover sea fire, then catapulted it at a nearby lamppost with his finger. Wiping the comb on the bag and putting it back in his hair, he drew out his box of matches and braced one against the ignition strip. With an easy flick, the match spun away, flaring in midair. The sea fire ignited with the sound of a pillow falling to the floor and burned ocean blue. He only had to wait a few moments before the post bent in half, then completely fell to the floor.

"That'll burn for a solid minute," Evan said. "It was designed for combat between ships, but it'll work on men just fine."

"You shoulda tried to meet up with Damien. You two would make quite a pair."

"I'm not as sure he'd take too kindly to being burned."

Alexander chuckled. "He occasionally swims in molten rock. I'm sure he'd be fine."

"Still, as interestin' as it is seein' you play a showtune or two, we've got to get to Hode."

"Quite right. Would you like to lead the way?"

"If you wouldn't mind clearing one."

The short pirate smiled and put his hand to the ground. "When I say the word, flick a match. Everyone out of the way!"

"Why should we?" shouted one of the men Evan had brought.

"Things are going to get hot. Huile Magie!"

What seemed like black cracks spread forward in a long, branching structure. The cracks' iridescence told Evan what it was immediately, and he flicked a match onto the street. Flames rushed along the oil, breaking up the enemy ranks. This provided Burn with the perfect opportunity. He flung sea fire forward, and the screams increased in volume and pitch. Men were rolling about, trying frantically to extinguish the blue flames. Some of his allies watched in horror, others trying to keep the smoke from their teary eyes.

To his mild surprise, Alexander had no reaction. He walked past the burning bodies without a second glance. "Hey, don't you got some sort of code against killin' folks?"

"_I_ didn't kill them," the alchemist pointed out. "I panicked them. You lit the oil. You're the one who killed them."

"That's a dangerous distinction you're holdin' there."

Alexander shrugged. "That may be so, but I myself have not killed anyone. I have provided support for my friends to kill people, and while an earthly judge would call me accessory to murder, the spirits are quite keen on that distinction."

Evan turned back to the battlefield. It wasn't his job to challenge the other pirate's beliefs. The two of the made a surprisingly good pair as they advanced down the street. Alexander seemed to anticipate what Burn wanted before he even needed to ask. He turned the street to water to trap enemies in metal, provided oil to reduce his sea fire consumption, and disoriented people with sonic attacks. It was uncanny. "You been reconning me?"

"Come again?"

"You said you wasn't spyin' when you was visitin' us. You're coordinatin' strange well."

"C'mon, mate. You forget that I've fought with and against Damien since we first met. You really think I wouldn't know how to deal with a man who fights with fire?"

Evan remained unconvinced. "That don't account for all of it."

"I'm hurt," Alexander said with a smile. "You were praising me a minute ago, now you're suspicious of me? I'm a Jones and a support fighter who's used to fighting alongside a Jones firefighter. Er, fire fighter."

The arsonist cracked a smile. "That does make some sort of sense."

"Good. Hothead and I had no agenda."

"You say that, but I took the liberty of noticin' you avoided givin' Bester the time of day."

"What can I say? Bester may look, sorry, have looked meek as milk, but what's outside doesn't always reflect what's in. I believe Saffia, but I also believe in Zoe. It's a good thing he wasn't any good at fighting."

"And you consider that fortunate why?"

Alexander's laugh was surprisingly dark. "Damien would have ripped him to shreds, and this war would have started a mite sooner. As it is, you get our support plus that of Captain and Lyn. Getting our two best fighters is nothing to sneeze at."

"Oh, my nose ain't snifflin'. Oop." A particularly strong fighter was halting their advance. Their nunchucks were nearly invisible as they batted aside pirates like ping pong balls. Their mask shrouded their face, but their trailing scarf was just begging to be set on fire. The sudden absence of the Black Glove Pirate at his side was noticeable, but Burn didn't pay him any more heed than any of his supposed allies. Sometimes, he just had to take a leap into the dark and let his fires light it up.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Yin's tires pulverized the roof tiles as they fought for purchase. A quick tap of her thumb sent an explosion to the back wheels, launching her from the building just as Damien crashed into it. She rode along the wall in a wide arc, showering the people below with masonry and glass. Her bike bounced a few times as it hit the street, but she was speeding along in no time. Debris became shrapnel as it was blown away by the constant explosions around her wheels. On most circumstances, she used her helmet because it helped her anonymity or she was paranoid that somebody would see her without it and tell the First. Now, it was to protect herself from the hell that she was raising.

Of course, the man on her tail was showing that the Marines hadn't been messing about when deciding upon his epithet. His body was wreathed in flames, and his mad laughter sounded like the earth cracking asunder. He showcased his surprising agility by gaining ground every time she turned or did some trick. He even ignored all fighters around him, single-mindedly focused on catching Yin.

Although the Breakthrough Assassins had only been led by Kung-Liangs for a few centuries and only family members became successors, Yin shared one similarity with her Moon Sisters: she had earned her title. She always stayed just out of Damien's reach while sowing as much chaos as she could. She widened the gap between them on straightaways and allowed him to shorten it when she changed directions or elevations. He knew she was just toying with him, and that made him all the more angry. His speed continued to increase, even the occasional bursts of movement, but her bike was nowhere near its limits. It had been designed specially for her to move extremely quickly while demolishing her surroundings.

She boosted onto the wall of the building and burst once again to soar across the street. Damien tried to snatch her from midair, but a small explosion sent her into a tight series of flips. The spinning slowed when her front wheel struck his head, and it only took a tiny pop to right herself once more. She landed on the roof and shot forwards. Unsurprisingly, Damien was a fraction of a second behind her, cackling at her little trick.

Her amusement was cut short as something slammed into her helmet and knocked her from her bike. She bounced roughly along the gravel and smashed through the low wall of the roof. Even dazed, she managed to get herself into a ball to minimize the damage she would take from landing. She still got the wind knocked out of her and skidded painfully along the street. Her bike crashed to the ground nearby, but she wasn't as worried about it. It had been designed to take much worse, and she had several more at home anyway.

As she pushed herself to her feet, she braced for the fiery onslaught she was sure would be coming. Much to her astonishment, Damien was nowhere to be found. She fluttered her wings to make sure they were okay as she tried to sight any signs of an incoming inferno, but to no success. Frustration built up within her. She didn't want him to consider her suddenly unworthy of fighting, and she really didn't want to let down the First.

He abruptly landed in front of her, barely any flames pouring from his body. He straightened up, then extended his arm to drop something at her feet. She stared at the disembodied head for a moment before grinning. "Is this a 'only I can defeat you' moment? How romantic."

"Yahahahar! Ain' about you, knuckledragger! I ain' abou' to 'ave me fuckin' fun ruined! We wasn' finished!"

Yin shook her head as she righted her bike and climbed onto it. The First really did have a knack for befriending the strangest of people, herself included. She revved her motorcycle a few times, and took Damien's joyous roar as his indication that he was ready. She leapt forward, and they resumed their chase as if the bullet in her helmet hadn't stopped them at all.

Unfortunately, it had not been a completely consequence-free interruption. When she realized he was no longer following her, she had a suspicion that her role as Damien's distraction was coming to an end. In that minute he hadn't been focused on her, he had detected another presence that would cause him no end of amusement. She circled back to find him staring about in puzzlement. He leapt onto a nearby building, and Yin knew he had found an even more interesting activity. Chasing her was fun, but there was little that could distract him from a worthy opponent. Flames gathered about his body, and he released them with a roar that shook mortar from buildings around him. His is body flared so brightly that she was forced to look away, and he was gone when she turned back.

Well, Yin hoped she had bought the First the time she needed. She picked up the receiver from a vest pocket and pressed the appropriate buttons. "I did what I could, First. Damien's sighted Wyntown."


	68. Flowery, Foxy, and Shiny

"I did what I could, First. Damien's sighted Wyntown."

Both Cassandras were immediately filled with apprehension. The one near Zoe told Lyn not to overexert herself before taking to the rooftops and sprinting away. Her enhanced strength and stamina swiftly left the first mate and other captain behind. The Cassandra closest to Hode dismantled her rifle and strapped it to her back. She then waved her hands to get the Fox Woman's attention. John crouched down, bringing the two captains somewhat closer together.

"We have a situation. Damien's on his way."

"So deal with him," John said before Hode opened her mouth.

This Cassandra smiled. "Well, since you asked so nicely…"

She hopped to the ground and took off. She initially headed in Damien's direction, then made an abrupt turn towards the Lightningbug captain. She knew she'd meet herself on the way. People swung and shot at her as she passed, but she was generally moving with the flow of Hode's supporters. She knew she had limited time to return and attempt to intercept her navigator, but Hode's side had advanced farther than she had initially planned. She was at the meeting point, and her other self was nowhere to be found.

Finally, she saw herself hauling ass across the rooftops. They met with nary a word and, a brief exchange of weapons and armaments later, both sprinted back towards Hode and John. Jordan flipped his clothes inside out and altered his torso into a bizarre octagonal shape. He gave a parting wave as he leapt into midair and never landed. Although Cassandra had been reluctant to leave Alexander on his own for any period of time, the fastest way for the impersonator to reach Damien was to borrow Raven's speed for a moment.

Cassandra reached Hode just before Damien did. The Fox Woman was in her hybrid form with her staff held before her. "Where did you go?"

"Thought I knew where he was coming from." She drew her knife and pistol in preparation. "Wasn't right."

"This was amusing at first, but no longer," John boomed. "Can you really not command him to stand down?"

"I can command him to do anything," she replied impishly. "Whether he'll obey is up to chance. Besides, life isn't interesting without a loose cannon shaking things up."

Any further conversation was silenced as the man in question came hurtling towards them, surrounded by a monstrous, fiery badger. Hode darted forward to attack, but Damien deflected her attack and threw her off balance. He ignored his captain as he passed, and she did likewise. He took off like a missile and slammed into John's gut, sending the wotan staggering backwards. John gave a shout of pain and tried to swat his opponent, but Damien easily evaded it and threw a kick that pushed John further back.

Hode whirled around with her staff clenched in furry hands, her feral eyes glowing. "Anything I want? Help John!"

"And get my own face pounded in? You're dear to me, Vix, but I'm not suicidal."

The Zoan snarled. "This was your plan?"

"I thought you knew better than that," Cassandra snapped, her playful mood evaporating. "I am not lying, Hode. I can't control Damien. He is the number one fighter on my crew by a long fucking shot. I have _never_ beat him in a fight. I can't. I rely on Miserie, and she's afraid of land. Normally, I just let him wear himself out and hope he hasn't killed anyone important. I'll tell you now: the only way to beat him is to fight to kill. I won't hold it against you. Just don't knock him out."

Hode curled her lip. "John!" she shouted at last. "Kill the bastard!"

The wotan's photophores lit up, and his arm moved in a blur. Damien tried to dodge in midair, but John's fist was too large to avoid. The berserker left a thin trail of fire in his wake as he flew away. John didn't believe Damien finished, however, and lumbered after his opponent. The earth shook with each of his steps, but most of the pirates were able to keep on their feet.

The Merry Pirate captain moved to follow her first mate, but a loud yell stopped her in her tracks. "HODE!" A fiendish grin flowed across her lips as she turned to face the approaching woman. Zoe looked like a goddess. Her diamond sword and armor shone so brightly it was almost painful, and she walked as if she owned the earth. "We need to talk!"

"No!" Hode growled happily. "We need to fight!"

Zoe caught the outthrust staff and held it fast. "Produce the poisoner."

Hode flipped over the staff and lashed out, her foot connecting solidly with Zoe's helmet as the Lightningbug captain blocked with her forehead. "Like you produced Bester?"

"Bester was simple and harmless!"

"So Saffia lied?"

"Your crew is full of liars!"

Hode hopped backwards, barely avoiding the gleaming sword swung at her. "We are, but not about something like this."

"Why not, Cunning Vixen? What are your limits?"

"_I have no limits_." The two captains pushed each other apart and clashed a moment later. Zoe obviously had the advantage of impenetrable armor and unbreakable sword, but Hode was faster and stronger. She was a scrappy fighter, using all manner of tricks with her cloak or shapeshifting to attack Zoe, but the armored captain showed her considerable experience and remained completely unfazed.

James arrived covered in soot, took one look, and aimed at the fox hybrid. She gave a low growl Cassandra stepped in her way. "This is between the two of them," the captain stated. "No outsiders needed."

"You're the outsider," James grated out around her cigar. "Now git."

"Sorry, but I'm gonna have to decline."

The single person artillery unit leveled two guns with gigantic barrels at Cassandra, who aimed her own pistols right back. "Those little things don't scare me."

She very badly wanted to retort, but her Sisters did have a point about her penchant for grandstanding. She probably could stand to tone it down against people who weren't terribly important. In this particular instance, the timing was too perfect to resist. "Fine. You're right. I concede."

James barely had time to look bewildered before a large metal foot impacted her side. Cassandra was somewhat surprised by the fact that Cain and Morgan were moving synchronously outside of basic bandit combat sequences, but she didn't have time to dwell on it. James tumbled end over end, sending bullets zipping every which way like angry hornets. The two bandits lumbered after her, absorbing each bullet to increase the thickness of Cain's living armor.

Lyn landed solidly beside her and laughed. "Wow, she sets a mean pace. What's up?"

Cassandra forcefully shoved her girlfriend away and took the arrow to the chest. She snarled as she turned to the archer standing on a nearby rooftop. "What is it with men and acting like idiots on this island?" She easily avoided the next one. "What's _your_ fucking problem with me?"

Will glanced over to Damien. "You're a liar."

"Frons Pietae!" Lyn, who had returned to try to pull the arrow from her girlfriend's chest, was kicked hard enough to send her flying. Shotgun pellets filled the air where the first mate had been a split-second before, some grazing Cassandra's foot as it snapped back. She spun on her heel to aim a pistol at both of her assailants. Will paused, his muscles tightening as he prepared to dodge, but her attention was mainly focused on the newcomer. "Now what did I ever do to _you?_"

Elmer Jewemy may have looked half his age and harmless, but his oversized double-barrelled shotgun was not to be taken lightly. "I'm on Hode's side, dawling."

She glanced at the massive wotan engaged with her navigator and sighed. "Since I am too, I'll only act in self-defense."

Saffia attempted to attack her from behind, only to be blocked by her armored girlfriend. "Do _not_ touch Cee!"

"Lyn, what did I say about-"

"Huile Magie!" Flames erupted all about, forcing everyone to scatter. She shot at Will and Jewemy a few times to keep them occupied as she covered Lyn. Saffia was about to attack once more when she realized most of her sword blade had melted away, replaced by an ocean blue flame. Burn's distinctive breathing mask appeared through the flames, and Cassandra wasn't surprised to see Alexander tagging along in his wake. The alchemist gave a roguish smile. "Sorry, did we interrupt?"

Saffia snatched a sword off the ground and charged them, only to be turned aside as Burn shot some sort of gel out of a nozzle. It ignited in midair, turning into a tsunami of boiling fire. Cassandra's eyes widened as she realized what it was, and she looked sharply at the two fighting captains. Zoe still seemed intent on subduing Hode, but the Zoan wasn't fighting as hard as Cassandra had thought she would. Pieces of a greater puzzle began falling into place, but she was still missing a corner piece or two.

She took advantage of Morgan and Cain passing through to pull the arrow from her chest. She turned to check on Lyn and was somewhat surprised to see that her girlfriend was actually fighting alongside one of the Merry Pirates. Alandale tackled Serra to the ground while Lyn held Yosef off of him. The first mate smashed the hilt of her rapier into Yosef's nose, only to be batted away in retaliation. Lyn executed a neat backwards tumble and regained her balance instantly, allowing her to lash out with her sword.

Cassandra snatched the arrow out of midair without even looking. She broke it in her fist and turned to the archer. "You're outta your fucking league, boy. Ferrum Bellonae!"

She threw a knife at Jewemy to prevent him from shooting at her. She leapt up the two stories to Will, shooting wildly to send him behind cover. The instant she landed, he darted towards her with his own guns outstretched. Their clash was that of pistoliers who were also skilled hand-to-hand combatants. They both struggled to to aim their guns at the other and keep the other's guns aimed away. This mostly involved pushing hands to the side, and Will was ever so slightly faster and stronger than she was.

Cassandra, on the other hand, had two significant advantages. Her Devil Fruit meant she could take a bullet so long as she scored a hit of her own, gunshot or otherwise, and Will was a brawler. He knew that he was supposed to use his elbows and legs, but didn't have seem to have any experience outside of bar fights. Cassandra had been trained on how to fight dirty. She knew the best way to take advantage of openings and deliver the maximum amount of damage.

It took one slip up from Will, one overextension, but that was all she needed. She dropped her pistols and kneed the inside of his thigh. He bent over slightly, allowing her to hook one arm to over his neck. Two sharp jabs to the stomach and chest knocked the wind out of him, but he still managed to hit the side of her head hard enough to daze her. Seeing no reason to hold back, she headbutted him to share the feeling. She recovered first and kneed him in the groin, feeling the satisfying mashing of flesh.

"Fuc-" With him still in a headlock, she cut his squeaked curse short by smashing him through a chimney.

She released him and retreated slightly, dancing around him and running her hands through her hair as she grinned. "Come on now, Will, surely you can do better than that! Stand up for your crew!"

What remained of the chimney burst apart in a swarm of shotgun pellets. Jewemy had laboriously climbed onto the roof, but one of James' stray grenades had caused his aim to stray. With no intention of giving him a second chance to shoot, Cassandra kicked one of Will's pistols at the smooth-skinned captain, her fist following just behind. Caught completely off-guard, Jewemy flew off the roof, crashed into the opposite building, and fell to the street.

If Will had been hoping for a respite, he received none. He had almost climbed to his feet when her back fist cracked across his jaw. She hauled the stunned pirate up by his shirt and grinned humorlessly. "You were right to say I'm a threat, Will, but you had no idea. Even Damien knows when he's out of his league. I'm giving you one last chance. Stand down so I can deal with my crew. Anything comes out of your mouth other than 'yes, ma'am' will be treated as refusal. Deal?"

The hunter spat to the side, but his attitude couldn't hide the flicker of fear from his face. She did nothing but smile and wait. He eventually gave in with a grumbled, "Yes, ma'am."

"Splendid! Oh, don't worry. You can whine to Hode about this later, but right now, there are more important issues to deal with. Just don't attack me or my crew again, or I'll kill you." She was pretty sure she wasn't supposed to hear him mutter under his breath and contemplated ignoring it. "Don't think I will? You've shot me six times. If you contest me, I _will_ repay the favor. Good man."

She peered into the battle boiling below. Zoe and Hode had a clearing all to their own, but everyone else was almost too packed to attack properly. Lyn was more than holding her own with Alandale at her side. No few large combatants were fighting it out with opponents of any size. Cain's living armor was constantly reforming as Morgan absorbed weapons from the ground and hands of fighters. Yin had carved a path nearby, TNR close on her tail. Alexander was lost somewhere in the melee, and who knew where Jordan was.

As impressive the fight was between the Merry Pirate captain and the Lightningbug Pirate captain, Cassandra couldn't help but join many others in watching Damien clash with John. The wotan's footsteps formed a continuous tiny earthquake as he tried to hit her navigator. John was fast, no question about it, but Damien had Raven for a sparring partner. The rare hit John did land was glancing and easily absorbed by the resilient navigator. A giant serpent of flame coiled around the gigantic fist mate and sank its teeth into his shoulder. The fire dissipated to reveal Damien had dug his claws in where the snake's fangs have been. She knew that she should feel some sort of pride about the fact that her crewmember could go toe-to-toe with a wotan, but she was more annoyed that he hadn't won yet.

"You had better not be aiming that at me," she said without turning around.

"Hode'll deal with you," Will snapped.

"Oh, we'll deal with each other," she agreed. "Don't you worry your little head about that."

"She's not gay."

The captain rolled her eyes. "What a coincidence, neither am I. Go call off your mutt before I shove that shotgun up his ass and use it as a spitroast."

Will tried to shove past her, only to stagger to the side as she braced herself. She helped him on his way by neatly tripping him and literally kicking his ass off the roof. She felt slightly bad as he fell face-first onto the street, but only slightly. He probably didn't deserve the abuse, but she didn't like having her feathers ruffled. He was a pretty good fighter. She just outclassed him in every aspect.

She spotted where she might be the most useful and leapt neatly onto the shoulders of the woman attempting to stab Alexander in the back. A swift knife stab to both temples brought the assailant crumpling down, and she caught her musician's upraised fist as he turned around. "Hold there, Warmhead. You could hurt someone."

"That's the plan."

"Where'd Burn get his hands on sea fire?"

He blinked as she caught a sword on her knife right before his eyes. "Is now the best time?"

"Never better!" With the added task of defending her nakama, her body seemed to gain an intuition of his own. She switched places with Alexander and crossed her arms above her head, preventing the dagger from penetrating her skull. She abruptly let her arms fall slack, catching the man by surprise. He managed to slice her face open, but he also leaned into a stray bullet that caught him in the ear and cheek. The gash on her forehead and cheek seared for a moment before it closed, and she slugged him full in the stomach instead of wiping the blood from her eye. She felt an organic shifting in his body after few more punches to the gut and hastily jerked his head to the side, letting a few nearby fighters to get covered in vomit.

The flat of her blade blocked a randomly-flung fist, though another bullet knocked the weapon away. The shirt she grabbed tore off in her fingers, but the fighter was still dragged ever so slightly off balance, placing him in the path of one of Zoe's most vocal supporters. She seized Alexander by the hand and spun him about once more. The rifle shot tore into her chest, and her mild satisfaction at hearing her shoulder blade break was swiftly replaced with numbing pain. Better in her than in him.

Much to her surprise, Alexander neatly stepped in front of her and filled his chest with air. She heard a single part of the otherworldly harmony before she muted her senses. His summoning shook her very core, and while she was sure most others suffered his rage, she felt reinvigorated. She knew that Alexander preferred fighting with other people, but as the direct recipient of this support, she hated to admit that even she had done what so many others had and would do: she had underestimated him.

"Magie von Trivia!" Her warcry mixed with the echos of his shout as she pulled herself to her feet. Her body felt even more energized despite the many wounds still regenerating. People all around her died from her swarm of bullets. Anyone who got nearby was knocked over backwards. She tugged on Alexander's collar, dipping him like a dance partner as a random bullet spray whizzed over his head. When she pulled him back up, he used the momentum to roughly shove a woman away and turn her clothes to metal.

Burn went soaring over their heads, tightly cartwheeling through the air. Cassandra reached up as Saffia followed behind him, snagging her ankle and bringing her crashing to the ground. The swordswoman was on her feet in an instant and whirled about with sparks in her eyes. Cassandra only smiled. "I'm still here if you want to talk."

Even though her sword had been melted, Saffia had her hand clenched as if she were still holding it. Her other hand went for a couple swift jabs, and Cassandra's hand stung as she slapped them aside. The swordswoman abruptly leaned in and lunged forward like she was trying to run Cassandra through. With Alexander at her back, she accepted the attack without dodging at all. To her surprise, instead of the punch she had been expecting, it actually felt like she had been stabbed with a sword. That said, she had withstood far worse. Her knee impacted Saffia's chin, snapping her head up, and the follow-up kick pushed the Merry Pirate fully away.

Saffia staggered backwards, but quickly regained her composure. She paused as, instead of continuing to attack, Cassandra backed up a step. A gush of ocean-colored fire rushed between them, and people started to scream. The pirate captain cut off the part of her shirt that had caught fire and allowed Alexander to duck past her. She couldn't fight with Burn, but the alchemist seemed to do just fine. After all, he had gotten this far with the Lightningbug Pirate with nary a scratch.

She turned her attention back to the chaos behind her. When her pistols ran out, she reloaded them and roughly shoved them into her holsters. She ripped the rifle from her back and assembled it with a few deft movements. The first round smashed a hole in the woman directly in front of her, gore flying in the bullet's wake. The second nearly took a person's head off, their jaw hanging loose. She used the rifle to block an outthrust streetlamp and shoved it away. She had the man's head lined up when she was interrupted.

"ENOUGH!" Cassandra's finger froze on the trigger. She dimly noted the sudden cessation of fighting. Many of the combatants on both sides slowly sank to the ground. Miniscule cracks were forming on the street and buildings. The sudden silence was almost as deafening as the fighting had been seconds ago.

None of that mattered. Fiery wrath clouded her vision. Someone had tried to dominate her. _Someone_ had tried to dominate _her_. She couldn't let that pass, no matter who that person was. She gradually pivoted so her rifle was aimed at Zoe Elaine, sighted down the barrel, and-

Everyone nearly lost their footing as the earth shook mightily. Debris and dust rushed over them in a billowing cloud. Familiar maniacal laughter snapped Cassandra back to her senses, and she couldn't help but join in. Zoe was incredibly strong, no doubt about it, but Cassandra was fairly certain that no force in existence could bend Damien to their will.

She lowered her rifle and hoped nobody had noticed. Fortunately, everyone was torn between the two captains and the sounds of Damien's pummeling coming from nearby. The decision was made for them as the sounds ceased and John's fist emerged from the dust cloud. Cassandra sighed as she smelled her navigator inside the wotan's closed fingers. She knew what was going to happen, but she wasn't in a position to stop it. John's fist slammed into the ground with the force of a meteor, forcing everyone to brace themselves on anything they could. After a few more smashes, he flung his arm out. Damien's trail of dust quickly dissipated, though Cassandra could see him crashing through several buildings in the distance.

John's climb to his feet was slow, but he managed. A few of his teeth were broken, and bruises and cuts marred his body. His piscine eyes roved the crowd, only settling on her when she waved her rifle in the air. He curled his lip, which released a large trickle of blood, and scoffed derisively. Cassandra felt no embarrassment or shame whatsoever for her navigator. He wouldn't want that.

"Enough," Zoe repeated, driving her sword into the ground. "You know buttin' heads was never my intent."

Hode spat to the side, still partially hunched and arms spread in preparation for an attack. "Then what do you call the army at your back?"

"Keepin' odds even. I know my man Bester couldn't break a gnat's leg, but we can all surprise ourselves when the chips a-settle." She leveled an armored finger at Saffia, who hadn't fully extracted herself from her wrestle with Burn. "She's the only one cognizant of the facts, and she ain't proven herself a truther. This turned into us versus you, and it can't last."

"Of course it won't," the Zoan snarled.

"With that acknowledged, do you still decline a truce?"

"This has gone beyond a handshake and tip of the hat."

Zoe's gaze narrowed. "Surely you can't be seeking recompense. Bester's the one who ate it."

"And what he did was more despicable."

"He was killed horribly. Even your heart isn't as black as to ask something of me."

Hode's response entered Cassandra's mind, but she had already begun parallel processing. She knew what was happening, but she didn't know why. Everything was going according to Hode's plan, and Cassandra just knew she hadn't made her mark yet. Of course, there was still the slight issue of her not wanting to be the center of attention, and that would absolutely not be the case very shortly. Her time was limited. She had to think.

While not quite invisible, Damien must still have appeared like a blur to most of the people around him. John was bodily tackled into the air, the sounds of cracking ribs hurting everyone's ears. Cassandra only had a few moments before eyes turned to her demanding an explanation. She unhooked Chief's receiver and murmured, "Seventh, bring him down. Fifth, when are you supposed to leave?"

Jordan wasted no time asking how she knew. "Ship's supposed to come in this evening."

"I thought so. All of you get back to _Pandion_ as fast as you can." As much as she wished Alexander weren't right beside her, she only hoped he could keep a level head. "The Marines are coming."


	69. Shots Unfired

Alexander spun on the ball of his foot, a manic look on his face. "What?"

"I'll explain later, but we need to leave right _now_."

"Where are they?"

She grabbed his tie and hauled him in close. "Don't lose your head. We need to get out of here. Seventh, bring Damien down. …Seventh?" All she could hear were countless blows hitting near simultaneously and heavy breathing. Her heart plummeted. Her plan had not included an adversary who could successfully stall Raven.

"Summer!" She turned to face the two captains. "Your boy is interrupting!"

Cassandra sighed loudly. "I did tell you not to knock him out. If you thought he was unreasonable before, you've got no chance now. He won't stop until John's dead. Oh, and you owe Lyn one million Beli."

"He won't stop unless he can be convinced otherwise," Zoe said. "I will do so, Hode, if you agree to this ceasefire."

The Zoan's amiable facade cracked. She glared daggers at Cassandra, who merely blew a small kiss in return. "Fine," she snarled, never taking her gaze from the blue-haired captain. "Truce."

Zoe shook her adversary's furry hand and dipped her head. "Jiang! I need your help!"

Cassandra and Hode broke their staring contest to focus on the third captain. Neither of them had ever heard of any Jiang on the Lightningbug Pirates before, both wondering how someone stronger than Zoe had remained hidden so long. On Cassandra's end, she knew her navigator would have known about them, and it was no surprise that he hadn't told her. She also knew it was yet another studied insult to Hode. Zoe was, by Damien's own admission, at least as strong as him, and he was in the process of beating John to death. For Zoe to ask Jiang to intervene indicated that she could have dealt with the Merry Pirates whenever she wanted.

However, Jiang was not making themselves known. Cassandra figured out the reason and closed her eyes in mock despair. "Seventh, stop fighting Jiang and get over here," she spoke into her receiver.

The sounds of fighting abruptly stopped, leaving only labored breathing. Cassandra looked up to see a lithe figure plummeting from the sky. Jiang made a crater when she hit the street, long black hair hanging limply over her face. She had a wicked sword in one hand and a curved axe in the other, both dripping with blood. Zoe had a hand on her shoulder before she could move. "Where've you been, girl?"

Jiang's frenzied eyes turned to Zoe, and for a moment, Cassandra was sure the tiny woman would pounce. Instead, shy happiness washed over her face, and she ducked her head. "Busy."

"Nothing too bad, I hope," Zoe said, looking her over. "If you'd do us all a favor and help calm my step-son down?"

"Preferably without fighting him," Cassandra added quickly. "Just lure him to the ocean. Miserie can take over from there." Jiang looked to her captain for confirmation and, upon receiving a quick nod, leapt off towards the berserk navigator.

Zoe faced Hode once more, her face as serene as ever. "Everyone, fall back!" she commanded, swinging her diamond sword into the air. "All of those true to me, we are finished! Those of you with grudges in your hearts are free to duke it out 'til the cows get tired, but as of this moment, my name and crew ain't behind you. Us 'Bugs're a-jettin' to Fieldbush."

She bowed her head in Cassandra's direction as she turned on her heel. For once, Cassandra didn't care about the mark being placed upon her. Unlike the rest of the crews present, she was neither staying on Dewpon nor heading to Fieldbush. She returned the head bow, and Zoe departed as regally as ever.

Hode was significantly less thrilled. She made a few dismissive hand jerks and spun on the ball of her foot. She halted by Cassandra and leaned down. "Well played, Summer."

"I didn't intend to get in your way," she replied quietly, "but whatever your dream is, consorting with the Marines is something even I wouldn't do. I have my honor as pirates."

The Fox Woman stared at her, then grinned madly. "Clever, clever girl. I'll just say this: you're the only one of us three who wants to be Pirate Queen. I'll be seeing you around."

"I'll be counting the seconds." After Hode sauntered off, Cassandra gnashed her teeth. She was pretty sure she hadn't mentioned her dream to anyone this island. Deep in thought, she stared after the departing captain. Her victory in their clash of minds suddenly felt less absolute. She shook her head as Cain and Morgan landed next to them. "We're leaving too," she said without preamble. "Take us back."

They all clambered onto the bandits, who traveled in short, well-aimed jumps. Fights were still in progress, but news of the ceasefire was spreading. Zoe was right in saying that people wouldn't just stop because she said so, but the knowledge that neither Hode nor Zoe was behind them took the wind out of quite a few sails. Although slightly envious of the power the two captains had had, Cassandra consoled herself in knowing she had accidentally been crucial in the resolution of the conflict.

They arrived at _Dusk Pandion_ to a notable absence of singing. They dropped into the main hall, where they all slid to the floor. Cassandra followed the trail of blood to the floor below, and the cause of the obvious smudges was evident when she entered the medical ward. Blood covered Miserie's dress and arms as she finished dragging Damien onto his bed. The captain was glad John had tried to bludgeon Damien into submission and that all of the blood was the wotan's.

What concerned her most was her doctor. Gone were Raven's fast and fluid movements, replaced by slow, overly cautious ones. As long as Cassandra had known her, Raven had only been injured in combat one other time. Judging the situation under control, she turned around and crossed her arms. "Who's Jiang?"

Alexander peeked around her to confirm his friend's stability before answering. "Mayor's sister. I never met her myself, since she's apparently extremely picky about meeting new people."

"So of course Damien did."

He shrugged. "Maybe. You'll have to ask him when he wakes up. That's not important. What's this about Mar-"

The second mate was almost knocked over as Lyn and Cassandra both tried to cover his mouth. "We are leaving before they get here," the captain hissed.

"I thought you were braver than that," he snapped. "Why are we running?"

"Because this isn't just a routine stop. Hode made a deal of some sort with them. That's why she was prolonging the fighting and stalling Zoe. I think she was trying to offer the Lightningbugs up in exchange for something."

"That didn't answer my question."

"They won't be sending a simple crew. They'll be sending in some big guns to deal with the likes of Zoe."

His hands clenched into fists. "So if you're victim of a tiny slight, we stay, but if there's a chance to deal with the fucking trash that destroyed my home, it's perfectly fine to turn tail?"

"You're being stupid and you know it," she said. "Yes, we're leaving before we fight _one_ band of them. We're fucking pirates. We'll be fighting thousands upon thousands of them with much more importance than the ones that are coming here. Let this one bunch go."

Alexander glared at her, then shoved his way past to sit by his friend, slamming the doors behind him. Cassandra took a calming breath and turned to her girlfriend. "I think he's right," Lyn said quickly. "It's not just cops and robbers to us. They used excessive force on a bunch of reformed and retired criminals to massacre them all. How can you not hate them for that?"

"You know that I do," Cassandra sighed. "Believe me, they will pay for what they've done. Right here, right now, though, I need to focus on us. Yes, the Marines won't be focused on a no-name crew like ours when there's someone like Zoe to be caught, but imagine if the 'Bugs escaped and the Marines suddenly had other crews to scrutinize. Damien and Raven are both hurt." Lyn's eyes widened. "Yes, Raven. It's not bad, but I don't care. I will keep everyone safe, and for that, I say we leave."

"Sounds good." Lyn grabbed Cassandra's hand as the captain ascended to the main deck. The two bandits only needed a few words to begin preparing for travel. This left Cassandra's two Sisters, who were chatting idly about different brands of beer. Jordan looked up first, but Yin beat him to the punch.

"Everything you need for Scarab Island is in your room and cargo hold. Remember, you can't kill any VIPs or my ass will be handed to me."

"C'mon, Yin, when have I let you down? Specifically about assignments," she amended quickly when the bomber opened her mouth. "I'll be sure to carry everything out to the detail."

"As if I'd expect anything less." Yin shifted against her motorcycle. "It's high tide soon. I guess you're heading out in a few hours?"

"We'll be going against the tide. Yes, my dumbass navigator would be incredibly useful right now, but that's Damien for you. We'll manage somehow." It didn't take a genius to see why Yin was fidgeting. Cassandra swept the Shandorian up in a tight hug and, ignoring the vocal protests, planted a firm kiss on her eyebrow right above her piercing. Cassandra ran her left hand slowly down Yin's spine and rested on the half-moon birthmark on her tailbone, revealed by her customary cropped top and vest. "If you ever miss me, it's not that hard to figure out where I am and drop a line."

"I'm not five, First!" Yin insisted. "You don't need to comfort me." Her prolonged hug belied her words, and the reason for her quick release was evident when Cassandra turned to Jordan and saw him and Lyn dramatically overcome by the cuteness. They had mercifully remained silent, but there was no ignoring their hands clasped behind their tilted faces. "Fuck the both of you. And you, just because you're dating the First doesn't mean I won't hit you."

"Does that mean I get to hit on your boyfriends?" Lyn quickly ran away with Yin hot on her heels.

Jordan waited for his hug with open arms, only for Cassandra to raise an eyebrow. "What, after everything you've put me through? You're lucky I'm not kicking your ass."

"Hey, you wouldn't be with Lynlyn without me," he said. "I gave you both all the pushes that got you here."

"Of all the Moon Sisters, Raven can claim the most credit for setting that in motion, not you."

"But I was the one who reminded Lyn never to leave you on Brickwork."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "She told me that way before you showed up." She grinned at his dejected expression. "But you did do one thing during your stay that nobody else could have: you laid me bare so Lyn could really see who I am, and she loves me anyway. So thank you."

His face literally reconfigured itself so quickly that he overshot a bit and revealed his true joy for a moment before settling into a smug grin. "No sweat. It's just what I do. Hell, when you two break up, I'll be happy to- I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" he laughed as she swatted him. "Seriously, I'm happy for you. You deserve her."

She hugged him tightly so he didn't see how much his words meant. "Never change, Jay."

"I always do." It might have been a trick of the light, but his eyes looked a touch watery when he pulled away. He lengthened his arm so he could snag Lyn as she passed by. "Godspeed, the lot of you. Remember, Lynlyn, we're never too far away."

"Then you should swing by!" the artist said brightly. Jordan laughed and waved farewell as he hopped off the ship. After a few steps, a large man passed in front of him, and he was gone. "And I just _know_ we'll be seeing you sometime soon."

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Cassandra turned away to hide her laughter. Yin's overacting was terrible whenever she 'accidentally' turned off her hearing aids. "DID YOU SAY SOMETHING? OH WELL, GOTTA RUN!"

The Shandorian hopped onto her motorcycle and took special care to turn her headband inside out. While the circle was still half white and half black, the straight line had been replaced with a winding curve. She pulled on her helmet and revved her motorcycle a few times. She put two fingers to her closed visor, then pointed them at Lyn. Cassandra caught the bomber's attention and signed a reminder of the last time Yin had jumped the gun regarding one of her datemates. Yin's laughter could be heard over the sounds of her engine. She twisted the handle, and the motorcycle drove straight off _Dusk Pandion_ and into the crowd.

Cassandra rubbed her eyes and gratefully leaned in when Lyn put an arm around her shoulders. "We'll see them again, Cee."

"Yeah, and way too soon." She took a moment to compose herself before ascending to the wheel. "All set?"

"Aye," Cain boomed, Morgan nodding in agreement.

She planted her feet firm and grabbed the wheel. It wasn't often that she subbed in for Damien, but she needed it right now. "Then anchors up and push us off. Let's go."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Yin circled the block and returned to the docks when she was sure the ship was on its way. She wasn't surprised to find the Fifth leaning against one of the dock's wooden pillars with a lit cigarette in his hand. The androgyne quickly looked away as Yin approached, but she made no comment. When he turned back, he smiled softly and offered her his pack of cigarettes. Ordinarily, she would have been outraged by the mere idea of breaking her vow, but she knew what he meant. She shook her head and pulled out one of the many packets of berries she had stashed in her pockets.

She watched the departing ship for a moment, only turning away when she felt the Fifth tap her shoulder. "_Turn your fucking hearing aids back on_," he signed, his hands moving with practiced ease.

"_Why? This is fine_."

He smiled and shook his head. "_So what do you think?_"

"_About what?_" He gave her a look. "_She'll be fine, as always. I mean, she _is _the First. They're a crazy bunch, but nothing she can't handle._"

"_I can't imagine her having any other type of crew. She's a bit too easy on them, but what do I know about leading motherfuckers like that?_"

"_Says Thousand Face._"

He snorted. "_Hey, my family's not that bad. Most of the time. She got plenty of experience trying to rope us in line, I guess. Shit, though, I thought we'd never see that smile again after that business with Coco._"

Yin agreed. As much as she didn't like Lyn - and she didn't like Lyn, partially because no person had the right to be so likable - she had to hand it to the woman for making their eldest Sister so happy. "_The First's luck with datemates finally turned around._"

"_I hope so. I'm still a bit worried about her._"

"_What do you mean?_"

He swatted her head. "_Maybe if you'd let me finish, you'd find out. I mean, she's totally head over tits for Lynlyn, and that's good because Lynlyn's the same. It just feels like she's… I don't know… scared, I guess? Not of her future or anything like that. She'd talk down Death itself if it got in her way, and I'm pretty sure she has already. It's just… with Lynlyn… she can't believe it. Sorta. You know what I mean?_"

The bomber pondered this. While she had spent nowhere near as much time with the crew as the Fifth had, she still considered herself reasonably adept at understanding her Sisters. "_I think so. Like if you're you're on a winning streak and you don't know when you're luck's gonna run out?_"

"_Yeah, that. Exactly. It's like she can't believe she got someone like Lynlyn, though in all fairness, _I_ can't believe she got someone like Lynlyn. Things are looking too good for her right now._"

"_Well, we're all putting our chips on Lyn now,_" Yin sighed. "_You realize there'd be nothing we could do to cheer the First up if Lyn broke her heart, right?_"

The Fifth took an extra long drag. "_Short of the five of us resigning and whisking Cici and Raerae off to our own little island, no. But see, that's the thing. I'm not worried about that._" It was Yin's turn to give him a look. "_All right, it could happen, but that's not what I'm talking about. It's like there wouldn't _be _a heartbreak. She'd just be all understanding and shit that Lynlyn had to leave._"

Yin frowned. "_How do you figure that?_"

"_Stop thinking like yourself for a moment and start thinking like an ex-assassin who loves women. Lyn's a knockout. She's sweet. She's funny. She may not the sharpest knife on the belt, but that just makes her more adorable. Plus, she's a bit of a bad girl, what with the petty theft and being pan and all. She's exactly the kind of person Cici needed when she got the boot, and she was practically the first person Cici met._"

"_You forgot to mention a promiscuous drug user. How _did_ you not get your ear screamed off when she found out you started smoking?_"

He waved the hand with his cigarette. "_Made something up about a purge._"

"_She's gonna murder you when I tell her._"

"_Not if I tell her you were the one who Oathoath cheated with._"

Yin straightened up. "_Hey, I proved he was only trying to get in an heiress' pants, didn't I?_"

"_And I seem to recall you not piping up when she said she was going to skin the bitch he cheated with._"

"_I rather like my skin, thank you very much. It's been with me for most of my life._"

They remained silent for a moment. "_I try to keep it below a pack a day. It's not going to kill me._"

"_It's not going to be the _thing _that kills you. You're just lucky your Fruit covers the weaknesses you'd have with smoking._"

"_True._" _Dusk Pandion_ was slowly curving away in the distance to follow the Pose.

The bomber sighed. "_We're totally screwed if Lyn dies, you know_."

"_Don't worry about that. Raerae's on the job_."

"_What do you mean?_"

The Fifth gave a smug grin. "_Interesting fact about her being a doctor: she doesn't care to prevent injury, only to treat it. That's how she beat me on Brickwork. However, as a request purely from one Moon Sister to another, she now protects Lynlyn as well as Cici._"

She grudgingly admitted that was a good idea. "_I guess that'll do for now_."

"_And Lynlyn isn't a recreational druggie._"

"_As if that's one of their concerns. You heard her say that she wasn't faithful in any of her relationships, right?_"

"_Says the one eyeing three different guys._"

Yin scowled, her wings ruffling beneath her vest. "_You know that's different. I'm just wired that w- it's not the same._"

"_Ah, the classic 'Because It's Me' excuse,_" the Fifth signed slowly. "_Nothing beats that justification._"

"_I do have committed relationships._"

"_With multiple people._"

"_Yeah, that's better than just fucking around behind someone's back!_"

He gave a muted laugh. "_And just what the fuck makes you think Lynlyn can do anything behind Cici's back? They trust each other, sure, but Cici's an assassin. That poison's in too deep. Lynlyn, Alal, and even Momo do nothing without her knowing about it._"

"_Isn't that the reason all eight of them are still alive?_"

"_Yeah, and that makes it worse. That's my point. Lynlyn wouldn't do anything to hurt Cici. She's different, and Cici knows that. She won't prevent Lynlyn from doing anything, because she's scared of holding her too tightly and suffocating her._"

Yin screwed up her face. "_Gods, is that what all lesbian… woman and woman relationships are like? How do they even function?_"

"_And just what gives you- Shishi's luck with girls has nothing to do with this,_" she stopped as the Fifth laughed. "_Oh, fuck off. Speaking of, how are we going to tell the others? I call-_"

"_The Second!_" Yin signed just as he finished with, "_-Shishi!_"

They glowered at each other, both knowing how ecstatic the assassin would be upon hearing the news. "_Fine, we'll find a way to do it together,_" the Fifth conceded. "_Do you want Pypy or Jenjen?_"

"_I might be able to visit the Third in the free time the First's buying me, so you can have the Fourth._"

"_Works for me. I want to see her fucking face when she hears she was right._"

"_Good, I won't have to deal with her being insufferable._"

He chuckled. "_I can just give her the slip if I want to._"

"_You're such a bitch._"

His laughter grew as he briefly wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "_We all are. That's why we're the best._"

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Captain Christie Mings drummed her fingers on her forearm as she stared at the pirate before her. She wanted to skin Hode and make a new coat, but she had Orders. While she had no problem working around orders, since pirates were pirates and deserved every bit of suffering they got, Orders were a different matter entirely. Her zealousness had helped her rapid ascent through the ranks, but another part of it was her resolution to stick to Orders.

"So here you stand without Zoe Elaine, the sea fire, or the stolen Washing Fruit. That's quite a strikeout."

"That may be," said the half-fox, all-vixen, "so I can't quite deliver there. However, I might be able to be of some sort of use in a different way. Not for the original terms, obviously. Just to buy myself some extra time."

"I highly doubt you can weasel your way out of this, vermin."

Hode's smile was infuriatingly placid. "Oh, well, this isn't exactly for you, Captain. Would I be mistaken in saying one of your commanders has a bone to pick with a certain Amaranth and Infernal. That's why they sent you here, isn't it?"

Christie closed her eyes as countless claws erupted from Theresa's clothes. "We know they switched Poses to bypass Rime, so they're somewhere around here. What of it?"

"They're not, actually. They've skipped yet again. Even better, I can tell you for a fact that they're not heading to Fieldbush. Shine and I had every ship in the area between us, and none of them had set Poses. So the question is: where are they going?"

The Marine captain stared at her contemplatively. While she personally didn't care about the Black Glove Pirates, they did have the higher combined bounty and Theresa had a personal vendetta against them. Besides, Hode was protected by Orders. "Do you know?"

"No, but I can tell you who does."

"And who might that be?"

"She met up with a short biker chick about yea tall, wears red and black and loves explosions. Plus, it shouldn't be hard to find her and the motorbike she rides. You have seen what it did, yes?"

"And what was their connection?" Hode's aggravating smile widened, but the Marine's expression remained unchanged. "Fine, you may have your extension. The information. Now."

Hode waggled a finger. "Ah, ah, ah! I want a formal note of it so you can't back down."

"I'm not a pirate. I keep my word. Otherwise, you wouldn't still be here. Or rather, some of you would be here, some over there, and who knows where the rest would be?"

Most of the Merry Pirates behind their captain bristled at this, but Hode only laughed. "Oh, I believe you. Gannets are raptors, after all, though I doubt they dine upon foxes."

"I would be happy to make an exception. Their connection."

"They're sisters. Half-sisters if I'm any judge. About the same age, but don't look a thing alike. In fact, another one of those sisters is on her crew."

"A shapeshifter?" Theresa interjected.

The Zoan's furry brow crinkled for a fraction of a second. "Yes, a young woman named Jordan who is exceptionally talented at adopting identities. I suspect she ate a Fruit that allows for the copying of appearances."

Christie said nothing.

"Oh, and of course I have another gift for you as well. What else would you call forty days' worth of crews for the picking?"

"We were going to get them anyway. Where do you think my fellow captains are?"

"Splashing about. Dewpon is such a nice island."

"And you _will_ tell us every single detail you know about the crews."

"That will take a while, and I've just come from a rather taxing battle. Might we-"

"You will come with us to our ship now, alone. One of your crew can bring over any materials you might require."

Hode clicked her tongue. "Me, all on my lonesome on a Marine ship? I wouldn't feel very safe."

Christie was in front of the Zoan with a fistful of her shirt before she could blink. The Merry Pirates were frozen solid, extremely aware that any movement at all would result in rank upon rank of Marines opening fire. "Safe? _Safe?_ A fucking pirate dares to speak about feeling safe? What about the citizens of Dewpon, cumbitch? Do you think _they_ felt safe when you and your gangs of criminal scum rampaged through their cities? Do you think the people in Paranamiri who lost their homes feel safe? Do you think they allow their children to roam the streets, knowing they're safe?

"No. You pirates have no rights. You steal, pillage, destroy, and murder all because your sick fucking minds think that might makes right. If you're strong enough to take what you want, little things like rules and common decency don't matter. You are the reason that people nowhere feel safe. You wouldn't feel safe? _Good_. You dirtslags don't deserve to feel safe."

Hode's yellow-green eyes stared penetratingly into hers. "All better now that you've gotten that off your chest?" Christie's forehead crashed into the Fox Woman's mouth, knocking the pirate to the ground. Hode gingerly probed her mouth with her fingers, lingering on a freshly chipped tooth. "Careful, Gannet."

"You seem to be operating under the assumption that you have some modicum of power in this situation. Allow me to rectify this. You have valuable information, but that information is not that important. If we don't find out from you, we'll find out from some other source. You are not special, and you are not unique. Theresa, lead her to the ship."

The Zoan spread her arms and bent forward in a deep bow. She whirled around with a sweep of her cloak and sashayed away, her white-tipped tail swaying from side to side. About half of the Marines followed the commander, leaving the rest to face the Merry Pirates with Christie. "As for you lot, you are to go straight back to your ship. Do not dally; do not stop. You there, minstrel, gather any paper information you have on your ship and bring it to mine. These fine men and women will escort you. If any of you do not want to follow my orders, step forward now." The pirates leaned ever so slightly back. "Don't be shy. I promise the punishment will be significantly worse if you try to deviate from my orders in any way later. If any of you want to challenge me, I welcome it. No? Then get moving."

Christie continued watched the group of Marines and pirates depart. Her superiors were undoubtedly correct on how useful the Merry captain could be, but Christie's suspicions had been confirmed. Hode would be an asset, but there was no way she could be allowed to gallivant about unrestricted. She would need a Marine handler, and Christie was fairly certain even a commodore might be too little. She spat on the ground and walked off towards her ship.


	70. Working Out the Facts

Cassandra would never get tired of waking up in Lyn's embrace. This was why she was slightly disappointed to find her girlfriend sprawled out over the rest of their bed. Still half asleep, she rolled over next to Lyn, resting her head on the sleeping woman's chest and one arm across her stomach. She had almost dozed off once more when Lyn abruptly turned over, sending Cassandra spinning to the other side of the bed with a yelp. The blue-haired woman grabbed one of her pillows and smacked Lyn into wakefulness. "What the hell?"

Lyn groaned as she feebly fended off the attacks. "Stoppit, babe, you're too hot…"

"Now is really not the time-"

"No…" The first mate grabbed the offending pillow. "The roasty toasty kind…"

"Well, I'm cold because you always kick off the covers," Cassandra retorted, "so you're just going to have to live with it."

"Meanie…" Lyn nevertheless allowed her girlfriend to return to her initial snuggling position. As Cassandra was no longer sleepy, she was simply content to lie next to Lyn. She lightly traced her love's new tattoo with her fingers, still in shock that Lyn had insisted upon getting it. An anatomically accurate heart was inked above her left breast, right beneath where Cassandra loved to rest her head. A bullet inscribed with 'I LOVE YOU' punctured the heart and crossed Lyn's chest, a double helix of magenta-yellow-cyan and pink-purple-blue tracing its path. Crimson amaranths spilled from the exit wound, tumbling across her chest and between her breasts.

Cassandra's protests had been vocal, but they both knew she wouldn't go so far as to say that Lyn couldn't get the tattoo. When she mentioned how Lyn might stop loving her and come to regret the tattoo, the first mate simply dismissed the idea and that was the end of that. Cassandra could barely look at it without grinning like an idiot and hoped with every fiber of her being that she was wrong and Lyn was right.

She only dimly paid attention to what the rest of her crew was doing. Miserie and Morgan argued in the galley over including shrimp in the breakfast menu. Cain and Damien seemed to be trying to drown each other's snores out despite being on opposite sides of the ship, and Alexander was either an extremely relaxed lookout or he had drifted off. The only sound Raven made was her heartbeat. Still, Cassandra most treasured hearing the air flowing in and out of her girlfriend's chest and the thudding of Lyn's lifeblood moving through her body.

It was physically painful to move from her position, but she forced herself to do it anyway. She sleepily pulled on a tank top, pajama pants, and gloves as she exited the women's quarters. The occupants of the galley immediately froze when she cleared her throat to announce her presence. It was just slightly too late to pretend like nothing was going on. Miserie had a fistful of Morgan's hair and her other fist drawn back, while Morgan had his hand planted on her chest and a dented frying pan raised above his head. It would probably take Cain's strength and expertise to make it usable again.

The best thing to do, she felt, would be to do nothing. She therefore stepped wordlessly over the two pirates and walked over to the fridge. Although she knew they were staring at her in shock, she kept her face perfectly blank. She pulled the jug of apple juice from the fridge and poured herself two glasses. After slowly drinking both of them and smacking her lips in satisfaction, she refilled one and filled the other with strawberry lemonade. She glanced at the bacon frying on the stove and lightly shook the pan to prevent its contents from burning. "When will breakfast be ready?"

"Twenty minutes," Morgan said cautiously.

"See you then." She stepped back over them and left the galley, smiling as she heard them disentangle themselves and awkwardly trying to figure out what had just happened. The sight of Lyn was still snoozing away made Cassandra's heart swell with happiness. She quietly put the first mate's lemonade on her bedside table and the apple juice on her own. After quickly peeing and brushing her teeth, she returned to her bed and slowly cuddled up to her girlfriend once more. Lyn actually responded this time, turning to face her and throwing an arm over her shoulders. The skin contact sent warmth flooding through her body, and she closed her eyes in contentment.

As happy as she was, her stomach still twinged at the aroma of food. She chuckled to herself as she smelled cooking shrimp along with the bacon, eggs, and freshly-cut fruit she had already seen being prepared. She slowly ran her hand down Lyn's back and gently squeezed her butt. "Do you want breakfast?"

Lyn's brow slowly furrowed as she processed the words. She eventually came to a decision, vocalized as a near-silent, "Noooooooo…"

"Well, I'll bring some up for you."

"Noooooooo…" Lyn moaned more loudly as Cassandra tried to get up. "Staaaaaaaaay…"

"I'm hungry, so no."

The first mate remained motionless for a while, then groaned as if undertaking the most difficult task in the world. She slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes, yawning widely. Peering blearily around, she located the glass of lemonade and sloppily guzzled it down. Cassandra couldn't help but inhale sharply at the drops that ran down Lyn's chin and chest, but she knew that if she gave in, who knew when they would actually emerge to go get food. She focused on downing her own glass of juice, though it wasn't quite as distracting as she had hoped.

She contemplated changing out of pyjamas as Lyn trudged into the bathroom, but ultimately decided she didn't need to quite yet. She patiently waited for Lyn to finish, idly tidying up some of the artist's drawings. When Lyn emerged, her eyes had gained some of their usual luminosity and a crooked smile graced her lips. "Morning, gorgeous."

"Good morning." Cassandra tilted her chin up so Lyn could more easily kiss her. "I'm sorry for hitting you."

Lyn raised her eyebrows. "That's all I get for a 'sorry?'"

Cassandra leaned in, prompting Lyn to do the same, only to put a gloved finger between their lips at the last second. "Breakfast time."

The artist pulled Cassandra's arm down and gently pressed their lips together. Cassandra melted in Lyn's embrace, her body pressing fully against her girlfriend's. Thoughts regarding her crew, ship, and stomach slowly disappeared in a hazy, delightful cloud. Her fingers wound their way into Lyn's hair as Lyn pulled her hips closer. She tilted her head to the side, allowing Lyn to plant feathery kisses up along her jaw. She barely stifled her moan when Lyn licked just behind her ear, and she nearly bit her lip in half.

"Lyn…" she managed with only a small tremble in her voice.

"Fine." The woman pulled back with an unfairly brilliant smile. "But only because you can't be quiet."

Pulling off her gloves, Cassandra pushed her girlfriend against her desk and trailed kisses down her neck. She stopped at Lyn's collarbone and began lightly nibbling on it. Lyn's amused smirk dwindled when Cassandra's fingers began tenderly moving between her legs. She lifted one leg onto the desk and turned her hips to give her girlfriend better access. She belatedly realized what was going to happen and grabbed Cassandra's arm to keep it in place, only to have the captain's fingers draw back. "No, Cee, don't- you can be quiet. You're the quietest person I know, seriously. Raven's a rock band compared to you."

"I'm not a nice person…" Cassandra said in a sing-song voice, but couldn't keep her cool facade for very long. "But I love you too much."

She resumed rubbing her fingers in circles, and Lyn shifted down to kiss her nose, then her lips. The artist carelessly shoved all of her drawings away and lay back, pulling Cassandra on top of her. Cassandra easily slipped a soaked finger between Lyn's folds, savoring the moan muted by her mouth. Lyn began grinding against her hand, then pushed Cassandra's head back so she could pant, "More, more…"

Cassandra crushed their lips together as she slipped in another finger, stifling Lyn's cry of pleasure. Her fingers moved faster in rhythm with Lyn's hips, and the first mate's fingernails dug into her back. She let up for a moment for Lyn to catch her breath and took the time to kiss her nose and brow. Cassandra's fingers began moving rapidly again, this time with her thumb circling Lyn's clit. The novice's amorous cries grew louder and closer together, and Cassandra's breathing quickened in response.

Lyn abruptly stiffened, clenching her thighs together and squeezing Cassandra's head against her own. When she relaxed, Cassandra pulled back and stared fervently at her beloved. Lyn's eyes sparkled with euphoria, and the captain couldn't help but kiss her flushed cheeks. "I don't think you're very quiet either."

The artist's smile was blinding. "Yeah, but you cheated! I was only kissing!"

Cassandra lowered her head to do just that. "Mmm, I love cheating."

"More than you love me?"

The captain sat up and put her hand to her chin in mock thought, then laughed as she defended herself from Lyn's lighthearted attacks. "Of course not, of course not! I love you most of all."

"That's better. Now if _someone_'s done playing around, we can get ready for breakfast."

"And that's the last time I'm making you come for the next month."

"Not funny, even as a joke."

They washed each other off to make themselves presentable and managed to only get a little sidetracked. A loud towel smack resulted in Lyn sprinting out of the room with Cassandra hot on her heels. The first mate vaulted over their bed and spun around, her arms outspread challengingly. Cassandra mirrored her at first, then made a face so silly that Lyn fell to the floor laughing. The captain somersaulted on the bed and dismounted on her feet, lightly bonking Lyn's head on her way past. "Breakfast is ready. Let's go eat."

"Sounds good!"

"Are you going to put something on or…"

"In a bit. I'm still hot."

"Then at least bring a sitting towel."

Cassandra rolled her eyes at Lyn's sigh of exasperation and returned to the galley. Morgan and Cain were waiting patiently for the two women to arrive, and Miserie was tucked away in her booth in the corner. Damien, on the other hand, already had his face buried in some hunk of meat. He looked up as they sat down and grinned messily. "Swappin' carpet for real food, ah?"

The assassin gave a broad smile. "You know I'm a stickler for a balanced diet."

The cautious atmosphere completely deflated at her words. Morgan's freckles, while still partially visible when Damien had spoken, vanished completely beneath his flush. "Please, we are trying to eat here. Okay, I admit I probably could have chosen my words more carefully," he said as even Cain choked back laughter.

"Oh," Miserie said brightly after Lyn's whispered explanation, "that makes sense!"

"What does?" Alexander asked as he entered. Lyn was visibly disappointed when he took the seat next to her without reacting to her nudity whatsoever.

Miserie was all too happy to explain. "Damien said 'swapping carpet for real food' after Captain and Lyn were-"

"I get it," he interrupted, holding up his hand. "Cain, do us all a favor and work on soundproofing this ceiling."

Cassandra smirked. "See, I told you you were too loud."

Lyn huffed and crossed her arms. "Yeah, it's all _my_ fault."

"She got a point, Cap'n," Damien said.

"Well, I'm sorry I'm so good at everything I do."

"How can you remain quiet?" Morgan hissed across the table.

Alexander finished chewing his bacon. "This is much less painful than dancing around pretending they don't love each other, and I'm really hungry after all that shit yesterday."

"What about propriety? What about decency?"

"It's breakfast among nakama."

Morgan looked around for another source of support. "Cain, was everyone not presentable in the mess hall?"

"Bandits, not pirates."

He threw up his hands in exasperation. "So shall I stroll about stark naked loudly bragging about my sexual escapades?"

"Fine by me," Cassandra stated around a mouthful of eggs. "A couple things, though. First, I reserve the right to shoot off any erection I see. Second, you can't brag about what doesn't exist."

She had thought the prince's face couldn't get redder, but it managed to somehow. "Are you- I'm not- that's-"

Alexander nodded sagely. "Well said. Pass the shrimp, please."

"Well, to be honest, you _are_ kinda freaking me out," Lyn said, handing him the bowl. "You used to be so gung-ho about what's proper and inappropriate."

He shrugged. "It's out of my hands now."

"And what's that's supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"I think you being you is how things should be. Nice tattoo, by the way."

Cassandra was the only one who knew the comment wasn't intended for Lyn, and she needed to stop that train of conversation before it even started. "Alright, second mate, lay out this Jones business for us clean and simple."

"And why are you just asking him now?" Morgan asked.

"All I cared about on Dewpon was that they had a connection. How it worked didn't matter, since it really only affected Alexander, and as surprising as you can be, you're not exactly a tide-changer. Some other bastard just does what he wants anyway."

The musician was only too happy to explain. "It's a pirate tradition. It only applies to children born at sea, and the person giving birth can't have intentionally gone to sea just to have Jones children. It also helps if the child was conceived at sea, but that's always a bit trickier to nail down. Since they were born amidst the waves, they have the opportunity to claim Sir Davy's surname as their own. There's always people who call themselves Joneses because they want that extra credibility, but that's missing the point. It's not about the children. It's about the mothers."

"Mothers?" Miserie repeated. "Why mothers?"

"Birthgivers, technically, but it's thought of as a maternal tradition."

Damien slammed his hand on the table as he bent forward. "Aye, the cumlings get credit fer survivin', but i's th' cunt tha' carried on at sea despite th' fuckin' parasite an' squirted it out 'oo matters. If th' twat an' the sprog both 'it land alive, i's done."

"The child is a Jones, and their mother is honored. That's why we had to be on Zoe's side. We're Joneses too, after all."

"So your full name is Alexander Jones?" Raven droned from her position on the ceiling, startling everyone but Damien and Cassandra.

Alexander tipped his head from side to side. "Considering what we did back on the Charred Island, we have no right to call ourselves Joneses. That's why I go by my mother's maiden name-"

"But that's not your fault!" Lyn blurted out. "That was the Marines, not you! You always say how the difference between your blood and ocean water is color - not actually, Raven - so that's no reason to not follow tradition!"

"_You_ are lecturing _me_ about tradition?" he said incredulously.

"Yeah! It lets everyone know who you really are!"

"We ain' usin' it," Damien snarled, his sudden anger destroying the previous light mood.

Cassandra would not let the atmosphere be completely obliterated, not when everything was going so well. "Oh, speaking of things you're not using, what about your brain? Did you think it wouldn't interest me to know that one of the Lightningbugs could take on Raven?"

He frowned. "'Oo, Rambler? Aye, she was a right weird little twerp. Got a case o' motormouth worse than Sunshine an' Princess put t'gether, but only to 'erself."

"Did you miss the part where I said 'could take on Raven?'"

"Power of a gian', but th' fightin' spirit of a panda bear. Ain' worth mentionin'."

"She was apparently worth mentioning if she could lure you to the ship."

"Where zombie cum and fish meat over 'ere stopped me from fightin' 'er proper, so that ain' my fuckin' fault."

She folded her arms. "Who do you think's stronger, Jiang or Raven?"

He only grinned. "Tha's the fuckin' question, now ain't it? You'll see when we meet next."

"Miserie still does not understand. If Zoe could have taken out Hode whenever she wanted to, why didn't she?"

"That's not how Zoe does things," Alexander said. "She has her code of conduct. She never wanted to win, just resolve the situation."

"An' Rambler 'ates violence. Prob'ly only moved 'cos that milksop ate it."

Cassandra filed that bit of information away. "On the other hand, Hode's a down and dirty bastard. She made a deal with the Marines to offer up the Lightningbugs, but I don't know what for. Zoe's been a pirate for decades, and Evan has sea fire. That shit's so wildly illegal that even Damien would be pardoned for handing it over. Hode said I was the only one going for the Corsair Crown, and I believe her. Problem is, I don't know what her goal is. She wants to get in the Marines' good graces, but I can't fathom why. She's even more selfish than I am, so I can't imagine her actually helping them."

"And you allied us with her?" Alexander snapped.

"I'm smart, not telepathic. I didn't figure it out until I saw Burn's sea fire."

"That's a shame," Lyn said. "She was interesting!"

"Still is," Cassandra mused. "Fortunately, she is currently not our problem. Scarab Island. You know that Yin gave us that Eternal Pose in exchange for a favor. We're going to blow up one of Theodorus Alram-Mah's manufactories. Well, destroy."

"You're counting on _him_ to do something?" Morgan said, jabbing his fork in Damien's direction.

She lobbed a hard-boiled egg at the navigator, who caught it neatly in his mouth. "You remember Tango, right?"

He looked blankly at her.

"Jeppe Lauritsen."

He looked blankly at Raven.

"Dude in the robot," Lyn clarified.

"Oh, aye. Cockslobber was fun. The mech's maker, tha's the coop-mugger we raidin'?"

Cassandra closed her eyes for a moment. "Yeah. The factory is one of three he uses to make his power armor, specifically the weapons bit. Ol' Teddy's been a naughty boy and pissed off someone important, so he's getting a little reminder that he's not completely safe. That said, both he and his son are going to be inspecting the factory, and they both need to live."

The berserker curled his lip. "Tha' seems like a lotta work. Can' I jus' raze it an' be done?"

"That would not satisfy Yin's assignment," Raven droned. "You must leave Theodorus Alram-Mah XXI alive as well as Theodorus Alram-Mah XXII."

Everyone but Cassandra gaped in amazement. "Come again?" Morgan managed at last. "Oh, this is one of those things where you were just dying to see our reactions, isn't it."

Cassandra quickly forced her smile to disappear. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sarcasm?" Raven asked.

"Yes, now-" Morgan paused, then wisely decided against commenting. "This like your whole assassin family where family isn't related by blood, right?"

"Nope. Straight line of twenty-two Theodoruses and eight Theodoras spanning back nearly a thousand years, no sibling offshoots or anything. The World Government doesn't want that line to be broken. And the reason we're going to comply," she said as they began to object, "is that we really don't need all attention on us that badly. The whole Gokou business is tying up most of the world powers, but I'm sure they could spare a big gun or two to wipe us out if they wanted."

"And if we blow up a building, we'll just get a fond slap on the bum?" Alexander asked.

She shrugged. "We play our cards right, we're not really involved at all. Plus, it was okayed by the World Government, so as long as we don't kill the two Alram-Mahs, no giant target on our backs. Sure, the people _there_ will probably not throw us a parade, but that hopefully won't be a problem."

Morgan crossed his arms. "It's never a good thing when you say probably, Captain. Is this like Rime where even the youngest one gave you a run for your money?"

"I hope not, and while Yin gave me basic layouts and such, I won't move a muscle until I've done some recon of my own."

"The injuries you all sustained on Dewpon were not very severe," Raven said. "In preparation for Scarab Island, you must not overexert yourselves. However, you cannot be allowed to remain idle. The humidity on Dewpon discouraged you from training, but it is imperative you not allow your muscles to grow used to lack of activity."

The pirates all stared at her with varying amounts of dread. "Thanks, Captain," Alexander grumbled.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Two days later, Lyn and Alexander hid their disappointment at the pleasant weather. While they counted themselves lucky that they didn't have Raven as their exercise instructor, they were apprehensive about her substitute. While not as intimately knowledgeable about their individual physical needs, Cain still had a considerable amount of experience from his time in the military. If Cassandra had known that it would bring a bit of iron to his blood, she would have asked him to lead exercises ages ago.

"Come on, come on, come on!" he bellowed, clapping his hands. "Keep up the pace! You have three minutes left!"

Cassandra turned tightly at the corner and ran up the poop deck stairs. Sweat clung to her body as she fought to stay ahead of Morgan. With her ring on, her stamina was merely good and her strength mediocre. Still, she had been far more active than the bandit prince, and her pride wouldn't let her get third place. She ignored the number of times Lyn had lapped her, instead focusing on reasonably pacing herself.

As per instruction, she hit every stair on the way back down instead of just hopping to the main deck. Alexander trudged stubbornly forward, practically leaving a trail of sweat in his wake. She admired him for his ability to completely ignore all possible distractions, though he also didn't have her senses and habit of checking on everyone. Despite his usual concern regarding his attire, he already had melted off his athletic shirt in an effort to cool himself down.

She ducked down, causing Lyn to bungle her attempted leapfrog. The first mate recovered quickly and landed lightly on her feet. She turned around to stick her tongue out and pull down one eyelid, then neatly spun back so she could go up the stairs again. Cassandra couldn't help but put in an extra burst of speed in an attempt to catch her girlfriend, but to no avail.

When Cain finally called for them to stop, they all did so with varying degrees of grace. Morgan crouched with his hands on his knees and Lyn leaned against the wall, but Alexander simply collapsed onto the floor. "Catch your breath, then walk for two minutes to cool down," Cain ordered. "Up we go."

They reluctantly began moving once more, each silently cursing the former soldier. "How's Miserie doing?" Cassandra panted at last.

Cain had the countenance of a drill sergeant who felt gleeful exhausting recruits. "She's not really your concern, Captain Libera. If you have the energy to think about others, you can run another three laps."

She glared at him, but kept her tongue as she sped up. Miserie was exercising on the forecastle deck under Raven's careful supervision, and while the lack of distressed singing was technically a good sign, it could also mean Raven was being too soft. Only the prospect of another three laps kept her from laughing loudly at the thought.

"But!" Cain exclaimed suddenly. "You're right. It'd be remiss of me to forget about my nakama. When's the last time you all practiced quadrupedal movement? Not recently? That's a shame. Damien, what do you think we should start with?"

The navigator was lying idly on the deck, a bone sticking out of his mouth. "Maggots."

"Inchworm, it is. You all know those. Hands on the floor, ten reps." They all leaned forward and slowly advanced across the deck. Of all aspects of exercising she hated, it was keeping her pacing correct for her unenhanced stamina. It galled her to think she had gotten to the point where she was only beating Morgan by the slimmest of margins, and she hoped Cain would include some light sparring to even it up.

"Time for some push-up crawling! Alexander, just do ten regular push-ups."

Cassandra just knew that while Morgan and Lyn were also wishing they could remain stationary, none of them wanted to trade places with the weak musician. He looked to be on the verge of passing out.

"Oh, and how could I forget QMs up stairs? Lyn, if you'd like to demonstrate?" She sighed and did as she was instructed. "Good. You and Alexander alternate on the port stairs, Captain Libera and Morgan, starboard." He waited until they'd done a few repetitions before speaking again. "That's the spirit, but the real work is doing them _backwards_."

The pirate captain smiled broadly. "Oh, just wait until we're done."

He smiled. "As you say."

Cassandra inched painstakingly up the stairs, still refusing to show her weariness. Morgan had no such reluctance, sweat gleaming on his bare torso. His arms quivered, and his legs shook. He was clearly unused to this kind of exercise, swaying awkwardly from side to side as he climbed. Still, he persevered, though Cassandra attributed that to his own pride. After all, he was the prince and Cain was merely his bodyguard.

"As Captain Libera says, we don't want to be immobile tomorrow. Start your cooldown stretches. When you're finished, feel free to grab the food in the forecastle cabin." He held his hand out towards Cassandra. "Since we're almost done, allow me to help you, Captain Libera."

She knew he was up to something, but humored him nevertheless. She pressed her lips together when he gently pulled her ring from her finger. "I really am gonna fucking kill you."

"That would result in your expulsion from the crew," he reminded her, handing back her ring. "Now do everything over again."

Lyn laughed loudly as she pulled off her sports bra. "Man, you are _mean_, you know that? Where has this Cain been all this time?"

"Captain," Alexander gasped, "first mate, second mate, crown prince. You really think he could could have overseen us back then?"

"No chance in hell. Still, we need more of this! That was the best workout I'd gotten in a long time. Okay, not the most efficient workout," she said as Raven materialized on the deck beside her, "but it's more personal. It's good to have a mix of both. Plus, it's really fun to see Cee like this."

The captain looked up from her bicep curls. "Fuck. You."

"After this. Wha'd you make for us?"

"Tuna and hummus sandwiches and spinach omelettes," Morgan said. "Drinks are in the cooler."

"Can you get me some?"

"And you can't get them yourself, why?"

Lyn frowned. "What, and miss the view?"

Cassandra clenched her jaw, resisting the temptation to hurl the weight at her girlfriend. "You're sleeping in the medbay tonight."

"I'll get you some of both," Morgan said, his sparkling blue eyes betraying his amusement.

"And you in the bilge."

She raised the dumbbell to block the tossed bone. "Quitchyer bitchin', cumdump, fuckin' worse'n Princess."

"Do you see him doing everything again?"

"You see 'im beatin' Sunshine in a race?"

"It was an urban race!" the bandit prince shouted from the cabin. "There is no way she could beat me were we in a forest!"

Lyn rolled her eyes. "You're just lucky there aren't any forests on Bug Island." She paused. "There aren't any forests on Bug Island, right?"

Raven reappeared nearby. "Although it is a Winter Island, it does not have snow unless it is winter. Its biome is classified as tundra, and it was chosen as a factory location for the availability of natural ore and metal deposits instead of forests."

"Natural ore and mineral deposits?" Cain repeated. "Sounds interesting."

"Of course _you_ would find bits of rock interesting," Lyn groaned. "That and banging away at wood."

"An' makin' play 'e's still a service brat."

"Born and raised," he said, thumping his chest proudly. He lowered his elbow quickly enough to block Damien's kick, but still skidded across the deck. He wrung out his arm as he chuckled. "Of course there's nothing wrong with pirates either."

"Or both," Morgan chimed in. "Though I do believe we are the minority in that respect."

"Definitely not the only bandits in history to become pirates, but bandit royalty might be a first," Alexander said.

"What, you don't know?" Lyn asked.

He ignored her. "Still, bandit prince from the former assassin Pirate Queen's crew is probably not going to make you very popular when you go home."

"Negotiations may be difficult," he acknowledged, "but I'm sure they will see reason. If they prove too difficult, bandits always do respect shows of strength."

Lyn thought about it for a moment. "You're gonna fight your dad?"

The prince smiled. "If necessary. I _will_ unite Winter Isle by force if I have to, as I suspect will be the case."

"With what army? Are we gonna help?"

"Or are these bandit matters?" Alexander interjected.

"Just bandits. No pirates, no assassins. It will likely be just Cain and I against three bandit lords and the World Government, but Black Glove Pirates take on worse odds constantly, don't we?"

The first mate shook her head. "But you don't get Cee's brains, Damien's muscle, or Raven's Ravenness."

"You do not corner the market on scheming and manipulating the odds," he snapped.

"But you're Cain and Morgie, and they're our three Immortals."

"And we are not weak, either."

Cassandra was certainly surprised when Damien didn't immediately launch an attack at the prince, and Cain unsuccessfully tried to pass off his preemptive block as a stretch. "Yeah, but there's a number and experience difference," Lyn continued. "Like, putting your daddy issues aside, do you really think Cain can solo the entire army that raised him?"

"Obviously not the entire army. However, they will recognize his strength as my champion. After all, we'll be fighting off Emperors to get that crown. That will be plenty of training."

Alexander tilted his hand from side to side. "Only the Widow wants to find One Piece. The others have different goals. That said, none of the Gokou want a Pirate Queen to be crowned. It'd weaken their position."

"That's really unfortunate for them," Cassandra said through gritted teeth. "I can't wait to meet them."

"Ah, but for that you must be stronger, Captain Libera," boomed the shipwright. "I think you should do an entire third set when you're done."

"Agreed," Lyn said instantly. "You should do that. You're going to do that."

Cassandra looked at the grins filled with schadenfreude. "I _am _the captain," she grumbled as she grabbed her jump rope.


	71. Clear Minds

"No."

Cassandra sighed. She knew this would be the more difficult part of the landing process, but there was no way around it. "Alexander, we can't just sail in there flying our colors. We need to take them down."

"No. We're pirates."

"Pirates fly false colors all the time. Remember that whole protected-by-Marines thing? Not everyone wants to fight a rear admiral if one's sailing nearby, and piracy's still in the process of making a comeback. Or did you forget the fact that Damien and I are wanted criminals?"

He clenched his fists. "We are not flying that unholy cross."

"Do you think I like it any more than you do? I'm not just a pirate; I was banished from their precious assassins. We need to dock without arousing any suspicion, and this is the easiest way to do it. You didn't have a problem with white sails."

"Don't play around, Captain. Sails and flags are different."

"Then how do you propose we hang around Scarab Island for a week or so without being identified and blown to bits?"

"What's wrong with a white flag?"

"To whom are we surrendering? A ship with no affiliation is also pretty suspicious. We're flying the World Government flag. We can burn it when we're done. I'll even let you do the honors. For now, hoist that flag high and put your best fucking smile on your face. We're simple merchants giving a delivery of several tons of titanium. You worked your ass off to get the right metal, so don't blow it now."

He grimaced and shook her hand off his shoulder. "Fine, whatever."

"Why do you do this every time?" she asked with a smile. "Whenever you disagree with me, I'm always right in the end. You could save so much time and energy."

"Not all the time," Lyn chimed in as she hopped on her girlfriend's shoulders.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "The times I'm right involve our survival, which is basically all the time. With that in mind… Damien! That's City Sixty! Shift's up!"

"Finally! We've been circling this stupid place for ho-"

The navigator roared as he rushed from the poop deck. In one fluid movement, he pulled Lyn off and stabbed at Cassandra's neck. She whirled around and raised her arms to block, stopping the broken wheel spoke right before her eyes. "'T ain' yer fuckin' place t' say when I stop. I'm done when I 'it land."

"I just finished explaining to one dumbass summoner why flying our flag was a bad idea. I really don't want to have to explain to the second why a wanted fucking pirate shouldn't be manning the helm. Alexander can take over."

"So long 's I c'n move, the 'elm's mine," he growled, stalking back to the wheel.

"You can be the smart one of you two for once and just stop this now."

His eyes flashed. "I don' cut into yer fuckin' fights, cumwhore. The sea's mine."

"We've almost made landfall. If some storm arises between here and there, I swear on my life I will never give you another order again."

"Pre'y words, tramp, but I'm takin' 'er in."

Their noses nearly touched as they stared each other down, and they only broke eye contact when Lyn's giggles turned into full blown laughter. "I knew you'd go about it wrong, Cee! Here, let a pro show you how it's done. Raven!"

A whirlwind of cloth later had Damien enshrouded in loose bandages and a grimy white cloak. His vicious snarl was hidden by a tattered piece of patterned cloth that trailed to his knees. The faded cross of the World Government was inked on the back of his cloak, the left circle bisected by a ragged slash. The most interesting addition was the bust he had been given, small but obvious breasts covered beneath his bandages. "The fuck's all this?"

"You're Anat, a horribly mangled woman who's very conscious of her appearance. Even when you show them your arm or something, they're not gonna think you're Damien."

He howled with laughter and reached over to ruffle Lyn's hair. "Yahahahar! Don' be suckin' all 'er brains out, Sunshine, she 'as need of 'em!"

"As long as it's shared between the two of us, it's not-"

Cassandra slammed her tricorne onto Lyn's head and pushed the first mate's head down. "See, I don't know if you three planned this beforehand or are just winding me up. Damien, will you at least not immediately leave when we dock?"

He shrugged. "May'aps."

"Just sit tight, fuckwit. As soon as Raven gets a read on the security situation, I'll tell you what you can and cannot do. I will say this: if you act out; I won't hesitate to restrain you again. Miserie, Cain, and Raven are all ready to go. I don't strictly speaking need _you_ to destroy the factory. You're just someone who would make that easier. Got it?"

"Tell Toro to quit cowerin' in the bilge. You passin' th' reins, aye? She can 'elp all of us."

Cassandra didn't let her utter confusion show as she threw Lyn over her shoulder. "She has another task. No flames."

"Blow me."

Lyn slid off after they got belowdecks. "Toro?"

"Tuna sushi, the sick bastard. He knows she doesn't eat fish."

"Fish fish," Lyn clarified. "I wouldn't get between her and shellfish. What does that make her, an anti-pescatarian?"

"Not a thing." Cassandra waited in the stairwell to better eavesdrop on the deck. Had he been anyone else, Morgan would have been jumping for joy when he learned he would be temporarily free of his clothing restrictions. He further proved that she had made the right decision by not going completely overboard when choosing his outfit. His clothes appeared plain and humble from a distance, but were in fact finely embroidered fabrics and titanium jewelry. Of all her crewmembers, he was the one who needed no practice in acting as a leader.

She sighed and descended to the galley. Lyn sat beside her, idly sketching on her drawing pad. Cassandra rested her head on her girlfriend's shoulder to get a better look. Morgan was dressed in a cowboy outfit, and Alexander was clutching an untied bikini top to his chest. She smiled and rubbed Lyn's thigh as she watched the artist at work. After a while, she got up and went to her hiding position.

The ship slowed and finally stopped at the dock. She trusted Morgan to easily navigate the questions posed by the dockmaster, blending lies and truths to negate any suspicions. Feet tramped on the boards above their heads as guards began moving about. The inspection had been expected, but it had still been a hassle completely erasing all trace of piracy from _Dusk Pandion_. It would have been a lot easier if the two men from the Charred Island hadn't dug their heels in every bit of the way.

The trick had been how to keep the existence of one person secret and hide two wanted criminals in plain sight. Raven was the easy one, having sped ahead to the island and already begun her usual reconnoitering. Her main concern was any Haki users who could tell where she was, and the easiest solution she had come up with would be to simply crouch behind Cain. Yin had said there wouldn't be anyone good enough to differentiate her aura from his, and she trusted her Moon Sister completely. While she had been trying to figure out how best to deal with Damien, Lyn had apparently beaten her to it.

She kept perfectly calm when the inspector entered the galley. They didn't move for a moment, then quickly exited again. After she was positive that they had left, she tapped Cain's broad back and he obligingly leaned forward. "That should keep us safe for the moment. Raven, Miserie, and I need to 'arrive' on a different ship two or three days from now. You and Raven should be able to cook up a decent gas mask for you, right?"

"I'll let you know as soon as I'm done, Captain Libera. With all the metal around here, I should be able to fix up my armor no problem. I can take care of the leather and mail here, but some of the plates will have to be done at a forge."

"I trust you can be discreet." She raised her eyebrows in shock when Damien strode into the galley, still wearing his disguise. "Um… hi?"

"When we movin'?"

"Four days at the outside," she said, puzzled. "Why?"

He nodded and blew out the door as quickly as he had arrived. Everyone stared after him, totally bewildered. "I think that's a good sign," Lyn hazarded.

"When is anything with Damien a good sign?" Cassandra asked. "Well anyway, Cain, go help with the cargo. Make yourself known as a kindly and slightly simple worker. The others know what to do. I'll just be here, making no noise and pretending I don't exist. No, that means you leave too, love."

"Ugh, fine!" Lyn said exasperatingly. She bounced over to kiss her girlfriend, then left the galley.

Cain climbed to his feet, then paused and turned to Cassandra. "I do my absolute best to be the best soldier I can, but it wasn't always easy. This is similar with me and Sigurd whenever he'd give me orders. I had to follow them even if I didn't necessarily want to."

Despite it being the first time Cain had ever talked about his boyfriend so candidly, Cassandra knew better than to start asking rapid-fire questions. "Oh, I can imagine. At least he could trust that you'd follow those orders."

He chuckled. "While you have difficulty denying Lyn at the best of times."

"Hey, I can too deny her if I want!" she shouted after him.

She shook her head as she hopped down to the galley. She fished a bottle of apple cider out of the refrigerator and flicked the cap off with one of her knives. She reached in for another one and tossed it to the musician entering in Cain's wake. Alexander fumbled at it in midair, and it hit the floor without breaking. "Cheers, Captain."

"Welcome. So how'd our boy do?"

"You would have been so proud of him. He was all calm and courteous until the quality of the shipment was questioned. Blew completely up, demanded weights and paperwork and all that jazz. Poor dockman was sorry he had opened his mouth. He had to go fetch his supervisor." He crossed his arms haughtily. "That was titanium through and through. It's probably the highest quality titanium they've ever gotten."

Cassandra smiled as she passed him a bottle opener. "Of course. Solids are easy for you. Still no progress on air, then?"

His scowl more than answered her question. "I have gotten better at shaping and instant transmutation. Nobody can say I'm not improving. How do you improve yours anyway?"

"The more I get hurt, the faster I heal. Theresa and Frostbite would have killed me when I first ate it."

"And Damien?"

She flicked his ear. "Still one of the most annoying people I've ever faced. Thank the gods he has that code of honor. If he had taken Lyn hostage, I would absolutely have killed him."

Nearly dropping his drink, Alexander coughed madly and pounded his chest. "Damien? Hostages?"

"Exactly. Fight for your own life or die, nice and simple. I mean, he extends that to us for the most part, but he really is a Black Glove Pirate and our nakama."

His smile slowly dwindled. "What are you getting at?"

"World Government island plus Damien equals a complete nightmare. If he starts something, we're all dead. Now I was extremely tempted to bring back that contraption I used to punish him after Brickwork, believe me. That plus Miserie would keep him out of our hair until we're all set up."

"So why didn't you?" he asked, a dangerous edge to his voice.

"Because if I did that every time I needed him out of the way, he would actually snap and try to kill us all. The way I trust him is completely different from the way I trust the rest of you. I don't know what you can do, but I need you and Lyn to just… try to keep him in line for a few days. Damien wouldn't be Damien if he didn't either start or finish some fights, and that's where you two come in. Reason with him and the other parties involved, try to minimize the situation. Can you do that for me?"

For a moment, a look extremely reminiscent of his best friend's flashed in Alexander's eyes. "The people defending that factory had better be miles better than a wotan, Captain."

She smirked and threw an arm over his shoulders. "Come on, I promised an interesting fight. You should know by now that I never make false promises to my nakama."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Morgan considered his self-confidence one of his most valuable traits. He very grudgingly admitted that Cassandra was much better than him at using her self-confidence at getting what she wanted. The trick, he had learned, was to not believe that he was superior to other people, but to leave other people no room to doubt him. Cassandra was quite good at it, and he knew he was being tested when she had told him he was taking her place as captain of the ship.

"Look, that right there is twenty-seven tons of titanium. Here is the order for twenty-seven tons of titanium, and here is my shipping manifest telling me to ship twenty-seven tons of titanium. If you are trying to pay me for only twenty-four tons, we have run into a bit of a problem. That's a million and a half you're trying to cheat from me."

"I don't know what to tell you," the shipping master said. "I can only pay you for the twenty-four tons."

"May I see that?"

The burly woman shrugged. "Okay, but it won't make a difference."

Morgan scanned the papers as if checking their veracity. "Well, your documents don't match my documents. But then, you were expecting impure titanium ingots. See, here. Now obviously such a small percentage doesn't account for three extra tons, but even if I wanted to, I can't unload these ingots here."

"Nobody deals in pure titanium. It's all alloys."

"And that is why I provided an ingot for a metallurgical assay. If my sample isn't as pure as can be accounting for shipping wear and tear, then I will gladly unload twenty-four tons of your choosing as security against whatever it is you imagine I might be attempting to slip by you. Otherwise, there will have to be some negotiation to reach a mutually beneficial conclusion. Getting titanium of this quality is exceedingly difficult and made by order. There are only a few other places I could even try to sell this, but I'd really rather not have to deal with that kind of trouble."

The shipping master looked between her clipboard, the neatly stacked boxes of ingots, and the large man standing between them. Cain had his hands clasped firmly behind his back. In true Winter Isle bandit manner, he had not budged since adopting that position. "Wait here. I'll have to make a few calls."

Morgan nodded. It had been Cassandra's idea to increase the size of the shipment, and he had initially resisted the unnecessary complication it would involve. Yin's documents had matched those of the shipping master, but Raven had easily created replicas altered to suit their captain's decision. He was fairly sure Cassandra was seeing how well he could improvise.

He made himself busy by rifling through his papers. He glanced up when the shipping master returned with a suitcase. "Thirteen and a half million Beli for twenty-seven tons of pure titanium."

"A pleasure."

He opened the suitcase on one of the boxes and made sure all of the money was there. Satisfied, he descended to the galley to deliver the money. Cassandra was already watching him as he opened the door, but she remained silent. He deposited the suitcase in front of her and folded his arms. "The entire thing at half a million per ton. Was this just to fleece some extra money out of them?"

"No, that was just an added bonus," she said, running her thumb against the handle. "That's not the important bit. You've done the first half of your job splendidly. The second half involves going to one of the seedier bars in town and making some friends. Try for a place with some business-looking people."

Morgan denied her the satisfaction of answering his unasked question and left the ship. Cain was already ingratiating himself with the dockworkers, and the chef suspected his job was to do the same. Finding a place that Cassandra had described was a simple matter of asking a local policeman about which areas of town to avoid. The unadorned concrete buildings gave City Sixty a bleak quality that a city designed by Raven would have. The islanders trudged towards their destinations as if sleepwalking. The buzz of murmured conversations filled the air, but without any emotion and energy, it was somewhat unnerving.

The prince knew he would never run Winter Isle like this.

A couple eyes turned to him when he entered the bar, but most were wearily gazing into their drinks or mumbling to each other. The barkeep looked him up and down as he picked a stool. "What'll it be?"

"Whatever he's having," he said, randomly singling someone out.

The barkeep's brow barely twitched as he glanced over at the patron. He set down a glass and poured something thick and dark. Morgan took a long draught and let the flavors run over his tongue. It tasted like a beef sandwich dissolved in stale beer and left his mouth feeling like it was filled with cotton. He had to admit it was strong as all hell, which was probably why half the bar was drinking it. When his only reaction was to take another gulp, anyone who had been watching him lost interest.

After three helpings, Morgan decided to leave. Keeping his thoughts in order was difficult, but he knew that whatever Cassandra had been expecting hadn't happened. He pulled a packet of mints out of a pocket and palmed it into his mouth. It was common courtesy to sample whatever food or drink any islanders had, but that didn't mean the taste could overstay its welcome. He heaved a deep breath as he rolled the mint around, glad to be rid of that atrocious flavor.

The next bar he went to was almost identical to the first. The barman and patrons were different, but the layout and drink stock was the same. He sat down and rested his forehead on his fingers. "Something good and strong."

Morgan had thought the drink he had gotten at the first bar was thick. This one was practically gelatin. He sucked at it as he stared glumly into the distance. Port cities tended to be some of the liveliest places on any island, but that was largely due to the comings and goings of all sorts of travelers. Only government-sanctioned ships came to Scarab Island. The lack of diversity was stark.

When he gestured for another drink, he was mildly surprised as a stout man leaned on the counter beside him. "I'll cover this round. You mind some company?"

"Why do you ask?"

"My friends and I always like to talk to merchants and shippers. Always nice to stay in touch with foreign types."

Morgan shut his eyes. Of course. Cassandra would stick her fingers in any situation she could. "It would be my pleasure."

He was escorted to a booth tucked in the corner, where a few men and women peered at him curiously. "You sure about this one?" one asked.

The prince seated himself firmly and leaned in. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we? I have nothing illegal in my hold, and searching the ship won't turn up anything. If, however, you are wondering how possible and easy it is to acquire hundred-grade titanium, I can assure you it is extremely difficult to produce. I may be the delivery boy, but I am also connected to its production. If you want some, we can see if an arrangement can be made."

"We don't need-"

The speaker fell silent as a spindly man up his hand. "It is a generous offer, but I think we both know that titanium isn't as precious as some people might think."

If Cassandra was going to force him through this, Morgan was going to do it his way. "It's fascinating how many trust people they meet in bars. I've been here for not three hours. I know nothing about you; you only know that I can offload extremely valuable goods. There really was a mere discrepancy in the paperwork."

"Is that so?" asked the man. "And it was by chance that you got five million more than you expected?"

"Negotiations were made."

"And that's all we're doing: negotiating. Now, are you an Eternal or Log Pose sailor?"

He only hesitated for a fraction of a second. "Log."

"Excellent! Don't get into too much trouble for the next thirty hours or so. What is it you're taking to Hallowblight?"

"Effluvium."

The man chuckled. "Of course you are. That pays well, sure, but how much of that cut is yours?"

"Almost none of it," he grated out truthfully.

"Well, how would you like to make a little extra on the side?"

"I will want to see what this 'extra' would entail with my own eyes."

"Fair enough." A swift jerk of the man's hand caused a man and a woman to edge out of the booth. "Please show this fine gentleman to Gabon Six. As you said, we don't trust you."

Morgan nodded and followed the pair out of the bar. They wound through the city down streets that were superficially identical in every way and entered an apartment building indistinguishable from the others. The stairwell led to the basement, and two vagrants that blended into the grime slumped near the door. Morgan knew better than to dismiss them; they were not there by chance. After passing through the doorway, he allowed himself to be thoroughly frisked. The security man lingered on his necklace of catalysts, but ultimately decided to remain silent.

Unlike the stairwell and the first room, the second was completely spotless. The fluorescent lights did nothing to give it a sense of liveliness, and the table and chairs looked to be made of cheap plastic. A man was waiting at the other side of the table, his arms crossed in front of him. "And you are?"

"Firn Briansson. I hear you have something that might make transporting toxic waste more worth my while." The man smiled and tossed a small packet onto the table. Morgan picked it up and eyed it. The small, multicolored crystals sparkled as he rubbed it between his fingers. "Glitter. Is this glitz or glister?"

The man smiled approvingly as he took the packet back. "Glister. It's the ledol from snarer's tea. The high's not as intense, but it lasts longer."

"How long?"

"Three to six hours."

"Interesting." Morgan fished a two thousand Beli bill out of his wallet and laid it on the table. "I smuggle nothing without verifying it for myself."

"Have you done this before?"

"Of course. Shipping doesn't make much of a profit." He held up his left hand. "And I've learned the consequences of getting caught."

A tray bearing a tiny amount of glister, a small knife, and a straw was placed before him. The prince sat down and used the flat of the knife to grind the crystals into miniscule pieces. He carefully shaped it into a small line and snorted it in one go. His head vibrated briefly, and sparks flourished around the edge of his vision. The dealer watched him carefully over his fingers. "Well?"

"Good on the outset. How much are you willing to sell me?"

"That is up to you. This goes for twelve million for each kilo, and I'll sell it for nine. That's a cool three million per."

"And you have a man on Hallowblight ready to relieve me of this? There will be no need for bartering or renegotiating?"

"We do. You'll get the information when you ship out, assuming you accept."

"What's the price there?"

"Fifteen, though I really wouldn't try and muscle in on his turf. You'll lose more than a finger."

Morgan smiled. "I was just curious. That makes it… thirty-seven fifty a quarter. I've had thirty-one hundred before. What justifies the difference?"

"Snarer's tea eases the way down, and we've got easy access to raw glitter. The police here don't care since it keeps workers mellow, but WG wants the ammonium chloride for soldering flux and yeast additives. Gathering it's a right pain in the ass. The coal dumps are almost as heavily guarded as the mines are."

"And the snarer's tea?"

"Practically growing on the sidewalks."

Morgan closed his eyes as he began to feel calmer. He wrinkled his nose and sat back. It was quite different from Miserie's singing. His thoughts slowed down and finally stopped. His mind was dominated by absolute clarity. When his brain resumed, nothing was chaotic or disorganized. There were no problems, no challenges he couldn't deal with. He wasn't in a clammy basement on a hard, uncomfortable chair with his conniving captain's expectation on his shoulders. He was Morgan Zematsal, prince of Zematsal Mountain and future ruler of Winter Isle.

He refocused and saw the dealer carefully watching him. "Thirty-seven fifty is a bit steep, but not unreasonable. I assume there's a secret trick you have for it, but tradesman to tradesman, I won't insult you by asking anything about it. I will say that I'm currently interested in purchasing some for myself, but I will hold off on actually discussing amount and payment until after I've sobered up. You'll be in touch with me tomorrow, I assume."

The dealer grinned widely. "I think you and I are going to be friends, Briansson."


	72. Denary Cities

Miserie pressed her lips together as she saw the pipes Captain had told her about. Green gas drifted in the current, and the mermaid knew how wrong the water felt just by looking at it. Alexander had been right when he said not to swim through it. She thanked the fish for showing her and bid them on their way. An eel loosely wrapped around one of her arms, curious about what she was doing. She let it stay because it had cool spikes on its fins.

She giggled as she followed the pipe back towards the island. Just as Captain had said, there was a big tunnel around the pipe for people to work. The opening was blocked by a lot of thick metal grates. Miserie stared at them. She knew Cain or Damien could probably do something, but she was worried about them being okay so deep. She couldn't think of anything else, so she sped back to the ship.

She went through the doors Cain had put in the hull so she could go in and out of her room without being seen. At the other end of her room were the doors that led to her private medical room below the others' room. She swam into the room and pulled the receiver off her personal Baby Den-Den Mushi. "Miserie needs Cain's help. Can he come back to the ship?"

"Of course. I'll be back in ten."

"Thanks."

Miserie spent the time talking to the little fish that had followed her in. They were still a bit scared of the eel on her arm, but she assured them that they were safe. A crab scuttled across her bed, and she let it pinch her finger so she could lift it. It looked between the fish and reached out to pinch them. Miserie put it in her mouth and gently bit down as a reminder that of all the creatures in the room, it had the one she was most willing to turn into her next meal.

Everything tilted, which meant that Cain had come back. She ushered all of the fish out and went back to her Baby Den-Den Mushi. "Along the coast is some steep cliffs. The pipe is there, but it is blocked by big grates. Miserie needs Cain to get rid of them."

"Can do."

"They are very deep. Will he be okay?"

"Only one way to find out."

Miserie was pretty sure he meant just going ahead and seeing if he would be okay, so she left _Dusk Pandion_ and waited for him to jump in. She grabbed his hand and towed him over to the pipe. She lifted him to the surface so he could take a deep breath, then pulled him down to the pipes. He looked at them for a moment, then gestured to go back to the surface. "I should be able to do it, but I'm not sure how much noise it'll make."

"She will ask some fish if there is anybody nearby." After the fish had returned and indicated everything was clear, Cain took an extra deep breath. When they got to the sea floor, he planted his feet firmly, gripped the grate in his hands, and twisted. After a moment, the bars suddenly broke, and Cain spun away into the water. Miserie quickly caught him and brought him to the surface. She tried to hide her giggles, but didn't hold back when Cain saw and started laughing too.

After a few more trips, the grates were gone. Miserie pulled him back to _Dusk Pandion_ and thanked him for his help. When she returned to the tunnel and went through the grates, she saw with some surprise that the tunnel was really well maintained. Captain had said that the workers would keep it in somewhat good repair, but Miserie was sure that humans wouldn't keep the tunnel this clean. She ran her fingers along gouges in the wall. Maybe there were fishmen and merfolk working here.

She slowly followed the tunnel, making as little a disturbance as possible as she swam. The water felt more and more flat as she went along. Every once in a while, there were thick metal doors that she carefully closed behind her so nobody would be suspicious. There was even one time when she caught sight of someone working on the big pipe that ran through the center of the tunnel, and she made sure to move slowly and without being seen.

She eventually got to a place where the tunnel went flat instead of slanted and began branching out. It was about half-filled with water, and Miserie kept as close as she could to the bottom. She was glad that her long, dark dress made her blend in a little more and tried to show her tail as little as possible. There were humans here, moving about on the walkways in ones and twos. Sometimes a person Miserie thought was a fishman swam down the water half, and Miserie was extra careful to hide.

The weird thing was that she was spotted several times, but the workers mostly ignored her. Some of the humans stared at her more, but she darted away before she started singing. They didn't run away or chase her, so she didn't think they were going to report her to somebody. She knew those movements and that attitude really well. These people were working, but they didn't want to be here. They wanted to leave and couldn't.

She stopped as she saw something different. She first thought it was some sort of animal, but the more it moved, the more it seemed like a small humanoid being. They were covered in rags and bandages, and they weren't walking like the others. They seemed to be like her, trying to move around without being seen. Captain had said to be on the lookout for odd activity. Miserie thought this counted.

Miserie followed them through the tunnels. She always hid when they looked around, and she waited a while before swimming again. The workers ignored the small one even more than they did Miserie, which annoyed her slightly. She had not asked to be a mermaid with bright scales and shiny hair. It wasn't her fault she was bigger than average. She didn't see why it should make her stand out.

She turned the corner and the small being was gone. She rose up out of the water and looked around in confusion. Unless they were as fast as Raven, there was no way they could have disappeared. She looked around when someone gave a soft whistle, and the other merfolk pointed at a pile of materials. "Just escaped? Through there."

Miserie knew they were looking at the collar around the pirate's neck and nodded in thanks. She climbed onto the walkway and saw the hatch hidden by the materials. She lowered herself down the ladder rungs and dropped into the water next to the stone path. It was barely too shallow to swim, and the ceiling was too low for her to jump easily. She wormed her way along the pathway, and it took a long time.

She blinked in surprise when she reached the other end of the tunnel. Captain had said nothing about an underground city nearby. It was small compared to City Sixty, but it itself was not small. It surrounded a big lake with a big column in the middle that rose all the way up to the ceiling, where a thin circle of sky shone around it. When she dove in the lake, she was even more surprised to see more houses built underwater. A few merfolk and fishmen roamed around the bottom, looking at her as she slowly swam around. Their stares didn't make her feel as uncomfortable, but she still didn't want to just stay there.

She darted away to look better at the middle column. It turned out to be a large furnace that helped warm the entire space and was surrounded by shops. People in bulky suits went towards the huge flames, bringing all sorts of things to throw inside. Miserie giggled to herself, knowing that Damien wouldn't need all the funny clothes. Large groups of people were walking around near the furnace, all talking in low murmurs.

She was swimming about when she heard a familiar voice. She knew better than to think she was hearing things or that there was no way the speaker could be there. She sped over and leapt accurately, landing directly on top of Lyn. The first mate laughed as she sat up and pulled Miserie's hair out of her face. "What on earth are you doing here, Miserie?"

"She could ask Lyn the same thing," said the mermaid, hiding from the other people behind her nakama. "She followed someone here. Miserie likes this place more than the city. It doesn't look evil."

A lot of people laughed, and Miserie was pretty sure they were laughing at her words in a good way. "Decimals usually are," Lyn said. "They're the slums made by people who run from the government. It's really interesting here! Did you know that humans, fishmen, merfolk, and dwarves! I've never met dwarves before!"

Miserie looked around. "What are dwarves? Are they small?"

A tiny figure with a bushy tail was suddenly standing on Lyn's shoulder and its finger held admonishingly. "No, we're normal-sized!" they said in a high-pitched voice. "It's you all who're the giants!"

Miserie scrambled backwards, falling sloppily into the water. She peeked over the edge of the wood planks after she recovered. "What about giants?"

"What _about _you?"

"_He,_" Lyn whispered to Miserie. "She means giant giants, Bragmat, the kind that are hundreds and hundreds of feet high!"

The dwarf glanced down at his shoes, then back at Lyn. "You're hundreds of feet high."

Lyn's laughter was almost like Miserie's happy song. People always felt better when she laughed. "Fine, hundreds of meters high!"

Bragmat's eyes widened. "What?"

"Yup! Last island, we met a wotan! Only half-giant, but he must have been at least twenty meters tall! I've heard stories about ones that were nearly half a kilometer high!"

"Eeeeeeeeeh?" Bragmat gasped in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah, really! I mean, giants come in all shapes and sizes, even our kind of giants! I've got a friend who's over five meters and another who's about one and a half, but they're both human giants! The bigger one can lift our ship, but the smaller one is the most dangerous person I know!"

"That's right!" cheered the dwarf. "The smaller the worser!"

Miserie tilted her head slightly. "Is it because he is small that Bragmat can move so fast?"

"No, giants are just slow."

"What about in water?"

Bragmat pressed his lips together. "Water's different. Fish and part-fish are faster than us in water, but that's just common sense."

The mermaid giggled. "Miserie understands."

"Okay, everyone, let's go!" Lyn announced. "You said there were other cool things for me to see."

She winked at Miserie as she left. Miserie didn't understand until she realized that almost everybody had gone with Lyn. Nobody watched her for more than a few seconds. She squirmed to herself and remembered to thank Lyn a lot later. She didn't notice someone was kneeling on the dock above her until they cleared their throat. Their eyes were focused somewhere to the left of her head, so she decided they were nice. "Yes?"

"Is it true that Lyn's spoken for?" She frowned. "She has a girlfriend?"

"Yes! Lyn and-" She almost forgot that Morgan was acting as captain on Scarab Island. She desperately tried to think of a name that wouldn't give Captain away. "Lyn and Cee are women and friends, but they are also girlfriends in a romantic sense! They love each other very much! Miserie is very happy for them."

"Ah well," they said with a grin. "Worth a shot. Thanks anyway."

"He is welcome."

She had barely moved at all before she was being addressed from another person, this time from underwater. "Those are some nice scales you've got there. I wouldn't mind seeing more of-"

They had begun lifting her dress when Miserie punched them full in the face. She had heard stories about how her casino friends and nakama had dealt with things like this , and she liked Captain's way the best. The fishman growled and bared their teeth, but Miserie just did the same. They looked a little startled that she didn't back down, but quickly recovered. Their two legs kicked out and pushed them towards Miserie, but she was faster. It wasn't as easy as fighting humans underwater, but she still had the edge.

She got a few good punches in before someone rushed in and grabbed the fishman from behind. "Lay off, Leo. Go cool your head." The fishman wrestled himself free, glared at the newcomer and Miserie, then swam off. "I'm so sorry, miss. Leo's not quite got it through his head not to hurt women of any sort. I'm his brother Yakob."

Miserie warily shook his offered hand. Captain had a lot of opinions about people who treated women as more delicate than men. "Her name is Miserie. She doesn't know what base species she is."

Yakob laughed. "Join the club. Half of us aren't sure how much fishman or merman we've got in us and what we are. I haven't seen you around here before."

She winced at the word 'seen' and tried to act like nothing was wrong. "She is with Lyn and Captain Briansson."

"Is that so?" another fishman asked. "I didn't think shippers had much to do with merfolk."

"It is not common," she guessed. More and more fishmen and merfolk were coming near. "Can they please look away? Miserie does not like being looked at."

"We're not going to hurt you," Yakob said calmly. "It'd be a shame to hide a beauty like you."

"She said look away. Please do not ignore her wishes." A few of them including Yakob did so, but most of the others did not. "She does not like being seen! Go away!"

Miserie fled to the far end of the town and leapt into a big pile of worn-out clothing. She ignored the loud yelp, trying to see if anybody was following her. She didn't think they were. She took many deep breaths to keep herself from singing, not wanting to mess everything up. Lyn had seen her and was quickly moving in her direction. Miserie dug into the clothing to hide and wait for the first mate to come.

When something near her began squirming, she realized she was not alone in the pile. She pulled clothes away until she found the tiny figure wriggling around, and her eyes went wide. "Miserie recognizes them! They showed Miserie the way to the Decimal."

"What- what are you talking about?" The voice sounded young. Miserie did not have a lot of experience with children, but she knew Lyn did. She was pretty sure she was supposed to be super nice.

"What is their name, pronouns, and race?"

They went completely still. After a moment, the tiny figure tentatively answered. "Anou, she/her, and human."

"Miserie is a mermaid, and she is sorry for hurting Anou. Is Anou okay? Miserie noticed she was wearing bandages."

"I'm fine."

"Is Anou hiding because she does not like being seen? Miserie had a lot of people staring at her when she was younger, and she does not like being seen."

"Really, I'm fine."

Anou's voice did not sound fine. It sounded scared. "If Anou wants, Miserie can sing. People feel better when Miserie sings. Does she want that?"

"Is it like hypnosis?"

The mermaid frowned. "What is hypnosis?"

"It's an altered state of consciousness in which people are more receptive to outside suggestions."

Her frown deepened. "What?"

"It's sorta like mind control," Lyn explained as she approached. "No, Miserie's singing is just really dynamic. She can bring out the happiness in you, but you're still mostly in control. What's your name?"

"Anou," the little girl repeated cautiously.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Lyn, Miserie's nakama. Here, let's get you a little more comfortable." After some reworking of positions, Anou was sitting on a small hump of clothes behind the larger pile. She still tried to make herself as small as possible. The single eye that peeked through the bandages on her face moved back and forth a lot. "Better, right? Is this your first time in a Decimal? It's mine. I've never met so many different races before!"

Miserie was better prepared this time when Bragmat appeared on Lyn's shoulder again. Anou fell over backwards. "Why is that weird? Don't all lands have dwarves and giants and fishy giants?"

"I already told you that this is my first time meeting dwarves!" Lyn laughed. "Although the way you move makes me think I might have met a few oversized dwarves before."

The mermaid giggled when she realized who Lyn was talking about. "Miserie does not think she counts as a dwarf."

"And why not?" Lyn demanded. "Cain's an oversized human; why can't she be an oversized dwarf?"

Miserie glanced at Bragmat. "Dwarves have big tails."

"And Doctor has a tail almost to her knees!"

"But that is a ponytail!"

"Still a tail right?"

"Miserie doesn't think that counts! Hihhihhihhih!"

Lyn folded her arms. "It does so count! What do you think, Anou? Someone a bit taller than you with a long ponytail, could they be a big dwarf?"

Anou hesitated. "Dwarves can move at least three hundred meters per second. Can your doctor do that?"

"Probably! Cee's vision is all kinds of kickass, but she can barely see Doctor when she's moving!"

"Cee is Lyn's girlfriend," Miserie provided.

"You have a girlfriend?" Anou asked in surprise.

Lyn beamed. "Mmhmm! She's not around right now, though, because she's a paranoid nutcase with no sense of adventure."

"Cee is not paranoid. She is just cautious."

"Cain is cautious. Cee's just short of hiring dwarves to report on us at all times."

Anou gasped. "Someone does that to you and you're okay with being her girlfriend?"

Lyn laughed and shook her head. "Miserie's right; I like giving her a hard time about it. No, our crew is just… good at making other people angry. We don't exactly follow all the rules. Cee's just super worried something will happen to us. Watch."

She took her Baby Den-Den Mushi from her pocket and hit Cee's number. The snail didn't even get to finish its first blubber before it took on a worried expression. "Lyn? Are you okay? Where are you? Do you need-"

"I'm _fine_, Cee, relax," Lyn said while Miserie, Bragmat, and Anou all giggled. "I bumped Spot is all. Everything's okay."

Captain waited for a moment. "Is anyone with you right now?"

"Miserie is," the mermaid chimed in.

"Oh, good. Could you do me a favor and give Lyn a quick smack in the head for me? My orders."

"Love you too!" Lyn made a kissing sound, then hung up and grinned at Miserie. "Well, go on!"

Miserie slowly reached out and tapped Lyn's hair as gently as she could. "Does that count?"

"Sure! It'll be our secret! Deal?" Miserie nodded, and Anou did too when the first mate looked at her.

Bragmat did not look as convinced. "She hits you?"

Lyn sighed. "Cee's a physical person. She's not bad. She's never… intentionally hurt me."

"Why the pause?" Anou said quickly.

"We weren't always girlfriends, and she instinctively attacks when someone wakes her up. Before she was a shipper, she had a lot of people trying to hurt her. We've eased her out of that. Now she's just a worrywart. It's pretty cute until she overthinks things."

"Good!" Bragmat shouted. "I didn't at all think that you'd date someone who hits you and watches your every move, definitely not at all!"

Lyn's grin gained that quality she used around Morgan and Alexander when she was teasing them. "She only does that when I want her to. Then she can't stop." She laughed as Miserie looked at Anou, who didn't get the innuendo. "But it's fine. Hell, we know someone who goes away for days at a time, and she doesn't keep track of her. We know Anat's somewhere doing her own thing, so it's fine."

"Is that the one you think is an oversized dwarf?" Bragmat asked.

"No, that's Doctor. Anat's just a bit hotheaded." Miserie stifled her giggles. She thought the nickname really fit Damien, but that was Alexander's nickname for him. She wanted her own.

"It must be nice being a shipper," the dwarf said. "You get to sail about and go to all sorts of places."

"Well, sailing with Anat takes a lot of getting used to, but I guess you could say that."

"What kinds of places have you been to?" Anou asked. Miserie dug into the pile of clothing as she saw all the interested humans, dwarves, fishmen, and merfolk nearby.

Lyn leaned back. "All sorts of places! We've been to places where parties never stop and places that have been entirely burned to the ground. We've seen whirlpools and whales bigger than islands. We've met people who can move around in mirrors and people who can change their appearances at will."

Miserie couldn't help but feel envious as Lyn began telling stories. Lyn felt totally at ease despite the growing number of people watching her. She acted out everything in the stories, causing people to laugh and cringe. It was like Miserie's singing, only everyone was involved. Miserie sometimes laughed for a different reason; she knew which parts of the story were true and which parts were false. There were a few stories that Miserie hadn't heard before, and she made sure to remember them and ask Captain for the truth later.

Midway through a story about 'Anat' and Cain, an ear-splitting buzzer blocked everything out. The two Black Glove Pirates flinched and covered their ears until after the echoes went away. Everyone else just winced and shook their heads afterwards. "What the hell was that?" Lyn asked a little more loudly than she needed to.

"Shift change," Bragmat said before disappearing. Everyone else drifted away towards the shops in the middle, leaving Miserie, Lyn, and Anou alone. Lyn looked at Miserie and shrugged, then joined the movement of the crowd. Seeing the group of merfolk and fishmen getting there too, Miserie decided to watch from the pile of clothes.

Two people put a crate on a wide pedestal in a clearing. A small old human climbed onto a wide pedestal and held his arms apart, holding a wrench in one hand and two connected spikes in the other. "In the name of Deuter the Planner, Louis the Mover, and Hubert the Striker, we honor those who have paved the way for us, thank those who help us, and prepare for those who will be free."

Everyone held up a wrench, the spikes, or a small box. "What is going on?" she whispered to Anou.

"No idea."

"What is that spike thing?"

Anou shifted and rubbed her head. "I think that's a compass? It's used for drawing circles."

"Okay. It is a symbolic thing."

"Probably."

They waited until everyone finished with what they were doing. Miserie noticed that people who had been holding up the same things were going about in groups together. Lyn came back to them, tossing a box up into the air and catching it. "I'm gonna help them out. Get this to Cee. Don't lose it. There's an underwater path over there that leads to open sea."

"What is going on?"

Lyn smiled widely. "Resistance."

"Resistance?"

"Look, the people who run this place are sick. It's a company island, but it's basically a prison." She glanced around and leaned in. "They have this weird religion slash hero worship of the triplets who first successfully ran away and set up lives for people outside of all that stuff. No offense, Anou."

"Lyn fell in love with the woman who helped her successfully run away," Miserie pointed out.

The first mate bonked Miserie's head. "Shut up. Do you see me spreading the Holy Word of Cee? I mean, I get that they need to do anything to keep up their spirits and help people, but it's just a bit too focused. I dunno. Anyway, the compass is about organizing the Decimals, the wrench is about workers doing what they can, and the crate's about moving things around. I'm a shipper, so I can basically go where I want, and that's how I'm gonna help them."

Miserie was pretty sure Lyn's job had very little to do with her ability to go where she wanted, but she didn't say anything about it. "Miserie understands."

Lyn looked at the people leaving through a huge tunnel. "Okay, I've gotta go. This goes to Cee and tell her I won't be back tonight, but maybe tomorrow sometime. Take care." She pressed the box into Miserie's fingers and kissed her forehead before bounding away.

Miserie and Anou stared after Lyn and the people gathering around her. "Who _is_ she?" the little girl asked.

The mermaid smiled proudly. "She's my nakama."


	73. A Certain Class of People

Cassandra stuck the point of her knife into the table and began moving the handle in circles with a finger. "When I wanted you to go see what kind of dirt you could find, this is not what I meant."

"I know your feelings about drugs," Morgan said, endeavoring to keep as many crewmembers and pieces of furniture between him and his captain as possible, "but let's be reasonable. That's a lot of money you're throwing away. And really, it's not that bad, right? You're just providing a service that would happen otherwise, and Lyn said herself she doesn't like glitter!" He ducked under the table, then carefully peeked up to make sure she wasn't merely postponing her retaliation. "So the primary reason it might be lost in transit is Damien shorts half of the load by mistake, and I think that would be a worthy investment all things considered."

"Wait, how much did you agree to take on?" Alexander asked.

"A lot," he said laconically. "Enough that even Damien would become clear of mind."

Cassandra dug the knife slightly farther in and flicked it, watching it swing back and forth.

"And what do you care about others anyway? It's a situation where we profit, and who cares about anyone else? Damien causes millions in property damage on a good day, and Raven is worse than seven serial killers put together. How are drugs any worse? I already bought it, so I can't exactly return it."

She pushed the knife right up to the hilt. "I will humor you. Once. You have _three_ days to unload the drugs on Hallowblight regardless of where we land. I do not have time to chase down drug dealers on this island, but you had better cover your fucking tracks, because Raven will hunt and kill anyone you came into contact with."

"What right do you have to dictate what others can and cannot consu-" He cut himself off as she finally looked up at him. "You got it, Captain."

"Good. Now how much did you get?"

"Fifty kilograms."

Alexander gaped. "For someone you just met two days ago?"

"I told him my boss was a conniving hellcat whose blatant favoritism and mercurial nature has left me desperately wanting for money. They sympathized."

That description lifted Cassandra's spirits. She yanked her knife from the table and stood up. "Excellent! Let's move onto more pressing matters. TAM Manufacturing: a series of buildings surrounded by a kilometer and a half of empty space, then a wall twenty meters high and five thick. There are regular guard patrols on and around the wall, nothing serious, but the real security team has some battlesuits and technology. Alexander, you melt a hole in the wall then Raven whisks you away. Cain, Morgan, and I run around and make sure the guards stay after us while Damien, gotten into the factory via the Decimal by Miserie, starts wreaking havoc. Alexander and Lyn can chip in when things are getting interesting. We do the damage, we pull out, we head to City Fifty-Nine, lay low for a bit, we're in the clear."

"Oh, easy," Alexander said sarcastically. "You, Cain, and Morgan singlehandedly dealing with multiple battlesuits. Easy."

Cassandra sighed. "Okay, it's not gonna be _easy_, but-"

"Damien and Raven had to cooperate to take one down. Damien and Raven."

"They were trying to kill the guy inside. All we need to do is play a little run around. It's not like Damien will keep them entertained forever. I figure they'll take at least one Alram-Mah and two suits. Extracting him will require some serious work, but we're in the clear if we make it to the ocean. The main thing is for Cain and/or Morgan to be capable of getting all of us there. When Raven shows up and starts opening throats, that'll give them pause. We'll have enough room."

Alexander stared at the map. "I see you made this plan with Lyn's absence in mind."

"Well, she's not here."

"To tell you how stupid this plan is and convince you to come up with a safer one."

She smirked. "It'll work. For the most part, it's just the standard guns and swords. It's the suits that we…"

They all followed her eyes to the ceiling. "Great," Alexander said. "Now what? Surprise inspection?"

"No…" Cassandra inhaled deeply. "It's one person. Morgan, bring them in."

When the prince returned, he looked completely bewildered. The person in his wake ducked their head to fit through the doorway as they entered the galley. The smell of brine flooded into the room, and Cassandra's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She would recognize that rough, mottled skin and prognathous jaw anywhere. "Linnaeus?"

"Ah, the head rapscallion hight Cassandra Libera, last I saw," he said with a smile. "When can I expect yet another surname?"

"Hahaha, go fuck yourself. What are you doing here?"

His bulbous maroon eyes glimmered. "Yin waited upon us and brought glad tidings. Leman was scarce fain, as she was requested for labor, so here I am."

Cassandra winced. "Well, she can't have been too mad. You're all in one piece."

"But just. For those of you mazed, I am Linnaeus, Pythia's betrothed."

"Oh, congratulations!" Cassandra said. She hugged him tightly, grateful that he was wearing his thick, protective robes. "I mean, sure it was gonna happen anyway, but nice! Morgan, get drinks!"

"Gramercy," he said with a shy grin. "The espousal dates… eleven months? Twelve? Eight? Inside a year. And a half."

"Glad to hear you're invested in it," she said. "I'd go if I could, but you know how it is. Please, sit down."

He sighed as he eased onto the chair, testing to make sure it could hold his weight. "My thanks, faring has me most wayworn. Quoth Yin, you have cause for revelry yourself, though your inamorata's absence is untimely. I advocated for a brought gift, but Leman mooted a personal exchange."

"I'm not taking your side."

He rolled his shoulders. "I thought not. Natheless, a boon I have." He held out a soaked package, then smiled and pulled it back. "Hist, not you, Cassandra. For _you_."

Everyone automatically turned towards the pirate he was looking at before realizing the problem with that and kept right on turning. Miserie seemed to be trying to push herself straight through the hull. "For Miserie?"

"Forsooth," he said gently. "Yin spoke of a plight in need of righting. Cassandra, if you would?"

The pirate captain took the small package and did her best not to analyze it in any way. Miserie pulled it into her booth, and there was no sound for several seconds. A shriek caused everyone to jump, but they could all feel that it was a shriek of joy. They all took cover as she burst out of her booth, spraying them splinters. She tackled Linnaeus around the middle, and they rolled down to the kitchen level. Cassandra was laughing and clapping her hands, having caught a glimpse of the gift. She gestured for her nakama to follow them down, and Cain simply leaned forward.

Linnaeus had taken the fall well and sat by the door, smiling and rubbing Miserie's hair. Alexander and Cain looked concerned when they saw Miserie was sobbing loudly, but started laughing when they saw the gift. Miserie was wearing a sleek black glove that went the better part of the way up her left forearm. A fine mesh ran in between her fingers, and the back was embossed with a big M.

"Sharkskin leather," Linnaeus described, "inset with sea silk. The netting aids the transition twixt air and sea, letting water spill with greater ease. Attaining another is a hardship itself, so try not to mislay it."

Cassandra took her singer's gloved hand and held it tightly. Everyone put their gloves in as well, Cain's engulfing all of theirs. Miserie's crying didn't stop as hugs were being given all around. Cassandra shoved her way through and fiercely kissed Linnaeus' cheek. "I fucking love you, you know that? Far and away my favorite of my Sisters' datemates."

"How many times has he tried to kill you?" Morgan inquired.

"But twice," the fishman said. "First following her cognizance of my romantic intentions, second eftsoon I became Pythia's swain. Do you foreswear any trials upon knowledge of our engagement?"

"Of course! I'm not kidding; I have faith in you."

He let out the breath he didn't seem to realize he had been holding. "Heyday! I may lay my unquiet to rest."

"Wait, that's it?" Morgan interjected. "He's recently become your Moon Sister's fiance, not boyfriend but _fiance_, and that's all?"

"That should go to show that you don't even have to be my nakama to gain my trust. Linnaeus really looks out for Pythia."

The assassin coughed loudly. "'Looks out,' quotha!"

She laughed and patted his shoulder. "You know what I mean, jackass. Speaking of, how's Dwi?" A banded yellow and black snake peeked out from beneath Linnaeus' shirt and flicked out her tongue. Cassandra smiled and extended her finger. "Sorry for not saying hi sooner. Forgive me?"

"Captain, why are you talking to… that…" Alexander fell silent as the snake wound up Cassandra's arm and didn't stop. The other Black Glove Pirates gaped in amazement as Dwi showed how long she truly was. Cassandra laughed at their expressions as the krait finished coiling herself around the pirate's torso and neck.

"My compeer, Dwi," Linnaeus said, his smile hidden behind his hand. "She is sore fond of Cassandra."

The krait wound through Cassandra's hair and rested her chin on Cassandra's forehead. "Once, in case you were wondering," she told Morgan. "The boyfriend time."

"Dwi is so cute and pretty! Can Miserie pet her?" Cassandra lowered her head, and the mermaid tentatively extended her hand. The snake extended her head and allowed Miserie to gently stroke it. "Dwi is a sea snake, yes?"

Linnaeus looked offended. "Verily. I'd not break troth and drown her, would I?"

"And I'm guessing highly poisonous," Alexander said. "I don't know of any oceanic constrictors."

"Oh fuck," Cassandra grumbled to herself, but it was too late.

"Nay, a prevalent misbelief! The Boidae family includes the genus _Thalassophis_, or sea boas. But three sea boa species have been catalogued. Each takes hold of their prey and throttle them to death. The most prolific species is _thalassophis pugnus_ yclept the tantrum sucuri, named so for its autumnal tone and its way of stunning its prey by thrashing against rocks or the sea floor. _Thalassophis iners_ can go days or weeks without a large meal, supplements its diet with the scavengers attracted by the dead prey. Now, _thalassophis_ _regius_ grow of such size that people are wont to err, mistaking them for Sea Kings, but they share not even their class!"

Alexander's eyes had trouble staying in focus as he tried to process everything Linnaeus was saying. Miserie looked torn between looking at Alexander's misfortune and her new glove, but Cain and Morgan had turned away to hide their amusement. They both started slightly when Raven appeared in front of them. "Linnaeus is a formidable assassin on top of being naturally poisonous, but his true passion lies in taxonomy. It is a conversational pitfall known to those who know him, but as he is a Predator Assassin, it can be difficult to talk to him without involving animals."

They both stared at her in surprise. "You have conversations with him?" asked Cain at last.

"Pythia's substantial knowledge of poisons and antidotes is as comprehensive as it is in part because of Linnaeus' taxonomic genius."

"Yeah, but you can just zip away if he starts going on."

"It is unproductive to do so if I have not learned what I need to from him."

"I'll be damned if getting him back on topic isn't harder than furling a loose sail in a storm," Cassandra said. "But Raven's right: he is brilliant. It also helps that Linnaeus has much less interest in being an assassin than he does in being a zoologist and as such didn't give a damn that I wanted to get to know him."

"And Pythia can understand him to a limited degree," Raven reminded her.

Cassandra grinned. "And that. Before this goes any further, the four of us need to do a quick rundown of the kinds of tech we'll be fighting tomorrow night. This doesn't apply to them since they hopefully won't be fighting. Raven?"

"The guard battlesuits all come with mounted machine guns and a limited supply of twenty rockets. One of them has a flamethrower, which does not concern Morgan, the second has a sword with an enormous chainsaw, and the other delivers punches powered by compressed gas. These will each be flanked with four guards, two manning the shoulder turrets and two taking cover behind the legs.

"The battlesuits ridden by Theodorus Alram-Mah XXI and Theodorus Alram-Mah XXII will have different qualifications. They will be bigger and slower, only equipped with machine guns, tear gas, a thirty rocket payload, and a head turret that fires five 103 mm shells. However, if the battlesuit sustains enough damage or it runs out of ammunition, they have smaller suits inside, each standing approximately three meters tall. These suits are significantly faster and more oriented for close combat. If these come out, only if all three of you are able to coordinate can you take on one of them. Damien can handle the other. We will retreat and regroup in City Fifty-Nine. If necessary, Lyn will have an emergency area ready in the Fifty-Nine-Sixty Decimal."

"We'll definitely need Damien on at least one of the Alram-Mahs," Morgan said. "I have something I can try to obscure my identity for a while. I will need a little time to prepare while you and Cain set off the initial alarms."

"Good. Cain?"

"Ballistic armor under reinforced plates, and the barren terrain means I'll be bringing in a warhammer. I'll try to make it last until we get to the factory proper."

She nodded. "Raven will be able to help us out if absolutely necessary, but I'd prefer to save her until we need to retreat. Anyway, we have a guest. It would be remiss of us to leave him be."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Even considering the situation, Miserie had to fight to keep from giggling. Days ago, Miserie had been absolutely terrified of Raven. Now she was holding the doctor's hand while Linnaeus looked at her tail. Raven wasn't nice, but that wasn't a bad thing. She just didn't know how to be nice. She had remembered what Jordan had said about Raven never having seen the sun until recently and had asked the doctor about it. Raven had said it was true. Miserie felt a lot less unusual hearing that.

"Lepidotrichia…" Linnaeus murmured to himself. He had promised to try and use words she could understand. "_Actinopterygii_ class, if I'm any judge. Have you any distinctive characteristics that might further aid my identification?"

"She has pointed teeth."

The scholar waved his hand. "Common among carnivorous and omnivorous base species. Countless merfolk have that. I gather you communicate more easily with predatory fish?"

"Yes, they like her a lot more. Miserie also really likes shellfish."

He nodded as he peered through his tiny glasses. "Your scales are quite vibrant. Are you more at home in fresh or saltwater?"

"If she had to pick one, freshwater. But she really likes seawater too."

Linnaeus put one book down and picked up another. Miserie shifted her grip on Raven's hand while he flipped through it. "Okay, anything else distinctive?"

"Her singing is… Lyn said dynamic, Anou said like hypnosis."

"Can you give me an example?" Miserie squirmed for a moment, then opened her mouth to sing. "Stop! Still. Forgive me; I don't mean to shout. I'll look but a second."

He moved in close, then paused as Raven's hand covered his eyes. "That was a second."

"Five seconds," he said with a smile.

Raven glanced at Miserie, who nodded. She removed her hand, then put it back. "That was five seconds."

He laughed as he pushed her hand away and went back to his book. "Zounds, Corax, speak the truth from the start!"

"You are waiting for me to ask, 'Speak what truth?'"

Linnaeus rolled his eyes. "I am of the opinion that your increased social skills make you less fun. You overlooked something."

The doctor let go of Miserie's hand and appeared on the wall beside him. "I missed nothing."

"You did. I wit Miserie's base species, only as I marked what you had not. You were considering her feelings." He smiled as she put a clawed finger just below his eye. "When most friends threaten each other, they tell a lie. However, I recognize that you might be slightly upset by my mocking your overlooked detail, and you are my only friend who would actually pluck out my eye over something so trivial. It's her tongue."

Miserie was suddenly very aware of her tongue sitting in her mouth. "What about it?" she asked.

"Your lingual papillae are visibly rough. The cause of this is the unusual amount of keratin they contain, the same material that comprises your hair and your fingernails. This is because your base species is indeed carnivorous, with a diet consisting of any animal it can reach on the surface. You are an arowana mermaid."

She didn't know how to react. Never in her life had she imagined that she would actually know what she was. She put her hands to her mouth, once again feeling the leather of her new glove. She couldn't keep the tears from falling. but she kept herself from tackling him into the ground again. She moved over and grabbed him in a tight hug. Dwi curled out from his shirt and wound around her neck.

"Pythia is very lucky to have him."

He rubbed her back. "Away with any flirtations. Leman's eyes turn most green."

"They do not," Raven said. "And yes, I understand what you meant. You always worry that she will be jealous, but she trusts you."

"Her hive doesn't."

"That is different."

"Miserie is an arowana mermaid," she whispered, still unable to believe it.

Linnaeus gently pushed her away, but Dwi didn't release her hold. "Arowana are excellent jumpers, picking off birds and insects from branches. They are symbolic of dragons, often referred to as dragon fish-"

"Like John?" Miserie asked. "He is an obese dragonfish fishman."

"No, that's the _Stomiidae_ class. Arowana are dragon fish in the figurative sense. They are said to bring luck to whomever-" he paused as Raven moved closer to him, "-are their friends. That must be why Cassandra's done so well lately."

"Cassandra is a formidable leader who specializes in reading her opponents and maximizing the use of the resources she has available to her. Although she does depend on chance, it is not the cornerstone to her victories."

Linnaeus sighed. "Color me surprised. It's deplorable that it took so long for you to be identified, Miserie. Fishmen have it easier since we exhibit more characteristics of our base species, and fish-based merfolk are more difficult. I was asked to help a fellow who turned out to be a koi merman instead of the goldfish merman he had been led to believe."

She laughed. "Well, Miserie is an arowana mermaid! Thank you so much!" She immediately left the room so she could go tell the rest of her nakama. She dropped into the main hall and went to the galley, where Captain, Alexander, Cain, and Morgan were still talking about the upcoming battle. They looked up when she pushed open the door and hid behind the frame. "Linnaeus says Miserie is an arowana mermaid!"

"Oh nice!" Captain said. "A full-fledged Black Glove Pirate who knows what she is. Not a bad day, would you say?"

"It is a great day!"

"Okay, now I'm calling shenanigans," Morgan said sharply. "You wanted Linnaeus to pay us a visit to help Miserie out, so you took advantage of your Sisters' desire to spread the news about you and Lyn becoming girlfriends and asked whichever one of them would tell Pythia if Linnaeus could visit us."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Captain said with a tiny smile. "Linnaeus came of his own free will, and I was as surprised as you were to see him."

"That's not a 'no,' Captain."

She shrugged. "You're missing the point. Miserie knows who she is, accounting for the uncertainty most aquatic folk have regarding base species, and she is officially a crewmember. Don't get me wrong, Miserie, if anyone messed with you before was already screwed because you're our nakama, but now nobody can mistake who your friends are. Plus, there's another benefit that you haven't exactly been able to capitalize upon."

Cain and Morgan looked confused, but Alexander pressed his lips together. He made a talking movement with one hand, pointed at Morgan, then pointed at Morgan again, and made a slow walking movement. Miserie thought about it for a moment. She realized why he was fighting so hard to keep his lips together. She retreated behind the door frame and clapped both hands to her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

"M-Morgan," she managed to say in an almost normal tone of voice. "Tomorrow for dinner, make shrimp, crab, and clam dishes to celebrate."

"We made landfall two days ago!" he shouted. "It took me that long to find ingredients that weren't dredged from the sea! At least give us a break for variety's sake."

"Still, Miserie wants them, so make them."

He opened his mouth, then paused. His eyes became dark grey, and his face went purple. He clenched his jaw so hard that Miserie was worried his teeth would break. "As you command," he growled.

"Well, you were the one who didn't hesitate to remind us that she wasn't officially part of our crew and consequently didn't outrank you," Captain said casually. "Now that's come to bite you in the ass. Cheer up, that's still really only me bossing you around. Most of us don't care enough to, and you're scared of the other two. It balances out, really. Plus, it's not like you've done anything to offend Miserie or anything, right?"

Morgan glared at her, then at Miserie. She glared right back. "Of course not," he said sharply. "We have gotten along swimmingly."

"Good! So what're you gonna do now that you know who you are?"

"Miserie is going to ask if Linnaeus can come to the Decimal and help identify other people's base species. She knows they will be really excited to learn too."

Captain's smile dwindled. "That's commendably nice of you. I'm sure he'd be thrilled with that, but don't be too disappointed if the Scarabians aren't as jazzed as you were."

"She won't. Thanks, Captain." Miserie returned to the ocean just in time to see Linnaeus swim out of her underwater door. "Can he come to the Decimal with her? There are lots of fishpeople and merfolk who do not know their base species."

"That sounds fascinating," he said. "Lead the way!"

While Miserie had gone through the waste pipes the first time, she had been shown the deep, deep tunnel the fishmen had made when creating the Decimal. It was off the coast of City Fifty-Nine and almost impossible to find without knowing it was there. Miserie kept her pace relatively slow so Linnaeus wouldn't fall behind and continued to ask questions about arowana. His book had more to do with classification than details about species, but she still learned a few interesting things.

When they arrived at the Decimal, Miserie hid in the corner and searched for the few fishmen who listened to her and didn't stare. She spotted one talking to a few others and swam over. "Roshni?"

The tiny fishwoman turned around and smiled. "Miserie! Good to see you again? Who's this one?"

"Linnaeus, stonefish fishman and taxonomist," he said. "Miserie said that there are no few swimmers hereabouts who don't know their base species, and I was wondering if I would be able to help."

Roshni stared at him for a moment, then shrugged. "Eh, why not? Sounds fun."

"I'll go ask if there's any others," said Holls. "But if there's a queue when I get back, I get priority, okay?"

"Sounds good," Roshni laughed.

Linnaeus put on his glasses and peered at the fishwoman. "Hmm, small in stature indicates a likely small fish. May I see your teeth? Ah, flat, likely omnivorous then. Now, your fins are…"

Miserie went to the surface and looked around. The Decimal was exactly the same as yesterday, everything buzzing with activity. She slowly swam about, marveling at what people who wanted to be free could do. She could understand why Lyn wanted to help them so much. Of all the Black Glove Pirates, she was the one who needed freedom the most.

"Hi Miserie!" came a voice from on top of her head. "Nice of you to stop by!"

"Hi Bragmat. How was the resistance?"

"It was okay. We got more vegetables, but one of us got killed and another got captured. I gotta say, though, Lyn was super helpful! She talked to the guards and completely distracted them while we got the food." He hesitated, then appeared on an outcropping of rock in front of her. "Are you sure she has a girlfriend?"

"Absolutely! Why?"

"Well, she used her… feminine wiles to keep them distracted so we could get out."

Miserie frowned. "Her what?"

"You know, her…" He curved his hands in the air in a way that made Miserie giggle.

"Her body? That is what Lyn does! Before Lyn became a pi- shipper, she helped attract business at bars she worked at and helped distract people exactly like she did for Bragmat. Captain says that is part of why Lyn is useful. She likes people, and people like her."

"Even if she spent the night with someone she… really liked?"

Miserie opened her mouth, but she didn't say anything. On one hand, Lyn spent almost as many nights away from the ship when they were on an island as she did on it. On the other, she and Captain were now girlfriends, and Miserie didn't know how that worked. "She does that all the time," she said cautiously. "Captain doesn't mind."

Bragmat gave a huge relieved smile. "Okay, then no problem!"

"Has Bragmat seen Lyn or Anou? Miserie wants to tell them she is an arowana mermaid."

"Um…" He rubbed his sideburns. "Lyn's out and about again, but Anou's over there."

She followed his thumb. "Where?"

"Hiding behind that house. She only wants to be around non-humans and Lyn."

"Lyn is special," Miserie agreed. "Even Anat thinks so, and Anat doesn't think highly of very many people. Over here?"

She swam over to the building with Bragmat sitting on her head. She pulled herself onto the platform surrounding the house to see Anou surrounded by a group of dwarves. The little girl looked up in surprise. "Oh! What're you doing here, Miserie?"

"She is an arowana mermaid!"

Anou blinked. "What?"

"Miserie did not know her base species, but her friend Linnaeus is a taxidermist, so he helped her identify her base species. She is an arowana mermaid, a dragon fish that isn't a dragonfish and brings luck!"

One of the dwarves tentatively raised a hand. "I think taxidermists stuff dead animals?"

"Oh. What kind of person classifies animals?" Everyone looked around and shrugged. "Miserie will ask Linnaeus later. So what is everyone doing?"

"10K," answered another dwarf. "Ever play?"

Miserie thought of various five dice games she knew. "Oh, Dix Mille! Who's winning?"

"Verner by thirty-five hundred," Anou said.

"How much do you have?"

"Not playing."

The mermaid wanted to ask why not, but she was pretty sure Lyn wouldn't do that. "Well, what do you want to do?"

"Do you have any more stories?"

Most of the dwarves turned to Miserie, who ducked beneath the wooden boards. "She is sorry, but she does not have any stories to tell. Her life has not been the kind of life with stories."

"All lives have stories," said Bragmat.

"Miserie's stories are bad. She doesn't want to tell them."

"Join the club," a dwarf grumbled.

"But then Miserie met Lyn and her crew, and now Miserie's stories are happy. Lyn told them already, though."

"Did you really have to switch ships because a pirate crew attacked you at sea?"

The pirate nodded. "That was really bad because we didn't have Doctor. That was one fight Anat actually didn't almost die, and she really liked the other ship, so she was really mad."

"And that was before or after Lyn started going out with her girlfriend?" Anou asked.

"Before. Also, thanks for reminding Miserie. She will be right back." Miserie swam over to Linnaeus, who was sitting on the floor of the Decimal with a line of people in front of him. Remembering the trouble Captain had had when trying to get Linnaeus to stop telling Alexander all about sea snakes, she forcefully pushed his shoulder. "Miserie will be right back. She has to ask Captain something."

He barely turned his head to nod at her, keeping his eyes fixed on the mermaid in front of him. "What remarkable coloring! The gradient is unusual, but that might be a consequence of your current living conditions."

Miserie swam quickly back to _Dusk Pandion_, hoping that Captain was still on board. She was still in the dining room with Morgan, interrogating him about the drug smuggling he was planning to do. Morgan looked glad when Miserie entered, and the mermaid couldn't blame him. She would hate to be questioned by Captain. "I thought you were at the Decimal with Linnaeus," Captain said.

"She was. She wants to ask Captain a question."

"Of course."

Miserie suddenly wondered if it was her place to ask about Lyn's sex life, but she couldn't back out now. "How would Captain feel if Lyn did what she always does when she gets to an island?"

Captain only shrugged. "Is she hurt?"

"Miserie doesn't think so."

"Then good for her."

Morgan's elbow slipped, and his chin slammed into the table. "You what?" he asked, rubbing his chin. "She's your girlfriend, and you're okay with her still sleeping about?"

"It makes her happy, so why would I not be?"

"Because she is your _girlfriend!_" he repeated.

Captain smiled. "And just what made you think that she'd stop?"

"You have a very difficult time with others touching what you consider yours."

"Lyn's not mine; she's just my girlfriend. You're my chef, and Damien's my navigator."

Morgan scowled. "That's not the same, and you know it."

"Why not? You're the one who made the assumption that our relationship would be monogamous."

"Oh, so you intend to compete with how many sexual partners you've had?"

She looked over to Miserie. "Why is it that he can be so smart, yet so stupid?"

The mermaid stifled her giggles. "It is a mystery."

"Okay, you clearly don't intend to discuss this in a mature manner," Morgan snapped. "I-"

"Lyn is who she is. She enjoys sex as a recreational activity, and she enjoys spending time with other people. By happy coincidence, there's some overlap between the two. I may be her girlfriend, but that does _not_ mean I get to choose what she does and does not do. Am I okay with it? Yes, because we've already talked about it and I trust her completely. Don't for one second believe that my love for her is so brittle that her choice of sexual activities can break it."

Miserie always loved it when Captain was like this. No matter who she was facing down, she always appeared to be larger than they were. Morgan's eyes slowly changed as he thought about her words. "An interesting perspective, to be sure. If I may speak candidly, I don't think that kind of relationship will last. Especially since there is an inequality in terms of sexual partners outside of your relationship."

"That makes even less sense. This may come as a surprise, but our sex drives are different. Why the hell would I want to be the only one satisfied? It's a hybrid relationship, and we're both happy with it."

"And Miserie is happy for them!" the mermaid interjected. "They are happy, so she is happy!"

Morgan looked unconvinced. "Time will tell."


	74. Night Frights

Raven's foot lashed out, sending a faint, white crescent cutting through the air. A second later, another flew forth at exactly the same speed and angle. She kicked out again and again, trying to improve an infinitesimal amount every time. She would not practice any of her family's advanced techniques until she had mastered the six basic ones, regardless of how useful udu aran shaatii would be against the thick armored battlesuits. She had only used it on Reichmann Island in a brief moment of emotional weakness.

Pupil, the Baby Den-Den Mushi broadcasting sounds from its partner M.D., let out a sudden, loud scream. Raven immediately ceased her training and returned to _Dusk Pandion_. She entered the medical ward and confirmed her suspicions. Cassandra was trying to extract herself from her sheets, tearing them away from her body. She had ripped a metal bar free from the bedframe and was swinging at imaginary assailants. Raven looked at the prepared syringe on the counter, but the way Cassandra was flailing about, it would be difficult to precisely inject its contents. The pirate captain's strength and reflexes when disoriented were not easy to deal with.

Instead, she caught the metal rod on the flat of her blade and lunged forward with her dahamab. Cassandra's arm came up with lightning speed and caught the clawed weapon between the bones in her forearm. She twisted her wrist to trap Raven's finger and pulled as hard as she could. Raven went with the force, kicking off to slam Cassandra into the bed. They rolled across the mattress, and Cassandra tried to throw Raven off of her. Taking advantage of Cassandra's disorientation, the doctor spun over her and pinned her to the floor, a clawed finger stuck in the captain's stomach. The effects from the first dose of poison were becoming evident, Cassandra's limbs slowing down and weakening. Raven fended off the attacks as she waited for Cassandra to calm down.

Cassandra's wild eyes looked through Raven, her pupils dilated and moving erratically. She slowly focused upon her doctor, her breath still coming in short gasps. When Raven was satisfied the pirate captain had returned to her senses, she retreated to the bedpost to wait. Cassandra eased herself against the wall and rubbed her brow. The jagged metal rod rolled from her fingers and clattered to the floor. She took a deep, calming breath and closed her eyes. "Thanks. Did I wake the others?"

Raven quickly sped through the ship. "It does not appear so. Your parasomnia is not improving."

The captain laughed. "I'd say I'm getting better." Raven glanced at the damaged bedframe. "Relatively speaking. The terrors are getting less severe, but I'm getting better and stronger. It balances out. What'd you hit me with?"

"Linnaeus and I compared notes on the toxins Pythia gave me before I departed for Dewpon. We are testing a new combination."

"How lovely."

"Your Fruit prevented the toxin from advancing to its second stage, which would have caused the sensation of being dissolved from the inside."

Cassandra smiled. "How nice."

"This is the first sleep terror you have had since my return."

She waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine. Cain'll fix this up no problem."

"I have done research into sleep terrors. Adults who suffer them usually feel embarrassed."

"Like I care. It's something that's wrong with me, and I can't help it. After all, I didn't hurt anyone."

"Do you remember your dream?"

"To become Queen of the Pirates."

"That is a joke," Raven identified.

Cassandra laughed again. "And you know that because…?"

"Your disorientation has passed."

"It's a start. It was the kids, again. Do you know how much it sucks when I have the moral low ground to Damien? I mean, you do, but it bothers me."

Raven stared at her. "Here is some cider."

Cassandra accepted the drink, and Raven went to the men's quarters. Having accepted the fact that he would be woken up at odd hours, Alexander had been extremely vocal about how he wished to be roused from his slumber. She gently shook his shoulder until he groaned and sat up. She flipped his nightcap over his head and gave him his glass of ice water. She waited until he put it down before putting his glasses on his face. "Come to the medical ward."

He nodded and let her drag him downstairs. He slumped onto the bed and looked down at his captain. She smiled at him. "Are you awake?"

He peered at Raven. "Is there any way I can give some of my sleep hours to you?"

"Sarcasm."

"Close enough. How can I be of service?"

"Cassandra has experienced another night terror."

Alexander straightened. "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm not gonna kiss it better though, if that's what you're looking for."

"Boooo." She threw a tattered section of blanket at him. "You're no fun."

"Cassandra is bothered by how she has the moral low ground to Damien regarding the intentional murder of children."

"Thanks for putting it so eloquently," the pirate captain said, taking another swig of cider.

"You are welcome."

Alexander chuckled. "Well, let's be fair, Captain, that does tell me exactly what I need to know. I'll admit that Damien can be overly destructive when he needs to clear his head, but even he has his limits. That said, just remember that you're sitting next to the poster child for spotty pasts."

Cassandra raised her bottle. "Ah, making me feel better at the expense of a friend: the tried and true method of cheering me up."

"Yeah." He inched his feet forward and adjusted the pillow beneath his back. "Well, you've done some fucked up things in the past, and there's no denying that. You will _never_ wipe those sins away."

"I'm sorry; aren't you supposed to cheering me up?"

"But you are a survivor, Captain. That's what we all love about you. You will fight tooth and nail to move forwards. When your back is against the wall, you do what you have to do to win. You're not perfect and you don't always make the right decision, but you've got more ways of doing things now. You aren't the same person."

"Twenty-two children against Lyn's life. Guess which one I'll choose?"

"_I_ would choose Lyn's life there. Oh, don't look at me like that. I am a pirate. My nakama come first and foremost. Do you really think I could live with myself if I knew that I could have kept you or Morgan alive, even at the expense of others? I don't deny that I would tear myself up about what those children suffered, but I would never regret my decision. After that is just dealing with it. Now, I don't have a girlfriend who thinks the world of me, but I do have nakama who'll help me through it."

Cassandra nodded. "I know, and I appreciate it. I won't call her though."

"Perish the thought."

"I do not understand," Raven said. "Lyn is your girlfriend. Does that not require she be available in times of emotional distress?"

Alexander waved his glass. "Lyn is also her own person. She doesn't live to be help Captain out. After all, isn't that why I'm here? I mean me, physically, here, right now. Obviously, I'm nowhere near girlfriend level of emotional support, but we're nakama, aye?"

Cassandra grabbed his proffered hand. "To the death and beyond."

"Nevertheless, Lyn has historically been the best at calming you after a night terror, and she is likely engaged in sexual intercourse with an islander as we speak."

"I know, but Alexander's right. I love her, but I don't own her. If she's happy, I'm happy."

"But you are not currently happy."

"Generally speaking," Cassandra said. "I've also been sad or ashamed when I've been with her, but that doesn't change anything."

"This kind of relationship appears uneven. Even Yin respects her boyfriends and is only intimate with the two or three she has at any given time."

Alexander blinked several times. "Back up, what?"

"Yin currently has two boyfriends," Cassandra explained. "The third broke up with them because he couldn't handle a polyamorous relationship. That's different than what Lyn and I have. She can sleep with whomever she wants, and I won't tell her otherwise. End of story. Move on."

Raven turned to Alexander. "Would you truly kill children? Even if they were crying and begging for their lives?"

He winced. "Only if that were the absolute only way of saving us, the absolute only way. I would try to find any other way out, but if not, I would do it. I do recognize that some of us would not hesitate, but that's just how we're different. I honestly don't know what Lyn would do. I would feel absolutely awful afterwards, but you'd do it without a second thought. The rest of us are somewhere in the middle, and that's how it is."

"So you would kill someone for Cassandra at the risk of affecting your ability to summon spirits, a significant tie you have to your past and the main source of your combat and healing powers, and that qualifies as love. However, when I eliminate potential threats to Cassandra without any detriment to myself or the crew whatsoever, that is not love?"

"Raven, I've already told you that none of us can determine how you feel," he sighed.

"What do you think, Cassandra?"

The eldest Moon Sister rubbed her face. "I mean, Alexander is right. You are you. On the other hand, keeping me alive seems less out of care and more out of duty after that whole finals deal. That isn't to say that you don't love me. He probably missed this since he couldn't really know, but I'm guessing it wasn't just simple curiosity and a moon-shaped birthmark's tingling that convinced you about the Moon Sister connection."

Raven stared at Cassandra as she quickly scanned through her memories. She had analyzed them countless times in an effort to explain her behavior, but she attempted to view them through a different lens. "I do not know how to put it precisely."

She blinked as both Alexander and Cassandra laughed. "Raven, none of us can precisely say what we feel," Alexander said. "Nobody can do that. We just try to describe it as best we can and hope other people understand."

She considered this. "I was initially unconvinced by the supposed connection. There are much more rational explanations to explain the six birthmarks in shapes of nearly successive lunar phases and the sensation we feel when in close proximity to one another."

"Six?" Alexander asked.

"Shi doesn't strictly speaking have a birthmark," Cassandra said. "But she is marked, make no mistake. Anyway, go on."

"Duty to my family's hierarchy is paramount in my family. Without it, there would be no organization. After all, we have no attachment to one another. At first, you are correct in saying that investigating the birthmark pattern and tingling was my only reason for allowing you to include me in the Moon Sister theory.

"However, as time passed, my thoughts became less focused on fulfilling my duty to my family and more upon being near the Moon Sisters. I was not concerned about their well-being, only their presence. It is important to understand that the connection is stronger when more Moon Sisters are gathered, Alexander. That is why Dewpon was of significant importance to the four of us. I am a Moon Sister. Losing another Moon Sister would be like losing part of my body."

She paused as she noticed Cassandra's eyes looked watery. "I do not understand. I had thought you would be happy with this revelation. Is this similar to what happened last night with Miserie where tears are an example of crying after being overcome with happiness?" The eldest Sister nodded. "How does one differentiate between tears of happiness and tears of sadness?"

"Knowledge of the person and context," Alexander said, his voice scratchy. "Go on."

"Like the other Sisters, you are of special importance to me. That is why I protect you. That is why I took advantage of the fact that I had not made the same promise as the others did and joined your crew. I am not dead right now because of you. When you faked your death on Reichmann Island, I became emotional. I have hypothesized that being in close proximity to Damien while he was channeling an excessive amount spirits caused that moment of emotional weakness to become much more severe, but it was your apparent death that made that weakness possible in the first place.

"Since then, I have become more aware of keeping you alive. However, it has been brought to my attention that I can help you in more ways than physical safety, especially since you require very little medical attention. I have come to see the positive and negative affects of love. For example, this conversation obviously means a lot to you, which qualifies as psychological aid. I know I am not good at communicating how I… feel about you, but that does not mean I protect you simply out of repayment for my life and because of you are my Sister. You are… more than that to me."

Cassandra choked on her sob as she brought her hands to her face. Alexander rubbed a scrap of bedsheet between his fingers, then wrote 'HUG HER' on the wall with the newly transmutated ink. Raven flitted down beside Cassandra and put her arms around the captain's shaking body. Cassandra returned the embrace with a considerable strength, and Raven pulled Cassandra slightly away from the wall as Alexander turned the ink into water. "I love you," the eldest Moon Sister whispered.

Raven thought about how best to respond. "I am pretty sure I love you too."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Morgan angrily stalked through the street, nearly biting his tongue in half. Why was _he_ the one tasked with locating Damien when Raven could do so much more quickly? The blasted doctor was always prepared for combat, so what was so pressing she couldn't locate the errant pirate? It was true that Damien had unusually held himself back from destroying anything of importance, but Raven could move much more quickly than Morgan and cover more area.

Nevertheless, it wasn't hard to track down a heavily bandaged woman whom people shied away from without quite knowing why. Of all the places he expected to wind up, a strip club was not one of them. He glared at the grate that indicated the club was closed and went around the side. He rapped at the small door and waited expectantly. After a minute with no response, he knocked rather harder. The door eventually opened slightly, allowing a wide eye to peek through. "We don't open until seven. Piss off."

Morgan slammed his hand against the door. "I'm looking for my navigator. Tall, horribly scarred, last seen wrapped in bandages?"

The eye appraised him for a moment. "Wait here."

Folding his arms, Morgan waited for the person to return. Right before he was about to storm off, the door opened again. A fat woman gestured impatiently. "Well come on, then."

He hid his confusion as he followed the employee through the club. Women in various states of undress passed by without giving him a second glance. He ignored them in return, keeping focused at the task at hand. Nobody seemed to be injured, but that wasn't necessarily a good thing

When he entered the main room, he didn't know whether to be surprised or not. He had thought that, given the navigator's aggressive personality, Damien had forced his way inside to have his way with the strippers. Instead, the sight was both quite unnerving and wholly familiar. An extremely fit woman was spinning and dancing around a pole with the grace of an expert. Damien was on another pole, mimicking the first dancer roughly a second late. Morgan wasn't entirely sure how the pole managed to hold his weight, but he was more concerned with another extremely everyday sight.

"Where are your clothes and bandages?" he shouted angrily.

Damien didn't stop moving, only a tight pair of briefs keeping him decent. "Got in th' way. Why're you 'ere?"

Morgan stormed up to the pole. "You are supposed to be Anat!"

"An' can' do this with the fuckin' bandages. Wha's it t' you?"

"Consider the situation, you infernal feist! Would you stop that and get down here?"

"They're not done yet," came a voice from behind Morgan. He turned to see a squat woman with a twisted mouth. "He made some rather provocative remarks about New Kara."

"I do apologize for his language," Morgan said automatically. "It's infamous in ports along the Line. Please excuse any remarks regarding your chosen profession."

The woman's eyebrows drew together. "He's got a sailor's mouth, but he hasn't said a thing about us. Why was he dressed as a woman?"

"I've certainly never questioned his choice in dress." Morgan paused. "He really hasn't made any derogatory insults about your profession? None at all?"

She gave a braying laugh. "Does he on a regular basis?"

"I suppose not. Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier. Firn Briansson, shipper of goods and captain of _Dusk Pandion_. That's my navigator, Anat."

"Bihter Saat. For the record, we thought he was a woman when he first came, and that's the only reason we let him in. We didn't know he was a man until he was up on that pole. We wanted to say something, but New hasn't had fun like this in a while."

"He does certainly defy all expectations," Morgan said. "I suppose there's no chance I can take him back?"

"None whatsoever. You can stay, though. That'll be two grand."

He glowered at her, but nevertheless handed over the bill. He sat close to the stage and admired the dancing woman. The performance was slightly diminished as New Kara was not trying to show off her body so much as trying to outdo Damien. She had the extreme misfortune regarding her lack of knowledge that Damien never backed down and was significantly more agile than he looked, and she still looked determined to beat him. Sweat dripped from her body as she moved along the pole in ways Morgan couldn't even understand, but the light never died in her eyes.

The lack of music and atmosphere made watching incredibly dull, and Morgan was tempted to leave entirely. He checked his nails, then glanced at one of the dancers watching nearby. "May I borrow some nail polish remover?"

She was visibly taken aback by the question. She looked at his nails to make sure he wasn't kidding before peering at him again. "Who are you?"

"Anat's captain. I'm stuck here until she's done. I have a spot of manual labor to do later tonight, so I want to clear my nails anyway. I had planned on doing it later, but I'm not doing anything otherwise."

"I see," she said slowly. "Not enjoying the show?"

"No. May I use some or not?"

"I guess. Come with me; I don't want you to stink up the place." He nodded and got to his feet. He was brought to an area between the stage and the dressing room and sat on an available chair. She gave him a bottle and some cotton balls before leaning on a wall nearby. "Not many men do up their nails."

"It is another way of complementing an outfit," he said without looking up.

"What about your left hand?"

"A graceful way of masking several disfiguring injuries."

She stared at the stage beyond the curtain. "So what's the deal with Anat?"

"We would both grow old and die before I could finish explaining what his deal is."

"You're his captain. You must have hired him for a reason."

"He deals with any trouble we might encounter," he said truthfully, "although he instigates as many problems as he resolves. He is additionally a deceptively good navigator."

"And you're okay with him being a transvestite?"

Morgan snorted. "That is among the least bizarre aspects of him. Besides, I don't discriminate about who I let join my crew. He does his job well, and that's all I care about."

"How open-minded of you."

He held his hand to the light to make sure they were satisfactorily clean. "We are an open-minded crew. Thank you for the remover. Is there any chance I could get something to drink that doesn't taste like it's been sitting in an open barrel for years? If Ms. Kara is as stubborn as Anat is, I anticipate a lengthy wait."

"And you can't leave and come back because…"

"God only knows where he'll go to afterwards. I usually don't care where he is and what he's doing, but that does have its downsides."

"I see. Well, I'll ask Bibs."

"Again, thank you." They parted ways, Morgan returning to the main room. Damien and New Kara were still going, and Morgan had half a mind to wrap the poles down and declare it a draw. He went back to his seat, where a few more dancers were waiting. "Can I help you ladies?"

"Was he an exotic dancer before you hired him?" asked one immediately.

Multiple parts of Morgan's brain voluntarily shut down rather than conjure that particular image. "No, but he grew up with significant exposure to what judgmental people refer to as areas of ill repute. It would come as no surprise to me that he frequented establishments such as these."

"I mean, he's fucking ripped."

It took a moment to realize she was referring to Damien's physique rather than his extensive injuries. Only women wholly deprived of better specimens of men could possibly think about the navigator in such a matter, lunatic Shandorians notwithstanding. "I can assure you that at no point in his life has he been concerned about what others think of his appearance. He trains incessantly to be as strong as he possibly can to brutally and effectively remove of obstacles in our path. He is very competitive and often starts fights for amusement. What did he say to New?"

"He - well, we thought he was a woman at the time - said that he could dance circles around the best of us. Naturally, Bibs told him to hit the road, but he avoided all of the bouncers' punches and hopped on a pole."

"How utterly unsurprising."

They continued in conversation for quite some time, occasionally glancing at the stage to check on the combatant's progress. Damien was inarguably less fluid and graceful than New Kara, but he would rather tear his own arm off than admit defeat. New's stamina slowly drained, but she never made a mistake or slipped. When she could no longer continue, she dropped down to the ground and leaned against the pole for support. Her hair clung to her face, and she looked fit to pass out. Damien hung upside-down, one leg wrapped around the pole. "No' bad, Spider, no' bad. You defini'ly ain' all talk."

"Are you serious?" Morgan yelled, shooting to his feet. "You can't be serious! She gets a nickname after one little pole dance while I earned mine after enduring untold amounts of abuse? That's totally outrageous!"

Damien flipped off of the pole and landed in front of him. "'S ma'er? Baby got 'is feelin's 'urt?"

"I forget that you do many things simply to aggravate me. Are you finally finished? There is business to which we must attend."

Confusion clouded the navigator's face. "Wha' business?"

"_We_ have business. It's been three days."

"Oh, aye!" He howled with laughter and clapped Morgan's back hard enough to leave a bruise. "Abou' fuckin' time! Cap'n's finally got shit sorted out, ah?"

"Yes, I have," Morgan stressed. "Now I cannot emphasize enough how thankful I am that you fine women have entertained Anat enough to keep him out of trouble, but we must now take our leave."

"Come back tomorrow night," New Kara said, mopping the sweat from her face and body. "I'll show you how a real dance works. You'll get in free." Morgan raised his eyebrows. "No, just Anat."

"Fine with me," Damien said in what passed for him as a cheerful tone. "Bes' step up yer game, insect."

New Kara flipped them off as the pirates reassembled Damien's disguise of rags and bandages before leaving the establishment. Morgan took a moment to orient himself, then realized that Damien was already heading as directly towards _Dusk Pandion_ as possible while staying on the streets. The prince hastened to catch up, his light jog attracting the stares of a few passersby.

"Yer Princess, righ'?"

Morgan frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Cap'n's too smar' t' send you t' get me. 'F i' weren' fer that fuckin' fight she got planned, I'da told you t' piss off."

"Someone has to do retrieve you," Morgan snapped.

"An' las' time you came, 't was actually Copycat."

"Although you wouldn't know because you spend a mystifying amount of time away from the crew to which you claim to belong, Miserie has received her black glove."

He was cut off as Damien howled with laughter. "Yahahar! An' you've 'it th' bottom again! Ain' tha' jus' a laugh! Toro's a mean little fish when she wants t' be! Yahahahar!"

Morgan cut off his retort. Despite appearing as a mindless brute who couldn't see anything other than a potential challenge, the navigator did occasionally demonstrate an uncannily sharp intuition. "Did you know Queen and Lyn were in love before they announced it?"

Damien looked at him like he had sprouted a third eye. "Th' fuck kinda question's tha'?"

"Your brain seems to be made of more muscle than gray matter." Morgan struggled to phrase this in a way that couldn't possibly be construed as a compliment. "Nevertheless, you have been known to very rarely and accidentally reach the right conclusion."

The disguised pirate only laughed harder. "Says th' one 'oo can' see pas' the fuckin' chip on 'is bellend! 'S a miracle you got tha' close t' killin' Cap'n!"

"Well, excuse me for not having the raw strength required to win in single combat. Most of us aren't pathologically driven to win every single contest that might arise."

"Tha's 'cos y'all don' got no sense o' fuckin' fun."

"You do realize that the world isn't ruled by the absolute strongest people, right?"

"So fuckin' wha'? Rulin's for cunts 'oo c'n find spineless cumdrops wit' no pride." Morgan just knew that the mad pirate was grinning nastily at the Scarabians who had enough energy to take offence at that particular comment.

"Only someone as uncivilized as you would lack the understanding to the benefits of ruling. Without society, life cannot progress. Instead of fearing for their life on a daily basis, scientists are able to come up with technology to make life easier for the rest of us. Farmers can grow more crops than they can protect on their own because other people help in that. Entertainers produce works of art so quality of life is vastly improved. All of these are only possible through organized society, and people are much less worried if there is someone at the top whom they trust with managing it."

Damien's laughter bounced off the lifeless buildings. "Pretty little words, Princess! Bu' tha's no' wha' Cap'n'll do. Those aren' our kinda queens."

"I am well aware. Of course, the Emperors won't like her coronation. After all, a person that outranks even them significantly weakens their rule."

Madness swirled in the larger pirate's eyes. "Aye, yer fuckin' societies won' mean much then, will they? It'll be chaos."

Yes, as much as Morgan derided his crewmate's seemingly random activities, he was learning more and more that Damien wasn't as mindless as he seemed.


	75. Rage Against the Machines

Cassandra waited until the patrol had moved to a different street before gesturing for her nakama to advance. Alexander was unsurprisingly good at moving stealthily, and Morgan wasn't bad either. While Cain could be light on his feet in everyday clothes, it was impossible for him to sneak in his thick armor. His prepared warhammer was clenched in his fist, and his visor was up for better vision in the foggy night. He clanked his way down the street, taking gradual steps to make as little noise as possible.

It was slow going, but they finally made their way over to the wall. Alexander planted his hands on the wall, and a large tunnel appeared a few seconds later with a rush of water. The three Devil Fruit Users clung to Cain for support and waited for the water to drain away. Morgan moved to the end of the tunnel and rapped his knuckles on it. He signaled that the wall was thin enough for him to finish the job, and Cassandra signed back her confirmation. Alexander briefly bowed his head in prayer before disappearing into the mist.

Rock slithered up Morgan's arm as he pushed his way through. He dispersed his forming elemental twice to clear enough room for Cain to fit through. Cassandra leapt up and grabbed the top edge of his reinforced backplate. Her clothing, colored assassin blue, grey, and green, would hopefully obscure her enough for people to miss her in the gloom. Morgan's clothes were of similar colors, though his weren't as well-fitted as hers. He followed her up when he was rid of the last of his elemental, and she tapped the back of Cain's helm twice.

There was nothing between them and the factory some distance away. After taking a deep breath, Cain took off running, moving between the lights as much as possible. When he could no longer stay in the shadows, he gave loud shout and soared into the air. Sirens and alarms immediately began blaring, and light flooded the area. Morgan let go and disappeared into the ground. Cain took one more giant leap before bullets filled the air around them. The soot covering his grey armor made him difficult to see in midair, but he would soon be at the factory proper. It was much more brightly lit and had illuminated buildings from which to stand out.

He bulled into the wall of the factory, but it only buckled instead of breaking completely. He threw Cassandra as he rebounded, sending her to the roof. Bullets struck him from all angles, none of them penetrating. Although even Cassandra's vision and hearing were diminished by the fog, she was still able to determine the general direction of the shooters. She unfolded her Eraser sniper rifle and slotted a round into the chamber before settling down to wait.

When it became apparent that the bullets were doing nothing, the firing ceased. Mechanical whirring began emanating from all around them. Lights from three large battlesuits pierced the fog as they stomped into view. The rattle of the chainsaw was audible from the left one, and the pilot light of the right flickered ominously. The middle made no special noise, indicating that its piston striker was already prepared. Cain pulled down his heavy visor and spun his warhammer.

"YOU ARE TRESPASSING ON GOVERNMENT PROPERTY." The voice from the piston battlesuit was even flatter and more toneless than those of the Eighth's Assassins. "PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPON AND RAISE YOUR HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD."

"I accept your challenge!" Cain thundered. "Floerd!"

He threw a chunk of the concrete ground at the middle one, which smashed it out of midair. Gunfire erupted from the manned turrets on the battlesuits' shoulders, and Cain began running. The battlesuits immediately chasing him, their feet leaving footprints in the frozen dirt. Cain veered towards a growing bulge in the land that hadn't been there previously and vaulted it with ease. Just before the battlesuits reached it, the bulge burst and an enormous earthy hand erupted from the ground. The piston suit punched its way clear through, but the flamethrower suit was knocked backwards. The chainsaw suit continued unimpeded, only to be smashed to the side by Cain's warhammer. He followed through and delivered a mighty kick that bowled the suit over.

Cassandra remained absolutely still as she watched the bandits fend off their opponents. Regrettably, they were inflicting no damage upon the mechanical suits. Morgan never fully formed an elemental, thrusting a large arm or leg out before tunneling back into the ground. Ricocheting bullets sparked off Cain's armor as he ran about the compound, throwing chunks of frozen earth at the battlesuits. The flamethrower and chainsaw suits were focused on catching Cain while the piston suit tried to find Morgan. Cassandra had to give them points for that.

She straightened as more mechanical whirring came from beneath her. Two white suits even larger than the others stomped out of the factory entrance, TAM stamped above the World Government cross. A rapid series of beeps was followed by eight rockets burst forth and soared towards Cain. Cassandra shot one out of midair, the following explosion knocking the others into disarray. The shipwright threw a piece of earth towards the explosion, but missed the other rockets. He followed through by digging his warhammer into the ground and sending up a fountain of dirt clods. The rockets exploded against the debris, but Cain was still knocked onto his back.

One of the TAM suits paused to search for the sniper while the other continued towards Cain. Morgan disappeared into the ground as he went to intercept the suit. The suit hunting for her swiveled its turret this way and that, and Cassandra fell flat on the roof. She couldn't yet expend the energy to pop up and snipe the shell inside the turret before it targeted her, but she knew that her nakama couldn't handle the five battlesuits on their own. She gritted her teeth and threw a flare Yin had prepared for her.

The flare hit the ground and lit the area like the sun. She wasn't sure if she just wanted to hear Miserie's singing or was actually hearing it, but she sincerely hoped the message had been relayed. The battlesuit trying to find her was still reeling from the flash, and she took the opportunity to reposition herself. She uncoiled her rope as she sprinted and threw it when she jumped off the roof. She swung to the side and staggered into a run as she went behind another building.

When the air blackened slightly, she instantly dove to the ground. She didn't know what she had been expecting, but even she cringed as an enormous arachnoid gout of flame erupted from a building that Cassandra felt was far too close. She scrambled away as Damien shot out of the flames and hit a TAM suit like an artillery shell. He had agreed to remain permanently wreathed in flames in an attempt to conceal his identity, even if there weren't many other flaming berserkers sailing the seas, but Cassandra wasn't sure he'd remember that when wholly focused on combat.

Alram-Mah wrenched him off and flung him away, but he was back in a flash that left another spidery afterimage in his wake. His rapid fire punches inflicted barely any damage, and his claws only left shallow grooves of red-hot metal. Bullets rattled out of an arm-mounted machine gun, but he swiftly moved to the gun and pounded it into semi-molten slag. He was thrown into the air and used a wing to shield himself from a barrage of bullets from the other gun. Four more rockets fired off, three of which exploded when he threw his wing out and sent a tendril of flame to hit them.

Only because he was Damien could Cassandra believe her eyes. He grabbed the final rocket, twisted around in midair, and threw it back at the battlesuit. It reeled from the explosion, but the pilot recovered quickly enough. Alram-Mah pushed through the flames, dust and smoke trailing from the suit, and fired a shell from the main turret. Cassandra swore she saw Damien grin madly before he took the attack right to the chest.

As he soared away, she turned back to chart the progress of the others. The turret on the other TAM suit had been slightly bent up, presumably by Cain, and was currently being stalled with Morgan's limbs of earth. The reinforcement infantry troops were having serious problems dealing with Raven, failing to figure out what exactly was killing them all. Cain was dueling the chainsaw suit singlehandedly, a metal spear stuck through one of its manned turrets.

Cassandra was most proud of what was happening to the other two battlesuits. The piston suit was scrambling around on the ground, one hand stuck against its head. Lyn was extremely brave, but she still felt true terror when she had faced Damien's killing intent on Brickwork. Those memories had frightened Cassandra when her girlfriend had shared them, so the battlesuit pilot stood no chance.

The other battlesuit was completely immobilized. Its occupants didn't even know what had happened. Its legs were sunken into the ground, which had become a solid block of metal. Parts of the suit had been melted away, and the guards' hatches had been fused shut. She had been extremely apprehensive about Raven dropping Alexander onto the battlefield, as he would have to fend for himself after he landed, but he had proven himself more than capable of pulling his weight. His job at this point was to get back to the factory and wreck as much as he could before leaving for the Decimal.

Cassandra saw the opportunity coming and took it. Morgan had kicked the TAM suit into the factory wall and was surging towards the other Alram-Mah. The suit had Damien pinned with a fist and was unloading its arm machine gun into his wings, and it turned towards the approaching groove of earth. The turret barrel lined up perfectly, and Cassandra raised her rifle. "Saggita Diania."

The sniper round flew out of one gun barrel and down another. The shell exploded without being fired, completely destroying the turret. The suit was knocked backwards enough for Damien to slip out, his chest covered in blood and gunpowder. He flipped onto the exposed suit and began ripping it apart. It twisted about, expelling tear gas as it tried to get him off, and Morgan took the opportunity to punch it in the back.

Cassandra was moving the instant the bullets started firing. She took cover in the trench Morgan had made while consuming the earth, shots tearing where she had been a moment before. The other TAM suit emerged from the factory, all of its weaponry aimed directly at her. She was blown over backwards as rockets hit the lip, pain spreading throughout her entire body. She recovered in midair and dropped behind to the ground in preparation. More rockets were sailing in her direction, but that only made her adrenaline pump that much more strongly.

"Ira Iunonia!" Her pistols flashed out as she shot each and every rocket out of the air. She kept track of how many were left and knew the payload hadn't completely run out. There wasn't anywhere to hide from the upcoming barrage of bullets either. She sprinted towards the nearest building, catching a few shots to the torso and arm before she dove behind cover. After the bullets had been pushed out and her wounds had closed, she scaled the building just before the TAM suit turned the corner.

She looped her lasso around its turret and leapt over onto its back. It twisted around, and she neatly swung under its arm. She rolled onto her back and fired at the opening rocket ports, causing serious damage to its left side. It expelled tear gas and tried to pin her to the ground with a foot, but she grabbed her rope and pulled herself out of the way. She had hoped the rockets' destruction would have prompted Alram-Mah to shed his armor, but she would clearly need to think of something else.

A loud screeching of metal caused Alram-Mah to look away. Cassandra would have loved to seize the opening so generously given to her, but the armor was too thick. She thumbed Chief as she backed away. "I need a shout!"

"I will be there shortly," Raven droned. Cassandra's eyes stung and breathing was painful, but she endured it as she tried to see what had distracted her opponent. Damien had succeeded in demolishing the other TAM suit enough for Alram-Mah to retreat to his second layer. It was shorter than Cain, but she knew Damien wouldn't underestimate it. A sword swiveled into position on one hand, and an automatic shotgun cocked on the other. Dark red flames erupted from its back and feet, allowing it to hover a few feet off the ground. Damien laughed madly and threw himself forward with his usual reckless abandon.

Alexander landed heavily beside Cassandra and filled his chest. "**Voix Sonnerie!**"

The TAM suit beside them reeled backwards, machinery going haywire beneath the sonic attack. Not wanting him to inhale any of the tear gas, she bodily dragged him away so he could regain his breath. "Thanks, now go!"

"Don't need telling," he said wryly, still gasping for air.

They both turned their heads as Cain gave a bellow of pain. The large chainsaw was shredding his shoulder and chest plates, blood spraying into the air. Cassandra quickly shoved a round into her rifle and shot the suit's head. Although the round didn't penetrate, it still knocked the suit off balance enough for Cain to move. He grabbed the suit's chainsaw arm and twisted with enough strength to send the suit tumbling to the side. He rolled with it, pulling the chainsaw away and driving his elbow into the suit's head. Ripping up a chunk of earth, he shoved it onto the chainsaw and forcefully bent the weapon out of shape. The chain blew apart, showering him with shrapnel.

Cassandra shoved Alexander away as the TAM suit nearby fell to the ground and the second layer extracted itself. She dashed in the other direction, spraying Alram-Mah with bullets to keep his attention on her. The suit's jets flared, sending it flying towards her. Its sword rotated up and set into place, and she barely dodged the slash. Its other arm knocked her back, but she sprang up and over the subsequent series of shots. It put on a burst of speed and rotated its sword down. She managed to avoid the stab to her torso, but still screamed when the blade punched through her thigh and pinned her to the ground.

Alram-Mah fired at her head, but she curled up in time to avoid the shot. It moved its gun to her torso and pushed her back to the ground. Just as it was about to fire, Cain charged in with a shouted, "Asja!" His metal shield bent, but he still managed to push Alram-Mah off of Cassandra. He continued to run on, the TAM suit trying to right itself so as to stop his one-man stampede. Cassandra struggled to her feet, bearing through the pain as her leg healed.

She dove back to the ground as the piston suit chased after Cain. Part of her was glad, as that meant Lyn had helped Alexander successfully escape, but now it was a race against time. The only one attacking the factory itself was Morgan, having abandoned all pretense and simply wrapped himself in metal. She could hear him smashing everything he could.

Cassandra's eyes fell upon the damaged TAM exosuit, and an idea bubbled into her head. She forced one of the half-open rocket ports and wrenched out its payload. Damien could more than handle a TAM battlesuit on his own, but Cain was in the process of sacrificing himself for her. She sprinted towards him where the other Alram-Mah was successfully slowing down his charge. She forced her body to the limit, needing to reach the piston suit before it reached her nakama.

She instinctively stiffened when she was grabbed from behind, but forced herself to relax when her left hand began tingling. Raven dropped her on top of the piston suit, and Cassandra flipped down to the undamaged shoulder turret. She pulled out the mangled corpse of a guard and jammed the rocket in the most vulnerable spot she could find. She jumped out and skidded on the ground, pulling the rifle off her shoulder.

The explosion nearly blew the suit's arm off. It staggered to the side, arm dangling limply at its side. Nevertheless, it still had functioning weapons and turned to confront its assailant. Cassandra had already run for one of the many craters in the ground and dove inside. She scrabbled in the dirt and brought Chief's receiver to her mouth. "Morgan, go help Cain now! Take down the piston suit! We're pulling out!"

The elementalist wrapped his way out of the factory door and rushed to protect his bodyguard. He crashed into the battlesuit, both of them tumbling to the ground. Metal cascaded to the ground around Morgan as he shed his current elemental. He grabbed hold of a leg and began wrapping it around his arm. Screws and wires fell loose, and different kinds of metal were exposed. The battlesuit sunk down as its leg crumpled, but managed a last minute spin. Its piston arm shot out, catching the elemental square in the chest. Morgan staggered backwards, pieces of his elemental beginning to flake off.

"Raven, get Morgan out of here!" The sniper round stuck the TAM suit just as its shotgun blast caught Cain in the side. The suit reeled back as Cain clutched his side in pain. "Cain, you too! Saggita Diania!"

The next round slammed into the suit's chest, knocking it back. It sprayed its shotgun in her direction, but she was far enough away to only be hit by a few pellets. She shrugged the wounds off and shot off another round. The bullet was blocked by the sword, and Alram-Mah accelerated forward. Cassandra stood her ground, willing to take any amount of damage to let her nakama get away. She aimed down her sights, knowing she would only get one shot.

Alram-Mah was swung his sword down. Cassandra breathed out. "Minervae Manica Nigra."

They both tumbled to the ground. The pirate captain worked her jaw as the scrapes on her face healed. Her Eraser lay some distance away, a deep gouge scored into the barrel and stock. She held her arm as the slash healed, bearing through the pain. The TAM slowly climbed to its feet, its mechanical whirring occasionally sputtering out.

She dropped to the ground again as the other Alram-Mah went careening over her head, Damien following directly behind. Flames liberally poured from his body, the brightest coming from patches of his body and his eyes. Cassandra immediately went from figuring out how to extract her crew to how she was going to keep her navigator from killing one of the Alram-Mahs or himself. They were fast, strong, and durable. but he was all that and unable to even consider going down without taking an opponent with him. He was fighting incarnate.

Flaming blood splattered through the air as bullets punched into him. The TAM suit he had been fighting had a rotating stump instead of a sword. Damien dealt with both suits simultaneously, punches and kicks flying in every direction. A veritable menagerie of flames surrounded the three fighters, raising the temperature to an incredible degree. Cassandra retreated from the heat lest she suffer even more burns.

Despite Damien's onslaught, Cassandra knew that she had very little time before at least two of the fighters perished. Ideas rushed through her head, each more ridiculous than the last. She got to her feet and sprinted into the factory. A quick scan revealed nothing she could easily use, but there was another possibility. She was pretty sure she was just imagining Lyn scolding her.

She jumped back out and ran to the destroyed flamethrower suit. The pilot was still stuck inside, but the turrets were unmanned. Most of one fuel tank was exposed, and it only took a few adrenaline-fed pulls to extract it. She rolled it along the broken ground, occasionally needing to lug it out of a trench or crater. Damien's flames were only becoming brighter, and she was fighting through the painful heat and monstrous killing intent. She hauled the tank off of the ground, strode a few steps, and threw it at the three fighters.

The resulting explosion laid her flat on her back. She stared at the mushroom of smoke pushing its way through the fog. Although the energy coursing through her body mostly alleviated the pain, she could feel her internal organs regenerating from the shockwave. She became hazily aware that something had happened to her outstretched hand and rolled her head to the left. The flesh on her palm and fingers was creeping together over bits of exposed bone, charred flakes being pushed away.

The smoke stirred, then dissipated as a large metal wing swept it aside. Damien staggered as he tried to keep himself upright. Blood dripped on the ground, and large parts of his body were covered in a tight, incandescent glow that indicated his spirits were the only things keeping him up. His head hung back, and his arms dangled limply at his sides. Flames emanated from his eyes and mouth, but there was no hiding his malicious determination.

Still, there could only one reason Damien wasn't on the ground. Mad laughter filled the air as he turned around. The two Alram-Mahs had also gotten to their feet, looking significantly worse for wear. All three fighters remained motionless for a moment as they recuperated. One battlesuit aimed its shotgun at Damien, but the pirate backhanded it aside and slammed his first into its chest.

His ordinarily crisp follow-through was absent, and other Alram-Mah tried to stab his exposed back. The pirate caught it on his wing and rotated around. Snaking his arm around the blade, he torqued his body and bent it out of shape. His other elbow struck the suit's stomach, and he used the movement to flip the suit over his head. He hopped up and brought his leg straight down, catching the battlesuit's head as right after it bounced and driving it completely into the ground. Cassandra winced, hoping the Alram-Mah had survived.

A shotgun blast struck him in the face, knocking his head aside. The subsequent shots hit nothing but fire as he dipped to the side. His uppercut slammed into the battlesuit's chin, lifting it into the air. He leapt after it and grabbed its foot, the jet blasting his dreadlocks out of his face. He swung down and smashed the battlesuit into the cracked earth. Alram-Mah tried to get up, but Damien grabbed his neck and rolled over, twisting them both on the ground.

It looked like Damien had the edge, but not for long. The other Alram-Mah get up, but something was different. She had known both suits had a second layer. She had known nothing about a third. It was smaller even than her and barely had any weapons. Purple sparks came from one hand, damaged through the second layer. It ran towards the two people still fighting, where Damien was exhaustedly pounding away at his opponent. The tiny suit tackled him around the middle, not budging him in the slightest. He turned to look at it, his fist held in midair.

Cassandra closed her eyes against the brilliant flash. When the light faded away, her heart plummeted. Damien was completely still, electricity still crackling over his body. The larger battlesuit pushed him off of it and raised itself onto one arm. It looked up to find Cassandra standing on her feet, her clothing in tatters and her hair matted with dirt and sweat. It aimed its shotgun at her, but the only thing that came out of the barrel was a stream of molten metal.

Her pride kept her on her feet. Chief's receiver felt heavier than _Dusk Pandion_. "Evac. Both. Ow." She waited until the enormous form of Morgan's elemental arrived before collapsing.


	76. For Everyone's Sake

Lyn waited anxiously by the entrance of the tunnel. She had heard Cee's call for retreat, which meant Cee and Damien were both alive. However, she also knew that the rest of the crew had left them to face the two TAM battlesuits. As good as the two Immortals were, she knew that the battlesuits were no joke. Alexander sat beside her, his breathing mostly even now. He looked tired, but he wasn't about to pass out.

She stopped fidgeting nervously as she saw them come around the bend. Cain was limping, reddened bandages encasing his torso and hands. His visible skin was one big bruise that only got worse the more she looked. He was carefully carrying Damien and Cee in his arms, both of them terrifyingly limp. Morgan hobbled behind him, one arm held close to his side.

Lyn ran forward, her eyes fixed on her girlfriend. Cain knelt down as she approached and gently offered the sleeping pirate. She brushed the long blue hair away and pressed her face to Cee's. Hearing the play-by-play from Raven had been nail-biting, and she was so, so glad to have her love safe and sound. Relief flooded through her body as Cee shifted slightly. Knowing wasn't the same as _knowing_.

"Damien has not yet been stabilized," Raven droned. "It is imperative that he reach a somewhat sterile environment, as his spirits are currently more focused on his well-being than preventing any infections. Cain and Morgan must also stop moving so as to no longer aggravate their injuries."

Cain gingerly scooped Morgan into his free arm. He started walking forwards again with slow, measured steps. He showed absolutely none of the pain he must surely be feeling. Lyn reduced her pace to stay with him, clutching Cee protectively to her chest. The crew attracted curious passersby as they walked through the Decimal. Miserie swum in tight circles as they went over a bridge, also incredibly relieved that they had all returned.

They stopped when they came across a group of people standing in the middle of the road. A man with a jaw like a wheelbarrow was standing in the front. "What happened to them?"

"Janek, I told you that we'd likely be hurt," Lyn reminded him. "I rented a room."

"I thought you meant you'd get into a bit of an argy-bargy. What the hell did you do?"

"We attacked the Alram-Mah factory directly," came a voice from behind Lyn.

She whirled around. "Mor- Firn!"

"These people are not stupid, Lyn. They will put together the extent of Cain and Damien's injuries combined with the news about the attack that will inevitably spread. This merely hastens the connection and forestalls any accusations about being liars."

"Fine. Cain, take Damien to the room."

"I think not," said the human mayor. "A scuffle, we can take. We won't harbor those responsible for attacking the factory. We resist. That's the limit of our violence. We don't strike back."

"I rented the room."

"We can pay you back."

"After everything I've done for you?"

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Lyn, but you're asking too much of us."

Lyn's heart dropped, and she closed her eyes. She hated to do this, but Cain and Damien needed to be treated, and there was nowhere else to go. She gestured for Miserie to come out of the water and handed Cee over. "Then I won't ask. I'll demand. Let us go to our room."

Janek frowned. "You'll demand?"

"I will. Please don't get in my way."

"What do you mean you'll demand?"

"I really hate to do this, but I will. Cain, you know where it is."

"How dare you-"

Lyn shed her jacket and pulled off her shirt. The Scarabians behind her collectively gasped. She knew that her Jolly Roger was visible even beneath her pink fighting bra. She drew her rapier and aimed it directly between Janek's eyes. "I dare. I really like you guys, but my nakama need medical care. Don't try and stop us. It'll be a mess all around."

"You stand there barely able to move, and you have the audacity to threaten us?" Janek said. "I-" He fell silent as liquid began dripping down his face. He put his hand to his forehead, where a thin slash was leaking blood.

Him glaring at her rapier caused Lyn to sigh. "Believe it or not, that wasn't me. That was my doctor, who's at least as fast as any dwarf. She's no good against battlesuits, but she can deal with people just fine."

She was surprised as a large hand rested upon her shoulder and Linnaeus came to her side. "An our sanative lady be absent, I was raised as she. I may not share her fleetness, but I do have appreciable distress not slaying those I cross. Their quietuses are anything but."

Lyn's heart twisted as she looked at the islanders gathered around him. Some looked angry, some devastated, others betrayed. "I didn't mean to mislead you guys. Yes, I lied about being a shipper, but I really did want to help you! Freedom is one of my core values; that's why I joined the Black Glove Pirates! I don't want to hurt any of you. I didn't think it would be this bad. We can't hide and recover in any of the cities. We need someplace to get our feet back under us."

"Are you mad, telling them who we are?" Morgan whispered. "They will turn us in!"

"As if the guards couldn't identify a group of people with a large armored man, an elementalist, and a flaming warrior," Alexander shot back.

"You don't want to hurt us?" Janek repeated. "Do you honestly think that harboring criminals won't hurt us?"

"We won't be here for long," Lyn said. "Damien, Morgan, and Cain just need to be stitched up and get some rest. If anybody comes looking for us, you don't have to lie to them or fight them; Linnaeus and Doctor can hold them off."

"You just said your doctor couldn't deal with battlesuits!" he protested.

"I can." Alexander walked to Lyn's other side. "I am a Devil Fruit User, after all. In a place like this, ambushing them would be no problem whatsoever. Is there any way you can make up your minds to let us through or not? Lyn is far and away the kindest one of us. Unfortunately for you, I'm second-most, and my nakama desperately need medical attention, leaving me extremely short in the kindness department. Let me speak for Captain and say we're moving forward in ten seconds. Whatever you do determines what we do."

Janek stared at them, then stood aside. His eyes burned into Lyn's as she passed. She faced straight ahead. Linnaeus fell back to watch the back of the group, but Alexander remained beside her. It felt like a funeral procession, with the Scarabians silently parting to allow for Cain to walk while carrying his nakama. Lyn kept her rapier low and unsheathed. The islanders needed to know that she wasn't joking around.

She nearly fell to the ground as a whirlwind of activity erupted around her. She couldn't see what was happening, but rushing winds whipped up the dirt around her. "If you're not attacking me, say so quickly!"

"We're not! We're not!" A collection of bright clothes and bushy tails came together at her feet. The mayor of the dwarves extracted himself from the pile and dusted himself off. "What was that?"

"I told you Doctor was as fast as a dwarf. I'm sorry if she hurt you."

"We don't think you're a bad person!" Ernesto announced.

Lyn blinked. "What?"

"You've done nothing but help us! You need to be free! You're pirates, so of course your resistance was more violent than ours! That doesn't mean we should turn you away!"

"Yeah!" Bragmat cheered, zipping up to her shoulder. "Lyn's our friend!"

"I don't know," said Holls from the water. "Lyn's aces, but that Anat gives me the creeps. He's dangerous."

Various shouts of agreement rang forth, primarily from humans and merfolk. Lyn snagged the back of Alexander's jacket as he stepped forward. "We're all dangerous," she said. "Damien's just very open about it. We are pirates. We can't live on the seas without being dangerous."

"_You're_ dangerous?" came a shout from the back.

"Parfay," Linnaeus said. "No mere fizgig be she. Mark the bluette! A most sanguinary varlet hight Cassandra Libera, eke hight Cee. Howbeit now somnolent, afeard are those whom challenge her when wroth. Her intimates include all manner of blackguards, larceners, malefactors, and curs, herself whilom a ruthless slayer. Lyn need but say the word, and your livelihoods are ruined."

"You're bluffing," snapped Leo.

Linnaeus shrugged. "Garn, say you; lackaday, say I. We seek not a fracas, but we are ready."

"We're going," Alexander said. "You two sort this out."

This left Lyn and Linnaeus as the center of attention. "Surely you can't pretend they're faultless?" Janek appealed to the dwarves. "The police will be down here to find them. They're probably already on their way."

"There's a reason I revealed who we are. It's only a matter of time before the police identify us. They've left you basically undisturbed to balance the morale of their workers, and they know you wouldn't harbor wanted criminals. Cee and Damien are worth nearly two hundred million Beli combined." That drew no few gasps from the surrounding people. "Tonight, they singlehandedly took on both Theodoruses and came back alive. Cee's immortal; she can heal away any injury. Damien can take blows that would kill a hundred men and laugh afterwards. We came here to attack the factory, but our job's not finished yet. As soon as we heal up, we'll be out of here for good. The Sixty-One-Sixty-Two Decimal isn't that close, but we can go there."

"No, you can come back here," Ernesto declared. "You do need to head out once you're patched up, but we won't stop you from returning."

"And why not?" Leo asked. "We don't have to stick our necks out for them."

"Then go tell the police that we're hiding here at the moment."

Everyone goggled at Lyn. "You want us to turn you in?" said Ernesto at last.

"You're not turning us in. They can't just rush in here knowing that we took on five battlesuits and got away. We'll be long gone by the time they muster their forces."

"But then you can't come back!" protested Bragmat.

Lyn smiled softly. "That depends on you. Cee, Cain, and Morgan will make a scene of escaping with Damien, and the cops won't be bothered with the rest of us. We're nobodies. The only way they'd know we're here is if you tell them. Realistically, I'm sure some of you are itching to slip away and tell them now. I like you all, but that doesn't mean I don't know people. Go ahead; none of us will stop you. The Black Glove Pirates adapt to any circumstance."

"So why did you attack the manufactory?" Janek asked.

"In exchange for avoiding a lot of trouble with the Marines, we got an Eternal Log here and directions to mess up the factory. I didn't know anything about how everyone lived. By the time I got to know everything, Cee had all the plans laid out. She's a planner. Her plans aren't set in stone, and that's where Damien comes in. He doesn't believe in plans. They make a really good team when destroying something. I knew it would make things worse for you, but I couldn't and wouldn't do anything about it. This is far better than dealing with Marines."

Yakob stepped out of the crowd. "I understand. You struck a bargain, and you're trying to fulfill it as best you can while thinking of us. That's not to say that you haven't caused us some trouble, but you've also been helpful, so it sorta balances out."

"Miserie also wanted to help by introducing them to Linnaeus," the mermaid chimed in, having returned from dropping Cee off. "She was really happy when she found out that she was an arowana mermaid, and she wanted the others to know what that felt like, even if it might not have been as important to them."

Janek had another card to play. "Then what's this I hear about 'Firn Briansson' selling glitter hereabouts?"

If Lyn was going to be honest, she was going to be thorough about it. Well, except for Raven, obviously. "While it's true that Morgan, whose dad's name really is Brian, is planning to do a bit of smuggling, he isn't selling them himself and certainly not to anyone here."

"Oh, so it's okay as long as it's not us? We're the special ones, but others aren't? Addicts are addicts wherever you go. Don't pretend like you're doing us a favor by not peddling right on our doorstep."

"Look, I can't claim any sort of moral high ground. I've used in the past too. I didn't get into glitter because snorting things always made me sneeze." Linnaeus gave a choked laugh. "What, it's true! I mostly used uppers, especially ecstasy and cloud. Even though Cee strongly disapproves and I've seen what drugs can really do to people, I can't say I won't ever use again. I know glitter's pretty bad, but it's not like scrape or anything."

"Glitter's not bad, eh? What about Gloria or Richmond or little Eustace? How can you say glitter's not bad after meeting them? Smuggling just enables dealing. It's all the same to me."

Lyn paused as MD began blubbering loudly and quickly snatched the receiver. "Yeah?"

"Miserie's snail has been relaying this conversation to us," Morgan said. "Put me on speakerphone. Have you done it? Can enough people hear me?"

"We can," Janek spat.

"Excellent. I have spent enough energy convincing Captain not to skin me for accepting the drug deal that I'm not interested in wasting any more. However, your argument regarding glitter's danger is tenuous at best. While it is not harmless, its addictiveness is far below most recreational drugs, its side effects more negligible, and its withdrawal symptoms rather less severe. That is not to say that it does not cause serious problems when taken in excess, but the issue is with the abuser, not glitter itself."

"And you think those excuses make up for what you're doing?"

"Excuses?" MD looked offended. "I was countering your fundamentally unsound argument. I do not excuse my actions; I only clarify them. You wouldn't make such accusations if I were transporting that pig slop you call beer, and its pros and cons are similar. Only the stigmatization of drugs compels you to make this argument in the first place. That is not to say that addicts should not all of the help they can get, as that is certainly not the case. They deserve as much aid and human rights as anyone else. This is about the morality of ingesting mind-altering substances."

The Baby Den-Den Mushi's expression changed as Alexander spoke up. "Is this practice for when Captain grills you again?"

"Her antipathy regarding narcotics worries me significantly more than that of some-"

Lyn decided that was a good time to hang up. "Again, we're not making excuses or anything. We're pirates. We do everything from pick a few pockets to killing lots of people, and-"

"You kill lots of people?" Bragmat interrupted.

She shifted on her feet. "Well, _I've_ never killed anybody, but the others have."

"We're supposed to believe that after everything you've just said and done?" Janek asked.

"You're free to believe what you want. I never said anything otherwise. All I'm saying is that I've never killed anybody, and neither has Alexander. Doctor and Damien, now they've killed a lot, traumatized lots more, and maimed even more. We're a diverse crew, and we deal with all sorts of trouble. We can't always do it my way, and sometimes even I don't want to do it my way. The World Government and the Marines have done horrible things to all of us before we even became pirates. We aren't the stealy-raidy-plundery kind of pirates, although we do occasionally steal, pick a fight, and knock down a building or two."

"If Lyn did want to hurt us, this is the weirdest way to do it," Ernesto said. "They took on the factory without losing anybody. That means they're strong. It would be a lot easier to attack us."

Janek glared down at the dwarf. "We don't have much worth taking, but it's much easier to let us take the fall."

"Oh, dear spirits of saints." Lyn pinched her nose. She just knew Cee wouldn't like this, but right now, there was only one conscious pirate leader. "Cassandra Libera, 'Insidious Amaranth,' 120 million, Damien, 'Untamed Infernal,' 77 million. Someone go let it slip that they attacked the factory and fled here, and now you need help getting them to leave because they're making demands and threats."

"That was a demand," Bragmat said impishly.

"And I'll bop you on the head unless you lift this entire island. That's a threat. Now you don't even need to lie. There's nothing else I have to hide. We're at your mercy."

"Except for the fact that you can hurt all of us," Holls pointed out.

"But we don't _want_ to," Lyn emphasized. "That's the thing. We just want to stay here long enough to stabilize so we can leave and keep you safe."

Ernesto patted her foot. "Don't worry. We're not going to drive you out."

"What?" Janek shouted.

"But we can't help you if they come looking for you," Yakob said, Holls nodding in agreement. "Leo, go tip off the cops that we got some new people who we think are really suspicious."

His brother nodded, and Janek glared daggers at his fellow racial representatives. "Tomorrow, they'll receive the full information about who you are."

"Calendar date tomorrow," Holls said. "You have about thirty hours."

Lyn beamed. "Thank you all so, so much. If you don't mind, I'd like to go to my nakama. Ernesto, can I have a word? You're fine, Bragmat." The dwarf leader appeared onto her hand as she walked off. Linnaeus stayed behind to deal with the majority of the crowd. She waited until she was far enough away from the group of islanders before talking again. "Is there anything we can do for you? I couldn't have done it without you."

"Helping you is good enough!" Ernesto shouted, and they all laughed. "I really don't want you to get offended, but can I talk to your real captain first?"

"Of course you can!" Lyn said brightly. "Cee will completely understand!"

"Are you sure?" asked Bragmat.

Lyn's smile widened. "Absolutely positive. I can guarantee it."

The dwarf mayor nodded. "So she made Whatshisname pretend to be captain because your actual captain's wanted by the government?"

"Yeah, she's pretty smart. Anyway, now that you know the truth, I can tell you all sorts of stories I couldn't before! Let me tell you about the time Cee really pissed off Morgan's dad…"

They chatted and laughed as they walked through the slum. A few children and dwarves tagged along, and Lyn was only too happy to indulge them. Miserie and Holls swam slowly nearby, interestedly listening to the conversation. With Raven tending to her injured nakama, she could keep her pace slow and try to mend her connection with the Scarabians.

She waved goodbye to them all when she entered the one-room house. Raven had scrubbed it as much as she could, but it was impossible to compare to _Dusky_'s medbay. It was a bit cramped with Cain taking up half the floor and Damien having a previously clean slab to himself. Morgan was slumped against the wall, his head resting on Alexander's shoulder, and Cee was curled up in the corner. Lyn picked up her girlfriend and sat down, smiling gently when Cee nuzzled against her collarbone. "How's everybody doing?"

"Damien has been electrocuted again," Raven droned. Her voice was clear even though she was completely invisible. "This combined with multiple physical shocks to his body and the usual lacerations and contusions means his recovery will take some time. Even accounting for his rapid rate of recuperation, the healing field on _Dusk Pandion_, and his stubborn refusal to heed my medical orders, he should take several days to be back on his feet.

"Cain's armor layering prevented bullets from penetrating, though it became more compromised as the battle progressed. This accounts for the bruising all over his body. The rockets inflicted shock and burn injuries. His most severe wounds are the chainsaw attack on his torso and the shotgun blast on his side. Those have broken bones and will likely scar, but they should not impede him after brief physical rehabilitation. Morgan fared far better, only sustaining two broken and five potentially bruised ribs."

Even while drifting off, Morgan gave a proud smirk. "That is Winter Isle toughness for you. And yes, Captain, I am referring to Cain as well as myself. When have I ever been anything but complimentary regarding his physical prowess? No, you're right, you're right…"

"He was getting fired up over the glitter business," Alexander explained. "I thought it better that he get some rest."

Raven materialized on the wall above Damien's head. "You should as well. You have done a considerable amount of transmutation and channeling on top of staying up for nearly twenty hours. However, I do recognize your desire to aid Lyn as Acting First Mate, especially when the safety of the crew is concerned. I posit that it was unwise to reveal Cassandra and Damien's identities."

"Well, sorry if I'm overestimating you," Lyn teased. "I thought you would be able to protect us."

"Sarcasm."

Alexander chuckled. "Knowing that we're not being literal was a good and crucial first step. Next is identifying what we're actually implying."

"I will talk to Linnaeus about the matter."

"Whatever helps. I'm gonna ask around for a spare bed or two, get some shuteye."

"Miserie will stay with Alexander," the mermaid chimed in. "She is not tired, and Fraidy will be on just in case."

Lyn nodded, and the two pirates departed. His support gone, Morgan slowly toppled to the floor, his light snoring not wavering at all. Lyn unbuckled her belt and kicked off her shoes. After grabbing a pillow, she slid from sitting down to lying down. She clutched Cee's head to her chest and exhaled deeply. It was good to hold her again.

Just before she fell asleep, she felt something tugging at her ear. She tried to wave it away, only to have her hand stopped dead in its tracks. She turned her head slightly to see Bragmat standing on her cheek. "Wha'?"

"Anou's back. She's hurt."

"Muh?"

"We'd like to help, but there's something we think you should see."

"What?"

Bragmat looked uncomfortable. "You really need to see it."

"Fine…" Lyn groaned, but nevertheless got to her feet. She brushed Cee's hair aside and lightly kissed her temple. The first mate sleepily yawned as she followed Bragmat to a small group of dwarves huddled near the exit to the factory, but all weariness disappeared when she saw the small form lying on sacks of cloth. Anou's breath was labored and raspy, and her usual bandages and rags were stiff with dried blood. "Should I ask Doctor for help?"

"It's not that simple." Bragmat gently pulled Anou's hood away and peeled bandages off of her face. Purple hair was matted against her bronze forehead, and the lower-left third of her face looked like partially-molten wax. What stood out the most was her left eye, a circle of metal surrounded by distinct electrical marks. "This is Theodorus Alram-Mah XXII. The reason he's hurt is you."


	77. Handled with Care

One eye slowly blinked open. A hand reached across and rubbed it, resulting in an explosion of pain. As the sleepiness and throbbing lessened, an image came into focus. A pale woman with black and yellow hair was sitting nearby, her eyes focused on the large book in front of her. Someone was lying with their head in her lap, also reading the same book. The familiar woman glanced up, and her face lit up in a brilliant smile. "Hi! You're awake! I was so worried about you!"

"Than-" Silence and the blankets fell.

"Now before you freak out," Lyn said quickly, "I know you're Theodorus Junior Junior Junior Junior Junior-"

"'M not."

"Sorry?"

"I'm not Theodorus."

Lyn twisted her mouth. "Come on; you can't pretend any more."

"I'm not Theodorus! I'm Theodora!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. So where did Anou come from?"

The little girl sat up and raised her chin. "My name is Theodora Hypatia Anousheh Fatima Alram-Mah IX. I needed a name that people wouldn't recognize. Ow…"

"No, no, no, Theo. Can I call you that?" The girl nodded. "Good, now you really need to rest. You've been pretty banged up."

The words came out without Theo even needing to think about it. "I'm fine. It was just a prototype malfunction."

Lyn winced. "No, it wasn't."

"It wasn't anything bad! Really! This, this?" She gestured at her mechanical left eye and right arm. "This happened ages ago!"

"No, I'm talking about the newer ones."

"That really was a prototype malfunction! I'm really good at designing stuff, but I'm just a kid! I messed up!"

Lyn heaved a huge sigh. "I know the truth, Theo. And I'm so, so sorry."

"What're you talking about? It wasn't anything!"

"You piloted a battlesuit."

Theo's eye darted from side to side. "No, I didn't! I'm too young! I just do blueprints and stuff!"

"To be fair, Lyn shouldn't be the one apologizing."

The person on Lyn's lap sat up. Theo didn't recognize her, but she had a hunch about who she was. "You're Lyn's girlfriend!"

"Yes, I'm Cassandra. What battlesuit weapons have you designed?"

Theo shrunk back. "I can't tell you."

"Anything involving shoulder turrets, pistons, flamethrowers, chainsaws, machine guns, rockets, mounted cannons, tear gas, blades, automatic shotguns, jets, or electric shocks?" Theo gaped in amazement. "I'd really like to say that I know because I know my battlesuits, but I will say that the electric attack took us by surprise."

The Alram-Mah stared. The next moment, she was crammed against the wall, the tiny flame of an arc welder spitting from her right index finger. Words all got in each other's' way as they tried to leave her mouth. She tried to make herself as small as possible as the blue-haired woman stretched out. "I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. Lyn wouldn't let me. Please, just hear me out. I didn't know you were in there. I wouldn't have attacked the way I did if I had known. I don't… I don't hurt children. I swear. You don't have to trust me. Trust Lyn."

"I'm really sorry for what happened," Lyn continued quickly. "And don't worry about being found out. Only Bragmat and a few other dwarves know, and they'll keep it secret. We're not trying to hurt you. I promise. We patched you up, because we were worried about you. Nobody deserves to be hurt like that. I know it was really scary. Is there anything I can do? Do you want me to help you ba-"

"I WON'T!" Theo screamed. She cringed at the loudness of her own voice. "I won't."

"I won't make you; I would never make you. Don't worry. If you don't want to go back, nobody is making you go back. Is there anything at all I can do to help you feel better? Anything, you name it. Food, soda, books, I can leave-" Theo couldn't stop her eye from flickering to Lyn's girlfriend. "Cee, go away."

The blue-haired woman stood up, bowed her head, and left. Theo sat completely still for a long while, then turned off her welder and capped it. The pain from all of her injuries returned at once. She tentatively inched towards Lyn. "Will she come back?"

"Not unless you want her to. Is there anything else? I'm serious." Theo hesitated. "Wanna know a secret? That scary, scary fire guy? I've fought him too."

That couldn't be right. Lyn didn't look that strong, and the fire guy had taken on five layers of personalized battlesuits. Theo closed her eye and opened her mechanical one. She looked at Lyn in a whole new way, scanning over her body, zooming in on scars in rapid succession, flipping through filters. She switched eyes again and announced her conclusion. "No."

Lyn laughed. "Okay, so I didn't take him on by myself. But wanna know the secret?" She looked around and put her hand between her mouth and the door. "I was so scared that I peed my pants."

Theo started giggling. "Nuh-uh."

"I did!" Lyn said emphatically. "Seriously, that guy's so scary! I was all running about and wet. It was so gross!"

The girl's giggling grew louder. "Really?"

"Really really! Oh, but you absolutely can't tell Cee, okay? She can never know. She's already mad at me for farting when she was introducing me to her sister. That was sooooo embarrassing. All I got was _myeh-myeh-myeh behave properly blah-blah_."

She was opening and closing her hand and making a ridiculous expression. Theo had to hold her sides, she was laughing so hard. She didn't care that it hurt. Lyn joined in, lightly clapping her hands in joy. Theo rubbed her eye as she watched the woman. "Do you like your girlfriend?"

"Love her to bits. She can be a bit of a know-it-all and is annoyingly good at making people not like her, but she's just scared of letting people get close. It took me months to get her to admit she liked me back. She has such gorgeous hair, don't you think? I like yours too! It's such a lovely color! It matches your eye, sorta, your eye's a bit more bluish-purple. All I have are boring blue eyes."

"Your eyes aren't boring! They're all sparkly."

"Yup, Cee loves them too. Wanna see something cool?" Lyn pulled her shirt open enough to reveal the tattoo on her chest. "I got this when she said she loved me. It's all peely and icky 'cuz it's new, but it'll heal. The bullet's because she uses guns, and it has 'I LOVE YOU' on it for some reason." Theo giggled. "And these are amaranths, and that's because her nickname is 'Insidious Amaranth.'"

Theo frowned. "How can flowers be insidious?"

The woman shrugged. "Dunno! And I have a couple secret ones, and this on my ankle! I got it on Juhla! It's void language for 'jubilation, unity, harmony, love, acceptance.' See, it spells out Juhla!"

It wasn't even close, but Lyn looked so proud of the tattoo that Theo didn't want to ruin her mood. She desperately thought of something that might impress Lyn. "Oh, look at this!"

Her right hand detached from her forearm and fell onto the bed. She was so relieved when Lyn clapped her hands in excitement. "That's the coolest thing I've ever seen! And it has that tiny fire too!"

"Arc welder," Theo corrected. "And watch this!"

Even though it was disconnected from her arm, she was able to push it up with its fingers. It crept along the bed until it got near Lyn, who had moved down to get a better look. The middle finger lifted up and pressed her nose, causing her to fall to the ground laughing. "That's so awesome! The only thing I can do like that is show people my memories."

"Oh, can I see that?" Theo asked excitedly.

"Sure. One thing though, I have to be touching you. Is that okay?" Theo quickly nodded. "I wanted to make sure. You're going to feel a slight headache, but the trick is not to fight it. What do you want to see?"

"When you first saw your girlfriend. Before she became your girlfriend."

Theo was surprised when Lyn hesitated. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"What do you mean?"

"Cee was different back then. She grew up where it wasn't safe to be touched. For a long time after I met her, she thought every touch was an attack and defended herself."

Theo's eye widened. "Did she hurt you?"

"No, no, no, nothing like that," Lyn assured her. "She put me a headlock. Plus, she didn't look the same, since she had her hair dyed brown. She'd rather jump into the ocean than hurt me again, and she's a Devil Fruit User. Actually, before I show you anything, Doctor would kill me if I didn't ask what you wanted to eat. I know I said I wouldn't make you do anything, but I really strongly recommend getting some food in you. Our access to different types of food is a bit limited right now, but we'll do our best."

Theo hesitated. This situation was familiar, but she was pretty sure Lyn wasn't trying to trick her. "Do you have any fruit?"

"Lots!" Lyn exclaimed. "Our chef's a real stickler for nutrition, even if not all of us actually do what he says. Any particular kind that you want?"

"Do you have any pineapple?"

"As a matter of fact, we do! We got lots of them last island. Do you want anything like toast or cereal?"

"Toast with cheese?" she asked, still waiting for the other shoe to drop. "With lemon water?"

"You got it. Wanna see something else cool? Remember what color my bangs were before?"

The girl stared for a moment. "Wait, they were green!"

"Yup! Thermo-something dye! Here, hold onto some for a bit." Theo obligingly reached over and grabbed a lock of hair. She lowered her other arm so her hand could screw itself back on. When she let go, the hair was striped with bands of yellow-orange. "It's a real pain dying the roots, but I love it. That's why I'm jealous of you and Cee. Black hair is so boring."

"No, yours is pretty!" Theo protested, touching hair farther back on Lyn's head. "It fits you."

"Aww, thanks! Yours is so unruly and wild! Can I feel it?"

"Okay," she said and bowed her head. For all the woman's liveliness and energy, Lyn was surprisingly gentle, her hand brushing against Theo's hair. When her fingertips rubbed against Theo's scalp, the little girl pushed her head forward.

Lyn laughed lightly. "Come, sit on my lap." Theo scrambled as fast as she could, and Lyn began stroking her head. Theo leaned back and closed her eye. Even finding out where she had gone wrong in her weapon design never felt this good. Lyn was humming as she went, being extra careful not to touch any of Theo's injuries. All the girl wanted to do was sit there forever.

They both looked at the door when it opened, and Lyn's girlfriend came back in. Theo pushed herself against Lyn, but Cee only smiled and extended her tray of food. When Lyn took hold of the tray, the blue-haired woman went and sat in the far corner. Theo looked at the food warily, but her concerns lessened as Lyn reached around her and grabbed a piece of toast. Lyn took a bite, then offered the rest to Theo. The girl glanced in the corner, but Cee had leaned back and put her arm over her eyes.

"Is she bothering you?" Lyn whispered.

A shiver ran through Theo's body, but she shook her head. Her first bite was tentative, but she was amazed by the flavor. It was unlike any cheesy toast she had ever tasted. She scarfed down the rest and two more pieces before remembering the other food on the tray. The lemon water and pieces of pineapple also tasted way better than any she had had before. This couldn't be real.

Lyn helped by occasionally wiping Theo's mouth and pouring more lemon water. "Feel better?" Theo nodded. Even though she was stuffed, she couldn't get enough of the delicious food. Lyn laughed as she held Theo back from grabbing more food. "Okay, okay, take it easy now. You don't want to make yourself sick."

Theo thought it would be worth it, but grudgingly agreed. She sat back against Lyn and burped loudly. She quickly covered her mouth, only to burst out laughing when Lyn burped even louder. "Behave properly," she whispered to Lyn.

The woman put her finger to her lips and grabbed a piece of toast. She flung it across the room and smacked her girlfriend right in the face. Theo froze solid as Cassandra raised her arm from her eyes. The blue-haired woman slowly pulled off the piece of toast, strings of cheese clinging to her cheek, and climbed to her feet. When she stalked over, Theo stood up and spread out her hands. "D-don't hurt her!"

A smile crept across Cassandra's face as she looked down, and Theo really wished she was a whole lot taller. In a whirlwind of movement, Cassandra leaned down, snagged a piece of toast, scooped Theo up, and threw the toast. Lyn shouted in surprise as the bread hit her in the face and tackled her girlfriend, who immediately released Theo. They rolled around for a bit with Lyn ending up on top. Grinning widely, Lyn leaned down and licked the melted cheese off of her girlfriend's face. "I told you, Cee would never hurt me."

"I'm thinking about it," Cassandra grumbled, trying to worm free. "But I do apologize for attacking you, Theodora. I won't apologize for attacking the factory, but I wouldn't have sent Damien against you had I known someone so young was piloting it."

"Hey, I'm a good fighter!" Theo protested. "I beat him!"

"I'm not saying you aren't. Damien is my best man, and he hasn't lost like that in a long time. But no child deserves to fight him like that and experience that terror that Lyn and I know so well."

"Yeah, right."

Cassandra's mild, uninformative smile gave Theo the impression that the woman knew a whole lot more than she was telling. "Ask Lyn. Only two people on my crew aren't afraid of him when he goes berserk. One of them is for all intents and purposes his brother, and the other can actually beat him in that state. I know I'm strong, just as I know that admitting I was scared isn't weak. Do you think Lyn's weak?"

Theo glanced up. "No…"

"Exactly. In fact, it's because Lyn's so honest and strong that I fell in love with her."

"That's it?" Lyn protested.

Ccassandra closed her eyes. "We simply don't have the time for me to list everything I love about you. Unfortunately, we also don't have time to waste here. Your secret can't be kept forever, Theodora, and mine can't either. I'm Cassandra Libera, wanted captain of the Black Glove Pirates." Theo froze solid. "Lyn is my first mate as well as my girlfriend, and Miserie's my singer."

The girl looked at Lyn, not wanting to believe her. "Sorry," Lyn said. "I am. We had to lie so Cee and Damien wouldn't get arrested immediately."

"You're like him?"

"Oh, spirits, no." Lyn climbed off of her girlfriend. "Our crew has lots of different people. Aside from my job, I've been honest about everything. I've never killed anybody. Alex hasn't-"

"Alexander!" came a muffled shout from nearby.

Lyn rolled her eyes. "Alexander's the second mate. He's a stuck-up pain in the butt."

"But the fact of the matter is," Cassandra continued, "we were in a very interesting situation, as I really hadn't hoped that we'd reveal ourselves, but you being here has made things even more interesting. What are we going to do with you?"

Theo shuffled back into the corner. "Do with me?"

"Now you're just scaring her," Lyn scolded. "We aren't gonna do anything." Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "Okay, we can't let you go back just yet, Theo. Our job isn't done."

"I don't want to go back!" Theo shouted.

The blue-haired woman smiled that annoying smile. "Then where will you go?"

"I don't have to tell you!"

Lyn fixed her girlfriend with a firm glare. "Now you're just doing this on purpose."

"I'm sorry, but she is Theodora Alram-Mah. It is in our very best interest to keep her alive. After all, if she vanishes after we attack the factory, the suspicions will fall on us. I don't have to tell you how bad that would be."

"Damn." Lyn twisted her lips. "Yeah, fine. Afterwards."

"I'm not going back," Theo said firmly.

"But he's your dad."

"I won't go back to him! I won't!"

Lyn's face fell. "But where else can you go?"

"Not back there." Theo's words started tripping over each other. "I don't want to go back there; you can't make me go back there. Please, you can't make me go back there. I'd rather die than go back there."

"Don't say that," Lyn said softly.

"It's true!" the girl shouted. "I swear! It's not like it'd make any difference!"

Lyn was taken aback. Cassandra's smile was unchanged. "What do you mean?"

Theo covered her mouth, unable to believe she had said that. Her eye flicked towards the closed door, but she couldn't see any chance for escape. She screwed up her face and just let it all go. "He wants me dead anyway! He makes me do all sorts of tests that he knows are too dangerous! He thinks I'm a boy just because I have the body of one! He can't take the fact that I'm a girl! He just can't kill me himself!"

"You _do_ have the body of a girl!" Lyn emphasized. "You just have body parts normally associated with boys."

"That's true," Cassandra said. "As for your father, you're right in that he can't kill you. Your ability to design battlesuits and their components is world-renowned. Your death by his hands would earn him no small degree of punishment."

"Cee!"

The captain shrugged. "I'm being realistic. Her father may be many things including unaccepting and hostile, but stupid is one thing he certainly is not. If it is as you say, that's part of why he told you to sacrifice your third suit to take Damien down. I was fighting you, losing really, but Damien was beating the daylights out of your father. He couldn't do anything, so he controlled your suit somehow."

Theo gaped at her. "She's not psychic," Lyn giggled. "She's just really smart. But anyway, you really can't go back to someone like that. You really will get killed."

"I can't stay here either; he'll just find me again. Any Scarabian would turn me over, and I don't know anybody else! Can't I just go with you?"

"No." Theo was surprised at the speed of the response. Cassandra didn't even sound mad or mean. She just said it as a fact.

"Why not? I just need to get to the next island!"

Lyn shifted uncomfortably. "It's not safe with us. Damien's not the only scary one, and we're only going to get into more trouble."

"And what will you do next island?" Cassandra followed. "What resources do you have?"

Theo jumped as the door banged open and a fat, dark-skinned man in a suit stormed in. "Now hang on just a moment. You can't just say that Damien's the problem. You know he has no interest in attacking children, and he abhors child abusers. It's the difference of power, and you should know that better than anyone, Lyn." He bowed to Theo. "Forgive me, I'm Alexander-"

"See? Damien'd never hurt me!"

"Alexander has countless strengths," Cassandra said. "However, he can be a bit blind when it comes to Damien. I mean, he just lost to Theo. He doesn't take that lying down."

The second mate scowled. "Fine, let me put it this way. You absolutely cannot under any circumstances tell him about the details, and if we do keep the Eternal Pose, he can't know about it. At all. He _will _kill her father, especially since the battlesuits offer such a challenge."

Theo perked up a little at that. "He would?"

"Okay, nobody's killing anybody," Cassandra interjected. "But you can't come with us. I understand that you don't want to stay here, but it's just not feasible."

Alexander crossed his arms. "And where exactly do you propose she go? The Scarabians wanted us out just for attacking the factory; do you really think they'd hide her? No honest shipper would take her, and any dishonest one would give her back for a ransom. The only way for her to stay out of his reach is by always moving, and we fit that description."

"I feel for her; I really do. The problem is I'm responsible for the welfare and safety of the crew first and foremost."

"Exactly how much of a scumbag is your father?" he asked Theo. "Would he, for instance, take your current disappearance and say you suffered critical and ultimately fatal injuries from the attack?"

She paused. He definitely wanted her dead, but that was going a little bit far. On the other hand, it did have a frightening logic to it. "He might."

"See? That would most definitely cause us some problems, Captain. Word will spread that we killed her."

"So what? The World Government would keep that information highly classified, and their only recourse would be to send the Eighth's after us, since they'd be legally allowed to do that, which doesn't change a thing. Kidnapping her, on the other hand-"

"Who said anything about kidnapping? That's not what she said."

Cassandra's expression finally changed, concern radiating from her face. "Absolutely not."

He grinned. "Why not?"

"She is nine years old," Cassandra snapped. "She needs to grow and mature in a healthy environment, and we are anything but. Some of us aren't good people. I especially am not a good person, no matter what Lyn says about me. She may protest, but I really do want to return you to the police and sail away. It would be the easiest and safest way to do things."

"You can't do that!" Lyn shouted.

"And just when have you done things the easy and safe way?" Alexander said. "I understand and somewhat agree with you that if some child lived in fear for their life and wanted to sail with us, finding them proper foster care would be the best we can do, but this is different. You don't know that her father wouldn't pay off the police or have them killed to frame us for her death. The best way to keep her alive would be to take her with us."

Cassandra frowned. "That's an argument for an island or two, but that's not what you're saying."

"Yeah, I want to stay with you," Theo emphasized. "Can't I do that? Please?"

"And there's only one way to do that," Alexander said with a grin. "Before you start, you knew full well that Jordan's stay wasn't permanent."

"She can't join the crew!"

"Why not?" asked the girl.

Cassandra made a fist and brought it to her lips. "First of all, you are nine years old. You're too young to have the mental or emotional maturity to understand the ramifications of joining us. Second, we are absolutely not an environment in which children should be growing. I'm not going to ask Damien or Morgan or Doctor to change and fit their behaviors to be child-appropriate. Third, you're basically a government employee, and joining us would be throwing that away. Forget your father; everyone will be trying to kill you. We're wanted criminals. Fourth, and I really don't think I'm emphasizing this enough, _you are nine years old_."

"And what were you doing when you were nine?" Alexander asked.

She clenched her jaw. "Let's acknowledge that as messed up as my childhood was, that doesn't mean we should begin treating every child the same way."

Alexander shrugged. "First and fourth, age has never been a problem with pirates. Second, we provide safety, security, comfort, health…" he looked at Theo, "and food. Third, the world is already stacked against her. Between our Immortals, I think the odds are evened somewhat."

"Immortals?"

"Yup!" Lyn beamed. "Cee can instantly heal from almost any injury, Doctor can't even be touched, and remember how badly you beat up Damien? He'll be up and about inside a week. That's why we call them our Three Immortals. They've dealt with more stuff than anyone would ever deserve."

"We are getting off topic," Cassandra said. "She can't join my crew."

"She can!" Lyn insisted. "You said you'd let anyone join!"

The captain grimaced. "Within reason, love, within reason. We're not the kind of crew that can deal with idle hands, and I can't spare someone to supervise her all the time."

"I don't need supervision! I can pilot battlesuits!"

Alexander leaned towards his captain. "Now that's a bump in firepower we can't ignore."

Cassandra rubbed her temples. "Gods, give me strength. Why would you even want to join a group of down and dirty bastards, if you'll forgive my language?" A knife appeared in her hands as if by magic. "We aren't exactly angels."

"So? Neither am I. I've killed people." Lyn gasped, her hands going to her mouth. "I design and use weapons of mass destruction, but _he _is trying to get me killed. Mama can't help because she's in some secret-"

"Your mother!" Cassandra snapped her fingers as she thought. "Whatshername Day, you can go to her."

"I was trying to tell you she can't. _He_ got the government to offer her a job she couldn't refuse. I don't know where she is." Lyn gave her girlfriend a look. "And I can't live with anyone who calls me 'he' and 'him' and 'Theodorus.' That's not my name! I'm Theodora!"

Lyn came over and embraced her in a big hug. "Oh, the tales I could tell about the abbey I grew up in. They weren't a huge fan of standing out."

Alexander coughed. "Your case was a touch different, but it is true. Not all of us remained silent about who we are."

"Screw you both." Cassandra took a deep breath. "I understand that the positive aspects of joining a pirate crew are positive, but that's not all that we do. Morgan, Raven, could you come in here please?"

Theo had gotten used to tiny humanoids appearing in front of her. When a significantly larger shape did, she flinched against Lyn's chest. The person was all in black, and their voice was as lifeless as a robot's. "Theodora Hypatia Anousheh Fatima Alram-Mah IX, born Theodorus Alram-Mah XXII. I am the doctor of the Black Glove Pirates. I have killed and maimed thousands of people, and I have attempted to kill Cassandra seven times. Morgan has tried to kill Cassandra once, and she shot off his finger along with many other punishments. Alexander is right that Damien does not ordinarily target those whom he does not consider worthy of battle, but he also loses control and fights everyone in his vicinity."

"It is obvious why I would strongly dislike Theodora joining the crew," Morgan added. "Nothing regarding you, I assure you. It has to do with my punishment. However, I agree that no malnourished and abused child should return to those abusing them. Between Raven and I, she would be healthy once again. As for her father, he may have considerable political clout, but we are constantly on the run from the law anyway. Additionally, if she brings a battlesuit, she will be a welcome addition to our anti-Damien defense."

"And I can help with maintenance," Alexander said. "I'm an alchemist, Theo. I can turn anything into any material you want. As for shaping, Cain can carve things finer than you'd ever expect. We're not a perfect family, but we're a damn sight better than whomever she'd wind up with."

"And what about us?" Cassandra demanded. "Do you really think we'll get away with kidnapping and brainwashing her? Because that's what it'll look like to everyone else."

Alexander grinned. "We won't be the first crew to harbor fugitives or the last. Besides, she'd fit in perfectly."

"I would?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course. Captain isn't as mean as she may seem. The only one of us who can even imagine the responsibilities and pressure she shoulders is Lyn. It's just that she has to worry about her crew before thinking of someone new. She's right in that it would be additional pressure, but I think you'd be willing to fight to stay."

"Yes. Absolutely. Please? Please, can I join?"

They all held their breath as Cassandra closed her eyes. Lyn never stopped stroking Theo's head and holding her tightly. The captain rubbed the skull and crossbones on the back of her glove. Theo fidgeted, her hand rapidly going through its functions. She was pretty sure her heart stopped when Cassandra looked directly at her.

"I have rules for you that are not up for negotiation." Lyn had to physically restrain Theo as she tried to jump for joy. "One, you are to go nowhere by yourself. You can't be alone with Lyn, Alexander, Damien, or Raven for the moment. It's not safe for you for a variety of reasons. Two, we are going to piece together some semblance of an education. We can be a poor substitute for home teachers, so we're going to find someone professional to help us and you. Three, you will have checkups with Raven as often as she deems necessary, although you'll have to teach her about biomechatronics. She will also coordinate with Morgan to give you a balanced diet. You can't just take whatever food you want, but I promise that he will never say no if you ask for something to eat.

"Four, you can't give any orders to anybody. You have to follow all official orders, especially during emergencies, but you have to understand that you are free to question orders at any time for any reason. Five, you won't have to take watch, but you will have set times you have to be in bed and out of it. This isn't a punishment; I'm just concerned about your sleep schedule and health. Six, you have to maintain at least one battlesuit that you can wear in emergencies.

"Seven - and this is the most important one, so pay attention - if anyone ever bothers you, come to us. Especially if it's one of us. We're not just your crew; we're your nakama. If you don't feel comfortable with how someone is talking or acting, especially especially if that person is me, you tell them immediately. Don't be afraid to do it. You're a Black Glove Pirate now. We'll be here for you for as long as you want."

Wriggling free from Lyn, Theo threw her arms around Cassandra's neck and began sobbing.


	78. It Had to Be

Theo trembled at the top of the gangplank. One more step would take her onto her new home. She held Lyn's hand tightly as she prepared to move forwards. The rest of the crew had gone ahead for various reasons, and Lyn had led 'Anou' from the Decimal to the ship. Although Theo had heard about what Lyn had told the islanders, their evening journey had been undisturbed Everyone seemed to know Lyn and perked up just a little as she passed by.

The little girl exhaled loudly and put her foot on the deck. Her next steps were hesitant, but she moved faster as her excitement grew. She yelped as Lyn picked her up by the hand. "Calm down for a sec. Over there are the women's quarters, except Raven doesn't sleep and Miserie's room is in the bottom, so it'll be just you, me, and Cee. That's the cargo hatch, but since you're not that physically strong, we'll just use the stairs. Okay, this is the main hall, which I guess will be your main tech area. That's the boys' room. You know how jumping on your bed is fun?" Theo nodded. "Now lemme introduce you to the second-last nakama you haven't met. Cain?"

Theo gaped as the enormous door opened. She had known that a large human had attacked the factory, but seeing him from the perspective of a battlesuit and seeing him with her own eye was completely different. Even crouching he was way taller than her. Lots of little scars could be seen on the patches of skin not exposed by his clothes or bandages, with the biggest visible one crossing his mouth. "Hi Theo. I'm sorry for the fight last night. I guess I'm half of the production team for any supplies you need."

"Hi," was all she could manage.

His dark blue eyes crinkled as he grinned. "I know; I'm not exactly normal sized. I'm actually starting another growth spurt. It's wreaking havoc with my clothes."

"I know, and I lost your growth marks on the _Knave_'s mast!" Lyn complained. "There was a week in there where you grew a whole quarter inch!"

Cain picked up a block of wood the size of Theo's hand. "What's your favorite animal, little miss?"

She squirmed with delight at his words. "Cranes. Or donkeys. Dogs too."

He thought for a moment, then a shower of wood chips fell to the floor. Where a regular chunk of wood had been, a crane grooming itself stood in its place. She stared at it in shock, rotating it to get a better view. "How did you do that?"

He shrugged. "I'm a good carver, and I'm quick with my fingers."

"_I'm_ quick with my fingers," Lyn said. "You're like Raven."

"Wait, can you do another one?" Theo asked. "I want to watch with ARGOS."

"Of course."

Theo closed her natural eye and opened her mechanical one. Her brain had long gotten used to the drastically different visual images. The aperture grew and shrunk as it focused on the new wooden block. "Ready."

Once again, the wood vanished and an animal appeared in its place, this time a laden donkey. Theo nodded and closed her eye. She went back to the beginning of the recording and drastically slowed the speed. She watched as his hands drew and replaced tools from his vest with lightning speed and expertly shaved away at the wood block. A mistake when carving a leg led to the donkey with one leg bent beneath it. Drilling a hole too deep became a slot to hold the saddle and bags.

She also saw him do something that she hadn't noticed in the first statue. She opened her natural eye to look at the undersides of both animals. TAMIX had been lightly etched on their bellies. "That's so awesome," she whispered.

"Yours to keep, little miss. Were you able to see all of that?"

"Yeah, ARGOS can record and review images and videos and things."

She jumped as Raven appeared on Cain's arm. "I assume ARGOS is the name of your visual prosthesis. Is it merely a name or an acronym of some sort?"

"Uh… for my eye?"

"Yes, your bionic eye."

"Oh. Yeah, it's an acronym for Alternate Radiation Gathering Optical System. I can use it to see a much wider range of the electromagnetic spectrum than the human eye along with zoom, polarization, and temporary playback features."

"What is polarization?"

"Filtering light based on what plane the electric or magnetic field operates. Whoa, is this really your bed?"

Cain grinned. "I would have been fine with a cot, but Captain Libera insisted."

"What are the applications of polarization?" Raven continued.

"Mainly reducing glare and doing stress tests." She laughed as Lyn picked threw her onto the bed, and shrieked with delight when she bounced high in the air.

The first mate was all smiles. "Yup, he does his bed so tightly it's basically a trampoline. It's really fun!"

"What sorts of-"

"Give it a rest, Raven," sighed Lyn. "She'll have her check-up with you, and you can ask her all the questions you want then."

Raven moved in front of Lyn. "Theodora is also not as healthy and physically fit as you are. Before she exerts herself too much, it is my job to verify that any activity she chooses to do does not have negative consequences that could have been easily prevented. In addition to her malnourishment, she has suffered major injuries in the recent and distant past that likely did not receive genuine medical attention. I tended to her in the Fifty-Nine-Sixty Decimal, but I did not have the same access to medical equipment that I do now."

Theo yelped as Cain extended his hand and caught her. "She's right, little miss. You don't want to spend your first night as a Black Glove Pirate in the infirmary."

Lyn cocked her head to the side. "That's only happened to one of us!"

"Damien is currently awake," Raven droned. "However, he is immobilized as I continue to tend to his injuries. He will remain in this incapacitated state for at least fifty-two hours, after which I cannot guarantee his imposed paralysis."

"Welp, as good a time as any to come meet him!" Lyn exclaimed. "Don't worry; he can't hurt you at all. Raven can take him down no problem, only don't say that in front of him because he'll get mad."

Cain put the girl on the ground and she followed Lyn and Raven to the medical bay. The legs of the bed nearest the floor had collapsed beneath the weight of its occupant. The man was practically mummified by the bandages, only his eyes, nose, mouth, and hair visible. He appeared to be sleeping, and Theo started when he growled, "An' 'oo's th' cumsprout?"

"Damien, I told you that we picked up a new nakama," Lyn said exasperatedly. "Her name's Theo, not that it matters to you, and she's joining is because she's really good with battlesuits. You should know; she's the one who shocked you."

"Oh aye? Annoyin' fuckin' thing that was. Ain' been zapped like tha' in age."

Lyn slumped down on the bed and patted his chest. "You do remember that the last time you were zapped, you were out for days?"

"Aye, cuz Cap'n couldn' pull 'er fuckin' weight. 'S a fuckin' miracle she e'er killed somebody before."

The first mate leaned towards Theo. "He pretends he doesn't care about us, but he really does," she fake whispered. "He took three lightning bolts that would have killed us."

"Yer fuckin' lucky I can' move me fuckin' arms, Sunshine."

"Oh, I know," she assured him and kissed his forehead. "Anyway, if you need parental consent for Theo's checkup, I'm sure you'll find that my husband and I will be more than happy to fill in."

She laughed as thin trails of smoke began trickling from his bandages. "Yer overboard the instan' I'm up, e'en if yer fuckin' 'tween Cap'n's legs."

"I will now begin with Theodora's examination," Raven said without preamble.

"You can call me Theo."

Lyn rolled her eyes. "One of Cee's Sisters prefers to be called Jennifer, but most of her friends call her Jen. Raven calls her…"

"Guinevere. It is her given name. I also address Cassandra as such despite her position as my captain. I omit middle names and surnames outside of official introductions. As the name given to you by your parents at birth does not fit with your gender identity, I will call you by your full chosen name." The doctor evidently considered the matter resolved as she moved on. "Although Damien must remain due to his injuries, I will sedate him if he interrupts. I will have to ask you to leave, Lyn, due to doctor-patient confidentiality."

"What? Why me?"

"She can stay," Theo said quickly, preparing herself to argue against the intimidating woman.

Surprisingly, Raven accepted that without any protest whatsoever. "Do you wish for me to maintain this confidentiality with any of the other Black Glove Pirates?"

"Well…" She slowly turned to Lyn. "What did you do?"

"Everyone knows about my stuff. The only ones who said no are Miserie and Morgan. And Raven, obviously."

"Then it's okay. You can tell anyone."

The doctor dipped her head. "In that case, I will ask your permission for Cassandra and Morgan to join. Cassandra is our captain, and she worries about the health of all of her crewmembers. You are of special concern due to your age and relative fragility. Morgan is our chef, and a not insignificant part of your recovery will be what you consume. As you technically outrank him, you can request certain foods, but understand that his priority is your health over your personal taste."

"Sure, Cap and Morgan are fine."

The two pirates entered the medical bay as if summoned by magic. "I have very good ears," the blue-haired woman answered the unasked question. "I couldn't help but overhear."

"This is also a convenient way for us to become acquainted with your abilities," Morgan added. "Even if we may not completely understand."

"It's a bit crowded in here, isn't it?" Lyn observed. "Do we strictly speaking need to be in the med bay? I mean, you can do all of the blood drawing and sanitary stuff now, then go over everything outside."

"Very well. Everyone leave except for Cassandra. I have been informed that you feel more comfortable around Lyn, but you must grow accustomed to being around Cassandra."

Theo nodded meekly and gripped the sheets. By all accounts, she was safest with the three pirates in the room. However, she felt like her new captain was sizing her up for dinner, Raven moved and talked like a machine, and the only thing she liked about Damien at the moment was that he couldn't move.

She jumped when Cap suddenly started speaking. "When I first met Damien, he broke about half of the bones in my body."

"Ya shot me, dick'ead."

Cap waved her hand through the air as if that were a minor detail. "When Raven first met me, only curiosity stopped her from killing me. Lyn, I put in a chokehold, and I toyed around with Morgan to the point where he tried to have me assassinated."

Theo was dumbstruck as Raven guided her limbs into place. "You're kidding me."

"Oh no, all that really happened. Damien's never really tried to kill me, though. He's just really big on corporal punishment for people being dumb, myself included."

"Ain' too late t' start."

The captain continued to ignore him. "And I can't forget that he goes on the occasional rampage and attacks us seriously. Admittedly, Raven wasn't there at the time and there were mitigating circumstances, but that's what he does. One of his very few strong points is his refusal to lie, which is strongly diminished by his thickheadedness and pride. So, Damien, would you attack Theo again like you did last night?"

"Aye." Theo practically leapt away from Raven, who had been looking inside her mouth, and was gently caught by the blue-haired woman.

"And under what circumstances would that be?" Cap continued, still holding Theo.

"All dressed up, o' course."

Theo looked up in confusion. "Another one of his quirks is that Damien doesn't fight against unprepared opponents. He wants them to have every single advantage in their favor so that he knows he has beaten them. If you're not in your strongest battlesuit and paying attention to him when he's riled up, he wouldn't lay a finger on you. The only person he occasionally tries to take by surprise is Raven."

"So…" Theo concentrated. "Are you saying he wouldn't hurt me?"

"A twerp like you? Th' fuck would be th' fun in tha'? 'Sides, I seen whatcha got, Girlie. No sense jumpin' the fuckin' gun."

She was surprised to feel Cap exhale just a little at that. "So try not to be afraid of him. It won't be easy; even I'm afraid of him."

"Uh-uh."

"It's true. On Brickwork, the second island down the Line we got to, we had a bit of a run-in with the Marines." Damien's growl rattled the instruments until Raven threw a knife that hit him on the head. "Now, due to some truly terrible acts, Damien and Alexander have a hatred towards the gulls that the rest of us combined can't match. Damien was in a situation much like this, out for the count and immobilized, but he came back from the dead when they showed up. When he looked at me, I was scared stiff, could barely move. It's okay to admit you're afraid of him, but I ask that you give him a chance. Once you get through his tough exterior, you'll find he's just an idiot like the rest of us."

"So tha's you o'erboard as well, prick?"

Cap leaned in. "Although if you could refrain from adopting his manner of speech, I'd be much appreciative." Theo's blank look caused her to smile. "Don't swear as much as he does. I'm not your mom, but I am your captain. I've heard he was a very sweet young boy before. How are we doing, Raven?"

"Her height and weight are well below average, but not irreparably so. She will need to maintain a strict diet for the immediate future. She has sustained no injuries that require further immediate medical attention, but I will check for any such injuries and do a full check-up tomorrow. Right now, it is imperative that she get a full meal and rest."

"Sounds good." Cap put her mouth by Theo's ear. "Also, ask Alexander about Dirk Redleaf. What he has to say might surprise you."

Theo felt like a cork on a river as she followed Cap up to the galley, where the rest of the crew was waiting for her. Raven appeared next to Morgan, and they exchanged a few words before the doctor disappeared again. There were two open seats between Alexander and Lyn, and Theo immediately scrambled for the one next to Lyn. She then remembered that Lyn and Cap were girlfriends and looked up guiltily, but Cap just smiled and sat down.

"So, who's up for round two?" she asked.

The new pirate shrank down in her chair. She frowned as Alexander spoke up. "We're going to need a drastically different plan with Damien out of the picture."

"Huh?" Theo asked.

"Well, we can't destroy anything more with our avatar of destruction bedridden, so we're going to need to improvise," Cap explained.

"Wait, that's what you meant by round two? I thought it was gonna be about me!"

She looked around as they all started laughing. "Different people are okay with different things," Lyn said. "Some people don't like to be questioned, and that's just fine with us. We didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable by us all start going at you at once. I mean, Raven's a total mystery outside of what Cee tells us, and even Cain's never said how he got that scar on his lips."

The huge man raised his eyebrows. "Oh, this? I-"

"Yeah, something so obvious you'd think he'd want to talk about it," Lyn interrupted. "But we respect his wishes and don't pry where we aren't wanted. Now, things like that are noticeable, and people are going to ask. Same with Morgan's finger and my tattoos. Damien's so scarred that Raven's still compiling a list of sources, so he kinda gets away with it. And so, if you don't want to talk about what happened, we totally understand."

"What, this?" Theo asked, gesturing at the scars on her face. "Funny enough, that wasn't because of him. Pappous was showing me how jasmine steel is really sharp because of carbon splinters, and I wasn't really careful with chlorosulfonic acid and it got knocked over by the machine. I blocked most of my face with my this hand, and this all had to be amputated. Fortunately, Aanaga's really good at biomechatronics, so she got me fixed up."

"So you're a cyborg," Alexander said.

She shot to her feet. "I'm human! I am! You can't say I'm otherwise!"

"I'm sorry if I've offended you." The fork in his fingers suddenly turned transparent. "I'm a Devil Fruit User; does that mean I'm also not human?"

"Devil Fruits are different," she said stubbornly.

"Well, all of Damien's bones are metal," Cain boomed. "I'd wager he has more metal in him than you do."

"Metal bones?"

"I am a Devil Fruit User," Alexander repeated. "Turning things into other things is what I do. That's how we'll keep you supplied with anything you need for your tinkering, remember? It takes me about a day to reliably perfect any new metal. Liquids take me a lot longer, and I'm still working on gases."

"If I didn't heal away scars, I'd look as bad as Damien," Cap said. "We're all a bit out of the ordinary, but we're still human. And mermaid."

Miserie poked her head out of her booth. "Arowana mermaid."

Cap laughed. "How could I forget? Plus, not all of us are what we were born into. Morgan's a prince, believe it or not-"

"I believe that." Morgan lifted his chin slightly, a small grin creeping across his face.

"And Raven and I are assassins."

Theo jumped and stared at them both. "What?"

"Professionally. We were the heiresses of the two strongest assassin families, but I got kicked out for a variety of reasons. Raven, on the other hand, is the named heiress. If her dad dies, she'll leave the crew and take over."

"Wow! Really?"

"Cassandra has omitted several pieces of crucial information. Although I am named heiress, I am only holding the position until the return of my elder brother."

Cap smiled that mysterious smile of hers. "Oh? And what if he's never found?"

"He will be found."

"I don't doubt it. And on the opposite end, we have Lyn or Alexander. Their parents were, if you'll forgive me, not quite as renowned. They were good parents, but they were everyday people, and there's nothing wrong with that. I take all types on my crew."

Theo thought about this. "So why did you not want me-"

"It has nothing to do with who you are and everything to do with your age. It's not exactly good for you to mature in an environment such as ours. I will admit that it's better than your previous situation, but it's still far from ideal."

"But that's why you made all those conditions," Lyn pointed out. "Although I really wouldn't do any acid experiments while we're at sea, especially if Damien's at the helm. He's very enthusiastic about sailing in bad weather. I just try to keep us upright."

"Oh, I don't use acid," Theo said quickly. "It's such a pain to store and use properly without melting everything. Also, I didn't see any fume hoods or anything. If I was gonna work here, I'd need to set up a workshop somewhere.

Cain rubbed his chin. "Either above or below the men's quarters, both rooms are free. I think below would be better. We get boarded a fair bit, and we don't want intruders barging in so easily."

Cap thought about it. "Agreed. You can probably store large battlesuits in the main hall if you secure them so they don't fall all over the place. Is there some way you can prevent people from hijacking your suits?"

"Oh, any suit of mine is coded specifically to HEPHAISTOS, the biomechatronic controller I use for ARGOS and DAIDALOS. These." She gestured at her left eye with her right hand.

"I assume those are acronyms as well," Raven droned.

The girl smiled brightly. "HEPHAISTOS is Hypatia Emulated Parent Halting Analysis/Interface/Sensor Transmission Operating System. _He_ wrote the old operating system, but I designed my own and swapped it out for his."

"Operating system?" Lyn asked.

"It's what makes all of my machine stuff work."

She was surprised when Cap started laughing. "Frequently, people are taught to think of their swords or guns as part of their bodies so as to achieve complete control, but you took it a step further. Your suits literally become extensions of your body."

Theo bounced in her chair. "Yeah, exactly! That's what I do! That's exactly it!"

"DAIDALOS," Raven pressed.

"Dual Assistance Implementation: Deconstruction/Assembly Loricated Operational System. My hand doesn't just act like a hand. It has all sorts of functions I use for work. It's technically only half of DAIDALOS. The other I wear on my left hand for work."

"Will that be her glove?" Miserie asked.

She shook her head. "I want it on this hand. I'll kinda need it anyway because DAIDALOS wasn't built for constant exposure to sea air."

Cap looked a little worried. "Right, will that be a problem at all?"

"The suits themselves are. It's just my stuff, but I'll get that fixed in no time."

"Oh good. Out of idle curiosity, how well do you know the factory?"

"Really well. I always run away wherever we are. That's why he waits a few days before sending out search parties."

The captain's smile seemed to have a lot more teeth than smiles usually had. "Outstanding. My conditions all went into effect immediately, Theo, including the battlesuit one. We're gonna need you to get your choice of suits. We'll also get to finish the job we started. Can you think of any way to get you and I inside?"

"Yeah…" Theo grimaced. "But we can't do it ourselves. My suits are totally wrecked. I'll have to grab a blank one and override the operating system. We need someone really strong to help move things about."

Cap pinched the bridge of her nose as Cain gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry, Captain Libera."

"Hold on," Morgan said. "How heavy are the parts you need?"

"Well, the entire battlesuit won't be that heavy, but what I'm gonna do needs a lot of moving things upwards of forty tons."

"I still refuse to remain on the sidelines while I am physically capable of contributing. I will at least provide a tunnel large enough to move Cain and the battlesuits, as Alexander will likely be needed for any consequent fighting."

"Sounds good to me," said the alchemist. "I'll rest up."

"We all need some rest." Cap got to her feet. "Especially those of us under ten years of age. We have some serious work to do tomorrow morning."

"But I don't-" Theo sighed when Cap looked at her. "Fine, fine."

Several variations of 'good night' echoed out, and she returned them all. She followed Lyn to the women's quarters, still internally jumping for joy at the thought. It was an inverted T shape with a mast right through the middle. One large bed sat against the port wall, as Lyn called it, and a smaller bed on the other side. She was a bit confused about who would be sleeping where until Lyn explained that she shared a bed with her girlfriend. Theo shrugged as she was lead into the bathroom.

"Sorry if you're used to baths," Lyn said. "Do you need anything to shower?"

"No, I got it."

"Good. We scrounged up some clothes for you, but they're not exactly colorful. We'll do better when we reach the next island."

Theo grabbed a handle outside of the bathroom and detached her forearm. She giggled when she saw Lyn's look of surprise. "My arm contains fuel and a lot of the hardware for my hand. I told you; it got amputated almost up to the elbow."

"Ooooooh. And this way it'll keep from getting wet and still be here when you get out! What about your eye?"

"Oh, that's waterproof."

"Good. Don't use the green shampoo, and the shower takes a bit to get hot. If you don't like cold water, you can stand in that corner. Your towel's the light blue one, but we'll switch that out too. Oh, and do you really like those clothes you're wearing?"

"No."

"Then just throw them on the floor. I'll clean them up this once, but all the other times you have to put them in the hamper."

Theo nodded and went inside. Even the bathroom seemed way better than any she had seen. It had personality. Colorful bottles were scattered everywhere, and the ceiling was covered in a spread of wings. She also noticed a dent in one wall that looked like someone had thrown a really hard punch and hadn't really tried to fix it. She threw off her clothes and stepped into the shower. She yelped when she turned the water on; Lyn really hadn't been kidding about the cold.

Once it did heat up, she inspected the different bottles. They all smelled so good that she didn't know which one to pick. She eventually chose a pink one that smelled like flowers and dumped a lot of it on her head. Suds fell everywhere as she scrubbed her head really hard. She wasn't sure about the bottles that weren't shampoo, but she would ask Lyn later. She settled for scrubbing herself with soap, washing away the dirt that her short wash in the Decimal hadn't gotten.

When she was fully clean, she finally let herself relax. So much had happened in just one day. She rubbed the scars of acid drops on her chest as she thought about everything. Twenty-four hours ago, she was curled up on her bed trying to figure out how she could get back to the Decimal. Now she was on a pirate ship with people who said she was one of them. Tears came to her eyes as she realized she would really be going to sleep in a place where people were really going to protect her and not push her away. She wouldn't be going back to him again. This time was real. It had to be.

It had to be.

She didn't hear the door open and instinctively flinched when someone touched her shoulder. She could make Cap out through her bleary eye and hugged as tightly as she could. Cap held her, a gloved hand rubbing her back in small circles. Theo cried and cried until she felt like there were no more tears left in her body. Her head felt fuzzy and her eyelids heavy. She rested her head on Cap's shoulder, still hiccuping occasionally from her crying.

"Feel better?" Cap murmured. Theo gave a tiny nod. "Good. Never, ever be afraid to cry. It's nothing to be ashamed of. I've cried, Lyn's cried, Morgan's cried. I've even seen Cain cry, and he's as tough as old boots dipped in tar. It's not a sign of weakness. We're all here for each other."

"You're not gonna give me to the police?"

"None of us will ever do that."

"You're not gonna leave me?"

"I won't."

"I won't have to go back?"

"No."

"Promise?"

Cap sighed. "I can't promise anything other that we'll do our best to help and protect you. I'm sorry. My job as your captain is to not lie to you. I will say that with the world on one side and the Black Glove Pirates on the other, it'll be pretty even odds. I'm going to become Queen of the Pirates."

"Huh?"

"I was kicked out of my family for not killing Raven. Unfortunately for the world, I'm still a bit ambitious and I decided to set my sights on another lofty goal. All of our nakama? They know that it will happen. We'll have picked up some more people on the way, but I will become Pirate Queen. So long as you want to stay, we'll do everything in our considerable power to keep you with us. And that, Theo, is a promise I can keep."

Theo giggled and hugged her. "Okay."

"Ready to go to bed?" Theo dipped her head. "Then let's you dried off."

The little girl wasn't sure if she was supposed to be embarrassed to be naked in front of her captain, but Cap didn't make any comment. Theo couldn't help but glance at Cap's body with a slight twinge of envy. She had stripped completely naked too without any appearance of unease and was completely comfortable with the body she had.

"The funny thing is one of my Sisters was riding along with us until the last island," Cap said out of nowhere. "She knows more than I ever could about gender identities and whatnot. She's genderfluid, you see. She's always somewhere between female and male, and exactly where depends on how she feels at the time. Not that those are the only two genders, those are just the ones she feels closest to. She can change her appearance at will, which is especially convenient for fitting her current gender identity."

"Really?"

"Yeah. She's a rapscallion and a pervert, but you'll like her when you meet each other one day. I don't know what sex was assigned to her at birth, but I do know is that she hated her body. Her family was very accepting, of course. They specialize in disguises."

"Wait, don't you mean your family too?"

"Right, remind me to tell you about my Moon Sisters tomorrow. For now, all that's important is that she put everything she had into learning the skills that allowed her to change her appearance. You can't learn those skills, but I promise you that no matter what parts of your body you like and which ones you don't, we'll do everything we can to help you."

Theo hopped away, her hand covering her forehead. Cap laughed. "I'm not a mind reader. I'm just very observant. Lots of people aren't happy with their bodies, but there are ways to fix that and people who support them. Don't forget that."

Lyn was waiting for them when they opened the door, and she grabbed them both in a big hug. "Do you wear your arm to bed?" she asked when they broke apart.

"It gets most of its power from my body, so it's just easier if I do." She stuck her elbow into the socket and waited for everything to connect again. After a moment, she was able to let go of the handle and put on the T-shirt waiting on the smaller bed. It was bigger than she expected, but Lyn said that Morgan had been all too happy to lend it to her. Theo grinned as she climbed in bed and Lyn tucked her in.

When the first mate kissed her forehead and got up to go, Theo grabbed her finger. The words stuck in her throat as Lyn turned back, but she managed to mumble, "Can you stay?"

"Absolutely," Lyn said softly, sitting on the bed. "I'll stay for as long as you want."

The newest Black Glove Pirate snuggled into the sheets and closed her eye. This time was real.

It had to be.


	79. Close for Comfort

Lyn silently opened the door at the back of her room to find her girlfriend resting on the balcony behind her room, staring into the black fog. They had sailed away from Scarab Island for safety, as they had only to follow the Eternal Pose to return. A half-empty bottle of cider hung between two fingers, its two siblings rattling against the railing. Lyn sighed, knowing there was only one reason Cee would do that. She said she couldn't think as well with the alcohol in her blood, but it did help her stay focused on a single train of thought at a time.

She didn't turn her head as Lyn embraced her from behind and lightly kissed her neck. "Come to bed?"

"In a bit."

Lyn took the bottle from her unresisting fingers and took a swig. "Wanna talk about it?"

The pirate captain remained silent. That was good; it meant she couldn't honestly say 'no.' Lyn's new tattoo itched like crazy and the ocean spray dampened their skin and clothes, but the warmth from Cee's body warded away some the chill. The captain pulled the bottle back and finished it off. She hurled it into the sea, and it faded from sight before it hit the water. She tightly shook her head and returned to her thoughts.

"You didn't fall in love with me just because I offered you a chance to leave, right?" she asked at last.

Lyn rocked them slowly back and forth. "That was just part of it. After that, there were just more and more things that popped up as we went along."

"Like what?"

"You have so many sides to you and I like seeing them all, like the different facets of a jewel. You're an amazing actress. It's like watching Jayjay sometimes. I blink, and there's someone new standing in front of me, from pirate queen to apparently lucky but incompetent captain to assassin." Lyn nuzzled her girlfriend's neck. "And then there are the sides you only show your nakama and the ones you show only me and the ones you only show your Sisters. I love how you play with your hair when you're planning something, but only when you're on the ship. I love how you always smile when you see I'm looking at you. I love how you press your Jolly Roger glove to your lips when you pray for our success."

"But why me?"

Lyn smiled against her neck. "You're special. What other reason do I need?"

"Well, what'll happen when you find someone more special?"

"I'll ask future you how you managed to travel backwards in time. Nobody else could match that."

"There are lots of people in the world."

"And none of them mean as much to me as you do."

"At the moment."

"Forever. I love you, Cee. You think you're a bad person? You're right, and you're wrong. I won't deny you do things that I wouldn't, but think about it. Who would take on the risk of being hunted even more by WG if it meant helping a trans girl in need? I know you were thinking of both us and her when you were saying you didn't think it was a good idea. I wouldn't have thought any less of you if you had said she couldn't join. It's going to be a lot more work from now on, but remember that you have your nakama. You have me. I will _always _be here for you."

Cee turned around and embraced Lyn in the strongest hug she could muster. Lyn kissed her ear and lightly stroked her hair. "I just wish you'd remember now and then that you're not allowed to be perfect. You're supposed to not know everything or make the wisest decisions. In some things I know you're wrong. You're being way too hard on Morgan about the drugs, and I think you had a bit too much fun scaring Theo. That's okay, though. You're not supposed to be flawless, except for your body. That's perfect, no mistake. Since I haven't seen Helen, you're the prettiest person I've ever met, and that's no lie."

She laughed dryly. "Thanks, amica."

"Don't ever forget that I love you, okay? I love you more than I've ever loved someone before. You are _amazing_. You know you're amazing. You can do anything you want. You're incredible. Do you even get how mind-blowing it is that you got the Moon Sisters and the Black Glove Pirates to love you so much? You've saved all of our lives. You're special. Nobody else could have done that. Who cares if some other person had come a day earlier and met me before? You're the one I met. You're the one I love. Forever."

"Even if you have to keep reminding me?"

Lyn rubbed her nose against Cee's. "Oh, _especially_ because I have to keep reminding you. I mean, you are just too adorable when you're not a hundred percent sure of what you're doing. It's all I can do not to just cuddle you and shower you with kisses."

Cee didn't turn away in time to hide her shy smile, and Lyn did exactly what she said she would. The captain turned this way and that, which only exposed more of her skin for Lyn to kiss. She grabbed Lyn's face and kissed her passionately. Heat blossomed within Lyn as Cee pushed their bodies together, glowing embers of happiness more than counteracting the cold.

When they pulled apart ever so slightly, Cee rested her head on Lyn's shoulder. "Gods, what did I ever do to deserve you?"

"I ask myself that exact same thing every day," Lyn said softly, lips still pulsing from the kiss. "C'mon, let's get inside."

The room was almost pitch black, but Lyn didn't need her eyes to move around. They tried to make as little noise as they could, even if Theo was so far asleep that Lyn thought even Cain bellowing in full sergeant mode wouldn't wake her. They shed their clothes as they went to their bed and snuggled up together, sighing in contentment. Lyn might not have had her girlfriend's nose, but she still absolutely loved Cee's unique smell.

"I'm a pirate captain, not a parent," Cee mumbled. "She shouldn't have to be raised in a place like this."

Lyn smiled. Patience always paid off. "Why not? We've got everything a growing child needs except physical safety, and even then we're better off than she would be otherwise."

"She should be interacting with kids her own age. Closest we have is Damien, and that's not a comforting thought."

"Having kids around your age isn't necessarily a good thing," Lyn said. "One of my fellow novices was trans too. Obviously the nuns took her in, but a lot of the novices insulted her or ridiculed her, said she was a gross boy or a freak."

"What did you do?"

"Everything I could. I might have helped in a teeny tiny little bit of matchmaking. Not the physical way, though. She was a real novice. She needed a best friend slash spiritual partner, and I introduced her to one who had been failing at subtly asking me if being really interested in other novices was weird."

"Mmm." Cee lightly rubbed Lyn's thigh. "You've always been you. Always helping people."

"_Moon Sisters_," Lyn emphasized. "Stop selling yourself short. You think I'm a good person? I never could have dealt with any of them if I hadn't met you. What about Damien? At first, he was the scariest thing I'd ever seen. You helped me through that. Okay, with Alexander's help, but you were critical. If I were a Scarabian, I couldn't have helped Theo at all. She got to know me, but you saved her. You gotta remember that."

Her girlfriend remained silent.

"Look, I know it's not easy when you remember some of the things you've done, but you mostly did them for good reasons. Even for those you didn't, you've changed since then. You're a genius strategizer who can go toe-to-toe with almost anyone that crosses her path and has a heart the size of a Sea King when it comes to people she cares about. Do you think I'd love a bad person?"

"'S not the same."

"Okay, how many people could handle a hybrid relationship? I'll give you a hint: I've broken up with almost all of my datemates for that reason. Who else can joke around with Damien after you're done quote-unquote sparring?"

Cee finally gave a small chuckle. "It _is _sparring."

"It's mortal combat between Immortals. And when you consider how concerned you are with keeping an eye on us all the time, I know for safety reasons, how do you think Miserie feels about being part of the crew? Sure, she's fast and strong, but you are just as concerned with knowing where she is as Alexander, and at least Raven can watch him. You understand that she goes into really freaking dangerous panic attacks if even one person is looking at her hard enough, but you don't mistreat her for it or make her feel ashamed for it."

"She's disabled, not inhuman," Cee retorted. Lyn giggled and just knew Cee was rolling her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"And I'm sure you have a good reason for hating drugs as much as you do. Even Alexander and Damien are like 'Whoa, that's some pretty intense hatred right there.'"

"For nearly the same reason. Jen took to coke a little too well. We were at her sixteenth birthday party and she nearly overdosed. That was one of the scariest moments of my life, and I'm an assassin. The possibility of us not surviving another day is part of our lives. But for me to be protecting her head while she's having a seizure…"

"I can imagine. I've been there. I can understand where you're coming from, but all drugs aren't inherently bad. I'm saying this now because Morgan has quite a speech for you if he finds the courage to say it, and I don't want you to just shut him down like you did last time."

Cee shook her head. "Didn't."

Lyn giggled. "Yeeeees, you did. You know one of your best traits is stubbornness, but sometimes you've got to give juuuuust a little. Just a little. For me?"

Her girlfriend glared at her for a moment, a smile fighting its way across her face. "That's not fair."

"Mmm, fairness is overrated. I mean, think of all the people who want to be the next Pirate King. How is it fair that they'll bust their asses, only to come up against you?"

"Fine, _you're_ not being fair."

"Well, of course not. Think of all the other people who'll fall in love with you. It's not fair to them that I was the one who found you first, but that's the price of being a beautiful badass pirate princess. Now you're all mine."

Her girlfriend's kisses were always amazing, and this one was no different. Cee rolled on top of her, eyes glittering in the near darkness. "You found me? I'm the pirate captain who recruited you."

Lyn wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's neck and pulled her downwards. "I saw you before you saw me, and you took my breath away."

The captain rested her forehead on Lyn's. "I'm never gonna live that down, am I."

"Not until you can get me back."

Cee crushed their lips together and pressed the full length of her body against Lyn's. "I love you," she mumbled between kisses.

"Love you too."

They were both extremely aware of the third occupant of the room, but that just meant they couldn't have sex. There were tons of other ways of enjoying each other's company. They could wait until another time.

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

Cain carefully watched his newest crewmate, who was peering through the peephole he had made in the rock. She was somewhat nervous about returning to the Decimal and extremely nervous about her new captain going in alone. "Is she gonna be okay on her own? You said Raven was going to be doing something else."

"Miserie's on standby," he assured her. "Besides, there are a few things Captain Libera won't admit out loud: she loves being the center of attention, and she's quite reckless. It's our job as crewmembers to keep her safe."

"I thought it's her job to keep us safe."

Cain grinned. "Welcome to being a Black Glove Pirate. We all keep each other safe. Now, pay attention. Captain Libera never acts without thinking. Some of that thinking might not be very nice, but that's who she is: a really kind soul wrapped in a lot of really spiky layers." He paused. "Don't tell her I said that. She doesn't like anyone outside our crew thinking she's nice."

He relaxed slightly when she giggled. Ideally, she would be safe and sound with Damien and Raven, leaving him and Morgan to do the retrieval. Sure, he felt like Damien's punching bag and the left side of his chest itched like mad, but his makeshift armor was good enough. Besides, he'd solo this mission if it meant keeping the tiny girl safe. On the other hand, his concern for Captain Libera had nothing to do with her physical safety and everything to do with her plan.

She was standing at the edge of the Decimal, an amused smirk on her face. Janek was bustling down the road towards her, his face red with rage. "Out, sea rat, out! What part of we never want to see you again was unclear? Someone call the police!"

"I just want to clear a few things up," she said cheerfully. "First, I did say I wasn't coming back, but I'm also a chronic liar with no intention of changing that anytime soon. Second, I'm even worse than you expected. The girl some of you know as Anou is actually Theodora IX."

As furious as Janek was, that gave him pause. "Alram-Mah has another child?"

"It seems there was a bit of a mix-up, He thought he had a son when he actually had a daughter, but he wanted to keep his name going. So that's what he called her, tradition be damned. Men can be so arrogant, can't they?"

Cain had been a soldier and bodyguard for decades, but sometimes he felt like a new recruit when it came to keeping his face straight after things Captain Libera said. He looked down when Theo tugged on his pant leg. "I thought she said she thinks people of all genders are equal."

"She does. She's provoking him."

"Why?"

"I told you, she has a big heart. She's more than willing to be the bad guy if it means sparing the Scarabians some pain." He remembered what the captain had said about honesty and her new crewmember. "Well, she's also doing it because it makes Lyn happy and she likes grandstanding. See, watch."

Janek's face had almost turned purple. "After all of the trickery and lies, you demand even more? How dare you! What gives you the right to ask this of us? Where are the police? They said they'd be here!"

"As you know, I'm a pirate. I need to be given the wrong, not the right. That wrong is child abuse, which is one of the worst wrongs in my book. That trumps legality, don't you think?"

"You said you were taking her! That's kidnapping!"

Captain Libera shrugged. "Details. Anyway, we'll be passing through on account of us not wanting to tunnel all over the place looking for our entry point and us not wanting to test little Theo's depth tolerance. We could also dig around you, but we don't want anybody accidentally hurting themselves. I think that's pretty fair, isn't it?"

Janek was apoplectic with fury. The argument had drawn the other three mayors. Yakob was holding the Janek back while Ernesto and Holls stood in front of Captain Libera. "Would it be possible to speak to An- Theo on our own?" asked the mermaid.

"No. She is nearby, but you're not whisking her off. She's worked her butt off to get somewhere she likes, and I think she's found one."

"I assume you know the term 'under duress.'"

"And you the term 'finders, keepers.' Cain, Morgan, Theo?"

Cain shouldered his way through the thin rock wall, sheltering Theo from the debris. Everyone turned to him in surprise, and their eyes were all drawn towards the girl beneath him. Contrary to his expectations, she walked with her head held high and a small smile on her face. When he realized whom she was imitating, his face turned to stone. "Yes, Cap?"

"'Cap?'" Ernesto repeated. "As in captain?"

"Yup. I'm a Black Glove Pirate now."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Holls asked.

"Better than anything else. I just need to pick up a few things from the factory. There really doesn't need to be a big deal or anything."

"Of course there does," said Captain Libera. "You're the second-most important person to this island, and you're about to run away with a pirate crew. That's not something to be taken lightly. We're wanted pirates; who knows what kinds of things we'll do to you?"

"But you said-"

Captain Libera placed a hand on the little girl's head. "I say many things and mean very few of them. So what's it to be? Can we pass through without being hassled too much, or do you want to make things interesting?"

Even world leaders would hesitate at the inflection she placed on the word 'interesting,' and knowledge of the existence of a man who could take on multiple battlesuits and a person as fast as any dwarf only made the mayors more nervous. The mountain bandits' faces were blank when the islanders glanced at them. "Verner and Bragmat will be going with you," Ernesto said at last. "They're just going to monitor you. They won't impede you in anyway way. You won't even know they're there."

"Duly noted. It's fun how I always get my way, isn't it?"

The top of Holls' foot hit Captain Libera's chin with an audible crack. The pirate staggered backwards slightly, her hand going to her mouth. Theo had backed up and latched onto Cain's leg like a vise. He crouched down and put his hand on her back while Morgan moved in front of her. "Wind back the attitude," Holls snapped. "You've got us in enough trouble as it is. We're not being nice. We're trying not to make everything worse."

Captain Libera wiggled her hand inside her mouth for a moment, then extracted a tooth. She looked at it for a moment, then flicked it to the side. "Fair enough. Good day to you all."

The four pirates walked through the Decimal amid a sea of murmurs. Cain held Theo in the crook of one arm, glaring down anyone who stared at the young girl. The enormous metal sword strapped to his back was reason enough for the islanders to avert their gaze. The four arrived at the tiny opening, and Morgan climbed inside without any regard for his clothes. The metal of the passageway grew shut as it wrapped around him, then began expanding. Rock crumbled as it fractured and gave way while two legs extended and braced against the wall. Everyone backed up when the trembling stopped.

The burst of pebbles and dust covered everyone. Cain rolled his shoulders and shook himself off. Theo extracted her face from his hand and inhaled deeply. She tried her best to glare at him, but only pulled off an odd squint. He smiled and lightly dusted her off. Morgan extracted himself from the wall, staggering backwards, and caught himself before he crashed to the ground. Scraps of metal bounced off the wood planks and tumbled from existence as he shrunk to a size not much larger than his body.

Cain leaned forward and smoothed out the sides. "This'll work."

"Sounds good." For once, Captain Libera withheld her flippant remark to the islanders and just climbed inside. Cain put Theo down and clambered in after them. The previously thin tunnel still shed bits of rock as they walked through, or crawled in Cain's case. Getting into the maintenance tunnels of the factory was a bit of a tight squeeze, but he got through. The workers were looking at them with no small degree of trepidation, and Theo hastily led them through the labyrinth of passageways.

"Are you okay, Cap?" Theo asked suddenly.

"Hmm? Oh, the kick? I'm fine, see?" Captain Libera opened her mouth to show all of her teeth. "These grow back in a snap. They needed a small victory, and I gave it to them."

They eventually arrived at a thick metal door banded with seastone. Everyone held back while Theo advanced forward on her own, her mechanical eye fixed on the camera Den-Den Mushi in the corner. Her right hand went to the keypad to hammer in the code to create a hole in security. Cain raised his eyebrows when her fingers began moving unnaturally, joints bending backwards on occasion to hit more keys. They waited a moment, then the camera's eyes drooped and the door creaked open.

Morgan frowned. "How did you memorize that?"

"I wrote the backdoor," she said with a grin. "Take the stairs down that hallway, and the rest is on your map."

The elementalist nodded and clanked away. The remaining three advanced through more hallways without encountering a single element of security. Between Captain Libera's senses and Theo's knowledge, it was like going through a public building. The employees all watched them curiously as they passed, but they quickly returned to their work when they spotted the girl leading her crewmembers. Even beneath the new albeit ill-fitting clothes, there was no mistaking the child of the factory's owner.

Captain Libera winced as they entered the factory proper. Machinery clanked and whirred as parts of the battlesuit were put together. Large assembly arms swiveled back and forth as they shunted large plates together. Thin screwdrivers darted in and out, and welders flickered like fireflies. The pilot cockpit sat in the middle of the room, already surrounded by its chassis. The skeletal structure was attached to the massive legs, but it still lacked the torso, arms, and head.

"That's the blank I want!" Theo yelled over the noise, pointing at one of the suits standing against the wall. "I'm gonna get my spare! Cain, over there's the GAIA/MORPHEUS casing on standby!"

She dashed away with Captain Libera hot on her heels. Cain sized up the assembly line before him. His knowledge of machinery was miniscule, but he recognized perfect organization when he saw it. Everything moved in sync. The soldier in him agonized over having to disrupt such a beautifully designed series of operations. The pirate in him was idly flipping a spanner while trying to figure out how to thoroughly jam the machine.

He walked over to the torso casing waiting to be placed and tried to wrest it from the sets of mechanical arms. He gritted his teeth and hauled, but he only succeeded in pulling himself closer. Growling, he yanked the sword off his back and took a step backwards. "Jafnadr!"

The right arms were neatly sheared in half. The left arms bent as they failed to hold the weight of the casing. Cain let his sword clatter to the floor and heaved with both hands. After some initial resistance, the arms broke completely and he staggered backwards. He hefted the casing onto one shoulder, retrieved his weapon, and headed back towards the entrance to the factory floor.

He was fiddling with a random machine when his nakama returned. An armored Theo walked right by the enormous casing, stopped when she saw him, then whirled around in surprise. "Wait, You Got It Already?" she asked in a voice somewhere between human and machine.

"You asked for it, little miss."

The little girl swiftly recovered from her shock. "Okay, I'll Need A Couple Minutes To Transfer The Code To The Blank Hero Class. I Still Need The Parts For The Monster Class. Get A, Uh, Get An ATLAS And A HE-"

"Less obscure names, more description!" shouted Captain Libera.

"Big Set Of Legs Over There! Big Set Of Arms Over There!"

Cain nodded and headed towards the legs, his fingers flexing on his sword handle. He hesitated before cutting through the support chassis. It didn't look that hard to remake. The tricky part was freeing the feet from their restraints, but he settled for ripping the clamps right out of the floor. He put the legs by the torso and spun on his heel, sword held behind him. The arms weren't completely done, and he would have to deal with the assembly line itself.

With a loud roar, he thundered across the floor and drove his sword into one machine. The blade was swiftly crunched out of shape and ensnared, and the process seemed to continue. After a few moments, pistons and gears jerkily trying to continue their programmed motions. He pulled a chisel from his vest and quickly turned it into a screwdriver. He moved quickly, undoing anything and everything he could reach. This was helped by the occasional gauntleted fist that dented the metal, revealing more joints and slowing the process.

He had almost freed the second arm when the room filled with flashing red lights. He didn't stop working at a particularly sticky piston, trying to figure out why it didn't stop pumping. The ear-splitting shriek of feedback pierced the air. "_WARNING. INTRUDERS IN ASSEMBLY BAY THREE. WARNING. INTRUDERS IN ASSEMBLY BAY THREE. WARNING…_"

He spun around, improvised mace held high, only to find Captain Libera was standing with her hands on her hips. A huge set of headphones covered her ears, and her forearms and calves encased in machinery. She motioned to keep his eyes out for any security people before returning to Theo's side. He put down his weapon, a pipe stuck through an engine block, and returned to his task. The repeated message was oddly soothing as he worked, and he found himself reminiscing over his time as a recruit. There was nothing quite like having a sergeant bellowing in his ear to turn motivation into burning need.

This was why he frowned when the warning abruptly cut off. The voice that issued forth caused his skin to crawl. "_Well, well, well. I didn't expect to see you so soon, son. Who are these fine fools you've brought with you?_"


	80. Soldered Feathers

Cassandra's face hardened as Theo gave a full-body flinch. She pulled off her headphones and walked over to her newest crewmember. "Don't worry; I have your back. Just keep doing what you're doing. You're a Black Glove Pirate. We look out for each other."

"_Have you learned nothing, Theodorus? You think stealing a suit will set you free? Where will you go? Where can you hide? You'll always come back to me, son, because there's nowhere else for you to go._"

"I'm right here," Cassandra shouted above the noise. "You don't have to go back to him. You're a Black Glove Pirate. _Dusk Pandion_ is your home. Don't listen to him. Listen to me. I am freedom. All you have to do is keep at it with that suit. I, meanwhile, will be saying hello to a few gentlefolk who want to make our acquaintance."

Her crash course in battlesuit control had been fascinating, and she flexed her limbs in preparation. Theo said she had calibrated the thrusters to not rip her arms and legs off, but Cassandra fully intended to use them to their maximum effectiveness. Her adrenaline was pumping strong, and the added thrill of trying out experimental technology only boosted her confidence. She gave the thrusters a few test fires to gauging their strength. It felt odd to have her muscles only along for the ride while the thrusters did all the work, but she couldn't deny the speed they gave her.

The first pair of guards through the door wore the protective armor she had been expecting, It was good at stopping most small arms fire, but not quite as literally as was the case. The first rocket-powered punch nearly tore her arm off, but she loved being able to snap her fist back with equal speed. The two guards couldn't hold up against her barrage, armor crumpling beneath her fists.

She learned very quickly that while the arm thrusters were reasonably intuitive, the leg thrusters were a pain in the ass. She tried to boost to reach the next guards, only to bounce off the ceiling and skid along the floor. The tiny thrust intended to stabilize her embedded her in the wall. She shook her head as she pushed herself out and leaned forward to avoid the shot. "Fuck, lemme figure out the controls first."

She put one arm behind her, crouched down, and boosted herself back at the guards. She brought her armored fist forward and smashed it into one guard's face. Her bones quickly mended themselves as she fired off a squib of exhaust to spin herself around. She back fisted the guard to the side and boosted her leg thrusters to avoid the electrified baton. She hit the ceiling once again but was better prepared this time. She kicked off and drove them into the ground, her knee thruster giving her stomp extra power.

As another squad came around the corner, she was already careening towards them. These were obviously better prepared for her assault. The four in front had interlocked arms and managed to stop her in her tracks. One kicked the back of her knee, forcing her to kneel, and another wrenched her arm behind her back. She slugged one straight in the stomach before that arm was trapped as well. Someone grabbed her hair to expose her throat, and she felt the edge of a blade. "You are under arrest for-"

Cassandra fired her hand and foot thrusters at maximum strength. Pain exploded through her body as it was twisted unnaturally around. The guards were unprepared for the awkward movements and lessened their hold slightly. Her switch to elbow and knee thrusters tore her limbs free. The shallow slash across her throat meant she had precious few moments to act before she could wait for it to heal, and the good thing about being surrounded was she could attack in any direction.

After the last body stopped rolling, she collapsed against a wall. Her right arm and fingers slowly twisted back into place, and joints clicked into their respective sockets. Her breathing hitched repeatedly, the sword in her chest driven all the way to the hilt. Her right knee thruster fired intermittently, forcing her to keep her leg bent lest it burn her thigh. She gingerly reached over and snagged her tricorne with a finger. She felt a bit better after placing it on her head, but only mentally.

Her eyes widened when the corridor began to shake and the sounds of heavy clanking reached her ears. Adrenaline propelled her to her feet, and she hop-skipped back to the factory floor. Theo looked up when she entered and screamed. Cassandra whirled around to see what had prompted the scream before remembering she was still run through with a sword. She pulled most of it out of her chest by the handle and the rest by the blade. It took everything she had not to drop to the ground, but she refused to make her newest crewmember any more scared than she currently was.

"_Who are these people with you, son? Please, identify yourselves. What did he promise you? He has no money, no power. Did he offer to get you suits in exchange for safety? To make them for you? He has nothing. I do. He _is_ nothing without me._"

Despite this, she was unable to assure Theo at all with no air in her lungs. All she could do was stand on her feet. She couldn't even warn Theo about the armored suits coming towards them. Fortunately, Cain had heard the scream even above the sounds of machinery and was pounding over in a heartbeat. He took stock of his immobile captain, then looked towards the entryway. After staring at it for a moment, he lifted the enormous torso casing and gently put it around Theo and her blank suit. He then hefted his makeshift hammer and stood behind the doorway.

Cassandra dropped and rolled to avoid the spray of machine gun fire, nearly passing out from the pain. What she needed was time to be still and get her internal organs reconnected. "Don't worry!" was all she could squeak out.

"I'm Almost There! Just Give Me Some Time!"

"_Or are these the people who attacked us two days ago?_"

"Vald!" Cain brought his hammer down on the battlesuit just as it passed through the door. It bounced off the floor, and he pinned it with his foot. He twisted around and hurled his hammer down the hallway, knocking the rest of the reinforcements over. He stepped off the battlesuit and lifted it by the armored head, squeezing tightly. He looked it over, taking in its various components. The kick to his chest caused him to wince. His punch to its chest sent it into the wall.

"Over there!" Cassandra shouted. "Arms!"

"_Have you really gotten to know them? Do you think they can protect you?_"

Cain ran past the assembly arms she had been talking about and straight to thick plates intended for more battlesuits. He clapped them onto his right arm, wrenched a welder free, and fused them to his base set of makeshift armor. After doing the same for his other arm, he charged through the doorway with a challenging bellow. "Hraezla!"

Cassandra pulled the broken thrusters off her limbs and took a deep breath. "Sorry about the scare, Theo! I'll explain more later. Everything's fine. Just concentrate on what you're doing. I'm right here."

"_Those criminals can't do anything for you. Do you think the World Government won't take notice?_"

"Three Immortals! I promise you that even if they sent the Fleet Admiral after us, Damien would take him down. Damien hates the Marines more than anyone has ever hated anything before. He's a simple man. Once he starts a fight, he doesn't lose. You saw that, unfortunately. Once he wins, Doctor puts him back together. I'm not as strong as either of them, clearly, but I'm the one who aims them. We're not invincible, but no Marine crew can take us on?"

"_They will be identified, and you will be brought back to me. You will always come back to me._"

"So long as I draw breath, that won't happen. As you can see, it takes a lot to stop me from breathing. Trust us. Trust me. I'm extremely trustworthy."

She was rewarded with an electronic giggle. "No, You're Not."

"Never told a lie in my life!" she said cheerfully. "Most honest woman you'll ever meet!"

Cain slowly came through the doorway, his boots digging into the ground. Several battlesuits were pushing him out with some difficulty. Dents and bullet holes marred his armor, but the rest of him had only a few additional injuries. He glanced towards his crewmates and growled angrily. His muscles bulged as he prepared himself and twisted his heel. "Reidi!"

"_Why don't we just cut to the chase? Return him to me, and we can forget this little… incident we've had_. _Nothing you've destroyed can't be fixed or replaced._"

The battlesuits all toppled over, and her brought his arm around to scatter them across the floor. Cassandra saw him favoring his right side, which undoubtedly meant his injuries from the other night had reopened. Still, Theo needed more time. "Are there any weapons I can use by hand?"

"Uh…" Theo poked her head out of the enormous torso. "Not… Really…"

"That's fine! I'll think of something." She cast her eye about for anything she could use to aid Cain. Unlike her shipwright, she couldn't simply appropriate the construction arms and armor to use for her own devices. Her knives and pistols wouldn't work here. She needed armor piercing rounds or something that shot a hundred bullets per second. Her gaze frantically flew around the room, but to no avail.

"_Would you deprive a father of his child, his one and only son? I caserale doelskdavvi ooooooo-_" Cassandra grinned as the man's voice became incoherent and monotonous. She looked over at Theo, who heaved a sigh of relief. She wished she could see the little pirate's face for the next part. The voice that continued was different from Theodorus', higher pitched and gravelly. "_This is a Scarab Priority One broadcast. This is not a test. This is a Scarab Priority One broadcast._"

Scarabians who had been sleeping were jolted from their slumber. Those who had been awake focused on nearby speakers. The citizens of City Sixty were especially confused. The attack on the factory hadn't merited an island-wide broadcast, and it was rumored that the two Alram-Mahs had lost many good suits. The guards assaulting Cain paused, and he was smart enough not to take advantage of the situation just yet. Everyone needed to hear the message.

The voice changed to Morgan's as he did his best impression of Theo's father. "_I, Theodorus Alram-Mah XXI, have an announcement to make. It is my greatest pleasure to announce the birth of my heir, Theodora Hypatia Anousheh Fatima Alram-Mah IX. Her birth was nine years ago, but she has informed me that her mother and I were mistaken about her gender. This might be hard to accept for some of you, but that is how it is. Calling her 'he' or 'Theodorus' is an act of violence against her, and the punishment for hurting an Alram-Mah remains unchanged._"

Cain's opponents radiated uncertainty as he slowly pulled himself away. "She is changing her equipment. We were hired to protect her against those who don't agree."

Cassandra smiled as his hands edged towards a large chunk of metal. His explanation made no sense, but the guards were still reeling from the fake announcement. The magic only needed to last for a few moments. "_Theodora is still the wunderkind you all serve and protect. You would do well to remember that. I_-"

Everything went black, and Theo screamed in pain. The sounds of machinery slowly died off, leaving a deafening silence. Completely blind, Cassandra hesitantly moved towards Theo. Once her fingers touched the huge casing, she hopped into it. Theo's screams echoed in the hollow space, and Cassandra tried to figure out how to open her battlesuit. "What's wrong? Theo, I'm right here! Talk to me! Cain, I need some fucking light!"

"Right away! The guards have stopped moving!"

"Theo, tell me what to do! I'm right here!"

Cain stumbled about, damaging anything he hit in his quest for light. "Captain Libera, where were the gas canisters?"

She clenched her eyes as she tried to remember, not that it made any difference. "Far wall, right side! Theo, are you okay? Please, talk to me!"

"EMP!" Theo shrieked, her voice muffled instead of electronically enhanced. "EMP! EMP!"

"What does that mean? What can I do?"

"Just waaaAAA-" She screamed again. "It'll pass!"

The crash of a gas canister was followed by a big explosion. Even without the suit assembled, the torso she and Theo were in dissipated the blast wave astoundingly well. She shook her head fiercely and poked her head out. The fires at the end of the room gave enough light to see. All of the machinery had stopped moving. Cassandra's fists tightened as she realized the implications. "Theo, how're your cybernetics?"

"Restarting! Just gimme a aaaaaAAAAAAA… a bit!"

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No!" Her screams were decreasing in agony. "I just need to… aaaaaaaargh!"

Cassandra turned her head as loud clanging and hissing reached her ears. She hopped onto the edge of the enormous torso and peered through the half-light cast by the distant flames. A large humanoid could be distinguished in the gloom. It solidified into the familiar shape of a battlesuit, but it was unlike any she had ever seen. This one looked like an antique diving suit with a machine gun strapped to one hand and a mining drill replacing the other. Twenty-one viewports on the bulky head flickered with internal lighting, and it sounded like it had been activated after centuries of disuse.

She knew who this was. The knowledge and accompanying rage filled her body with energy. She ducked beneath where the bullets would be and darted forwards. The machine gun fire nearly deafened her. The guns swept towards her, but she had moved to the left. She sprang into the air and straddled the suit's head, bringing her knife down on a glass viewport without any success.

Despite her increased speed and strength, the suit didn't fall completely over. The pilot pulled her off of his face and flung her to the ground. She rolled and hopped backwards, the drill boring into the floor where she had been. Ignoring the shrapnel, she drew and fired one pistol. While the bullets penetrated the padded exterior, she heard them slam into some inner plating, and the glass ports were too thick to break.

She dipped beneath the sweeping machine gun, but the pilot abruptly charged forward. Grinning madly, she pumped herself up even more and tackled him around the middle. Using his momentum to her advantage, she heaved him off the floor and threw him over her head. She was after him before he hit the ground, leaping onto the helmet and peering through a viewport. "She's mine now! Think of the suits I could use!"

She managed to stop one padded arm from pushing her off and flipped back when the other came around. The drill squealed and sent up sparks as it grated against the helmet. Her muscles nearly tearing from the effort, she lifted the suit up and slammed it down again. "A pirate with battlesuit technology! Won't the World Government be furious!"

A hiss prompted her to jump backwards, but there was no avoiding the release of scalding steam. She clapped her hands over her mouth to muffle her screams and stumbled backwards. Every inch of skin seared with pain. A wild spray of bullets largely missed her, though one caught her in the arm. She tripped and fell into the factory room, scrambling blindly across the floor. No matter how many times she endured extreme heat, she would never get used to it.

"Captain Libera!" Cain shouted. "Are you okay?"

"What kind of fucking question is that?" she yelled.

His stomps shook the floor as he approached. "Where is he?"

She heard metal grinding against metal and Cain bellowing in pain. Unable to see, she scrambled into the corner and tried to regain her senses. Her soaked clothes were cooking her alive, but she had an image to maintain. She would not collapse. Her concentration wavered as she fought through the pain. Boils and burns rippled across her skin as her Devil Fruit fought them off.

A sudden gust of wind dissipated the heat slightly, and she looked up to see Cain inhaling again. She welcomed the relief and concentrated on her own breathing. As she breathed deeply and evenly, she focused on clearing her mind. She pictured an expanding bubble, repeatedly pushing everything out. The more she concentrated, the better she felt. The searing heat slowly dissipated, starting at her heart and spreading to her extremities. She opened her eyes and watched the redness slowly go down her arms and beneath her gloves. Steam flowed from her body without hurting in the slightest. Sure, she felt like she'd sprinted for ten miles without her ring on, but it was better than mind-numbing pain.

She turned her hand over to watch the vapor seep out of her glove. "Hm."

Cain hastily retreated from the hallway, bullets ricocheting everywhere. The metal cross in front of Alram-Mah's helmet was dented inwards, and a few viewports were cracked. The light coming from inside had turned deep orange, and a loud groaning resonated through the corridor. The steam in the corridor obscured the suit's movements, leaving little clue about its next attack.

"Ideas, Captain Libera?"

"Don't die."

Cain snorted as he raised his new shield. "Yes, ma'am."

Alram-Mah charged forward, his drill outstretched. Cain's shield folded around it, and he tried to grab the spinning hunk of metal, only to be whirled around himself. Cassandra lunged around the suit and leapt onto its back. The enormous canister seared at the touch, but the pipes coming from it indicated its importance. A knife spun into her hand, and she began hacking away at the outer padding. Alram-Mah jerked violently, then surged forwards as Cain bellowed in pain. Cassandra clung on, tearing away large chunks of the suit.

Her knife finally bounced off the ceramic layer. She switched to a pistol and fired away, still wishing she had her rifle. The plate wasn't even cracking. She returned to hacking away the padding, trying to find a weak point between two places. It didn't help that the fight between Cain and Alram-Mah involved constant, violent jolts. She lost her group on the suit multiple times and had to scramble back on.

She grinned when she found a joint between two plates. Shooting between the plates actually had an effect, and she was rewarded with a piercing pneumatic hiss. The suit sagged slightly to the side, and one leg stomped down to recover its balance. Cassandra had a split second to move before the suit smashed backwards into the wall. She tumbled along the ground and sprang up right into the path of the swinging drill. She caught a glance of vivid red viewports just before her world filled with pain once again. She bounced and rolled past Cain, holding the shreds of her chest and stomach together.

"Reidi!" The ground shook like an earthquake. Cassandra was thrown this way and that, completely losing all sense of direction. Dust and debris rushed past, forcing her to shield her eyes. She eventually managed to get to her feet as the floor's shaking slowed. Her eyes couldn't penetrate the thick clouds in the hallway, but the sounds of fighting were as clear as day. Cain's blow rained down like sledgehammers, and the whir of Alram-Mah's drill dropping in tone whenever it hit something. Hissing and groaning and shouting all blended together in an attempt to deafen her.

Determined not to be shown up, she ignored the wounds that hadn't fully closed and sprinted back into the fight. The steam had mixed with the dust to make a fine coating of sticky mud. She slid between Cain's legs and down the hallway towards the guards she had incapacitated previously. It was almost pitch black with the debris blocking the light from the factory floor. She felt around for someone with a sword and nearly cut her fingers off. She ripped the weapon from its owner's hands and rushed back. She swung it at Alram-Mah's tank with all her might, and the rebound nearly sent her into the wall.

Nevertheless, she continued attacking the tank, determined to chop her way inside. Alram-Mah swung his arm around, and bullets filled the air. Cassandra moved to stay behind him, winding up next to Cain. The suit's leg snapped up and she tried to hop onto it, but her feet slipped in the mud. She was caught dead center and careened past Cain, only to have him reach out and catch her. Her crushed ribs made it hard to breathe, and the mud around Cain's feet was distinctly redder than the rest.

Alram-Mah burst from the clouds of grime once again. Cain knocked aside the drill and slugged the suit's chest. A loud crack cut through the chaos, and Cassandra felt a twinge of pride among her many twinges of pain. Alram-Mah's headbutt caught Cain off guard, and he was able to easily knock the dazed pirate aside. He stomped towards Cassandra, drill held high above his head.

A sudden flare of blue light gave him pause. A small figure sprang up from behind a wall of darkness and landed easily on the floor. "NYMPH Online."

"WELL, THEODORUS, THIS IS A SURPRISE."

"Did You Think I Wouldn't Try To Guard Against The EMP?"

Alram-Mah swept his arm around, peppering Cain with bullets. "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE FROM ME?"

"I _Am_ Smarter Than You Are When It Comes To Mechanics, And Cap Is Smarter Than You About Everything Else."

"OH? AND WHO MIGHT THAT BE?"

Cassandra waved her hand. "Present."

"YOU?" Hollow laughing filled the room. "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S TRYING TO KIDNAP MY SON?"

"Daughter. Don't worry; I'll be out of your hair soon." Alram-Mah lunged forwards, but a movement from the corner of her eye kept her still. Theo rushed in front of her, grabbing the dented metal cross and hauling the larger suit off course. Cassandra turned her head as the pair rolled to the side. "And I'm not just trying, motherfucker."

Theo was on her feet first and sprang over the downed suit's head. It only took three hand chops to crack the large tank, which filled the area with steam. Alram-Mah's swipe caught her back and sent her bouncing away. He reached back and clamped the leak shut. Cassandra's eyes narrowed as she caught sight of a flexible tube revealed by the cracked plates. She had smelled the tang of diesel coming from somewhere inside the suit, but hadn't determined its source. As much as she wanted to take advantage of the weakness, she did not want to risk outright killing him.

"Any chance you could surrender before that pile of scrap falls apart around you?" she asked.

He struggled towards her, only for two enormous hands clamp on his arm and swung him around. He bounced off the wall and tumbled into the darkness. Cain limped up absolutely covered in blood and grime. "We should really leave."

"Agreed. Theo, how's the blank?"

"It's Fried. I Need To Get Replacement Chips."

"Oh, godsdammit." Cassandra ran her hands through her hair. "Time between now and that Hero class up and running?"

"Way Too Long."

"Pack up and leave, it is. We'll have to make do with NYMPH for now."

"Sorry, Cap."

Cassandra shrugged. "It is what it is. Cain, lash the Monster class together while Theo grabs the chips."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Okay!"

She cracked her knuckles as she stared at the suit trying to get up. Her breath was heavy, but she kept her head high as she strode over. "Now, I know you may not believe me, but I'm not a violent woman. I just want what's best for your daughter, Theodora. Take it from me; growing up as a queer girl is hard regardless of the environment. I was never as brave as she was. I still haven't come out to my parents, and she said she told you years ago."

Alram-Mah's shout of anger was magnified inside the round metal helmet.

"Look, it's nothing personal. She just doesn't feel safe growing up in an environment where her gender isn't recognized. We're not the best people, but we're pretty accepting. She's in good hands."

He arduously climbed to his feet and loomed over her. Bits of padding were falling off, and a peculiar fluid was leaking onto the floor. His drill had stopped spinning, and she felt safe enough to catch it with her hands. Pain shot through her body and the floor cracked, but she held firm. She heaved it away, sending it crashing to the floor. "Would you fucking stop for a second? That relic's running on fumes. If you had one of your fancy suits, we'd be smeared across the walls. Since you don't, you can't stop us from taking you daughter. I really don't want to kill you. I'm not even sure if I can. But we are taking her."

"YOU WOULD NOT DARE."

"You would be surprised what I dare to do. I am Cassandra Libera. Kidnapping the child prodigy of a top weapons manufacturer? That's nothing to me. My doctor's killed more people than your weapons have. My navigator has eaten a Marine officer. My girlfriend once defaced a thousand-year-old painting. I promise we will do our best to keep your daughter safe-"

The drill swept her legs out from beneath her, and she handsprung away from the follow-up attack. She staggered to the side and dusted herself off. "Well, I see you're not going to be mature about it. This is really your fault, you know. You should have respected your daughter. Instead, you drove her away. You reap what you sow, or in this case, not. Silentium Larundae."

Her punch knocked one knee away, and her subsequent uppercut broke through the cracked plate. She had to plant her feet on the suit to extract her fist and rolled gracelessly across the floor. She bounded to her feet and shook herself off. "Good luck on your next child."

"YOU'RE DEAD."

"Yeah, yeah." Walking back without showing her exhaustion was even harder than the fight, but she thought she pulled it off reasonably well. She made her way over to Cain, who had strapped both of the larger battlesuits to his back. She knew the weight was nothing for him, but his clothes were stained with blood and his face looked like raw meat. "Let's go."

"YOU ARE ALL DEAD!"

"He'll have to get in line," Cain groaned.

Cassandra laughed dryly. "Well, I am the future Pirate Queen, discoverer of the Moon Sister connection, and an all-around bitch. That line stretches around the world twice."

"You do take pride in making enemies. Lyn's thrilled."

"I know."

"Damien even more."

"I aim to please."

"Will you tell Theo?"

"She already knows. No need to add extra suffering."

"What happened to not hiding anything?"

"Cain, I will carve smartassery out of your fucking skull if I have to."

"Damien'd punish you for injury against crewmembers,"

The idle banter kept their minds off their pain and exhaustion. Even on the verge of passing out, Cassandra was able to follow Theo's tracks. They heard her before she arrived, feet clanking on the metal floor. "I got the spare chips. Morgan's tunnel is over here. We can be on the way to Hallowblight in less than half an hour."

"Good," Cassandra growled. "I've had enough of this cursed rock."

\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\'/.\\

The helmet of the diving suit clanked onto the floor, and Theodorus Alram-Mah XXI pulled himself out. He should really have kept maintaining the electricity-free suit. Scowling angrily, he squeezed one of the balls stored in his suit and filled the area with light. He knew his son was gone. Rushing after him wouldn't do anything. His first priority was checking his factory guards. They were banged up pretty badly, but their suits had held up well. The guards without suits had fared far worse, and he gently closed their eyes as he passed

He barely needed the light as he stalked the corridors to his son's room. He stopped by the EMP-resistant room and was wholly unsurprised to see it significantly emptier than he remembered. Theodurus XXII was flawed, but he was not stupid. Theodorus XXI had to admit he was impressed with the speed his son had recovered from the pulse. He had been expecting several more minutes of downtime.

Theodorus XXII's room was the same as it always was save for a few key changes. The spare NYMPH suit was gone, and the bed had been smashed. He went to the computer and stared at the blank blue screen for a moment. A few clicks of the keyboard had no effect. His light illuminated the wall behind him, and he grimaced as he saw the reflection in the monitor. He turned to stare at the words shot into the wall. "You think you can fly? Fire and water are plentiful on this earth. You will be back. You are mine."

The light went with him as he left, and RUST IN YOUR LABYRINTH faded into darkness.


End file.
